The Meaning of Beauty

David de Bruyn

For centuries, man has tried to understand the idea of beauty. When and why is something beautiful? He has also pondered the experience of beauty: why and how does beauty affect us when we encounter it?

Defining beauty or the beautiful is no easy task. Hundreds of attempts have been made, and no single definition has satisfied everyone.

Why don’t Christians agree on beauty, especially since we all submit to the Word as our final authority? The question of beauty among Christians faces additional hurdles. One is that beauty is often discussed by philosophers, and some Christians frown upon philosophy. For them, if the idea of beauty seems more colored by the philosophizing of intellectuals than informed by clear biblical theology, they look upon the whole discussion with some suspicion.