6
qualities."
18
Grudem rightly includes conduct as a manifestation of beauty. He implores
us to live lives that reflect the character of God. He includes two questions at the end of
the chapter devoted to beauty. Thus, Grudem has considered beauty from a theological
standpoint, but has failed to relate beauty to his explication of the doctrines of revelation,
Christ, the church and even the cross. Credit is due to his effort to include beauty, but
even he is left somewhat beastly.
B. Turning the Beast into a Beauty
Having examined a few representative Evangelical systematic theologies and
having shown, on the whole, their lack of dealing with beauty at a theological level, I
would like to mention and briefly develop four things that will turn the beast of
Evangelical theology into a lovely queen.
I. Beauty from History
As I already mentioned in the introduction to this paper, past theologians did a
much better job speaking about beauty theologically, but ever since the Enlightenment
theologians have generally failed to consider beauty.
19
Alejandro Garcia-Rivera laments:
"We have lost confidence, perhaps belief, in the human capacity to know and love God as
Beauty. Thus, while some may still believe that God is the source of Beauty, and many
that the beautiful can be experienced, few would be willing to say that these two are
connected in a profound and organic way."
20
Previous sages of the faith can challenge
and correct us in this regard. Probably the greatest exemplar of a theologian utilizing the
concept of beauty is Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758). Of beauty Edwards said, "it is what
18
Ibid., 219.
19
Balthasar devotes volume two of The Glory of the Lord, Studies in Theological Style: Clerical
Styles to Irenaeus, Augustine, Denys, Anselm, and Bonaventure.