Grace and Necessity: Reflections on Art and Love

by Rowan Williams

In this original book Rowan Williams sketches out a new understanding of how human beings open themselves to transcendence. Drawing on the French Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain, the Welsh poet and painter David Jones, and the American novelist Mary Flannery O`Connor, Rowan Williams fulfils his ambition for Christianity to engage with contemporary culture, and that a man who holds highest office in the Church has the time and intellectual energy to write such original theology is encouraging for us all.


‘Unabashedly erudite in tone, this book may appeal to scholars and readers interested in grappling with a debate that has probably been engaged as long as there have been artists and theologians.' Publishers Weekly

'Discusses important issues in a profound and original way.' Church of England Newspaper v

Genres: Theology, Art, Philosophy

172 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Rowan Douglas Williams, Baron Williams of Oystermouth, is an Anglican bishop, poet, and theologian. He was Archbishop of Canterbury from December 2002-2012, and is now Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge and Chancellor of the University of South Wales.

Reviews

[Porter Sprigg]

Art is Christian to the extent that love is alive in it.

[Christina “6 word reviewer” Lake]

Brilliantly elucidates art's excess of seeing.

[Amy Jane]

A couple of the chapters were great, full of insight and points of interest. But half of the book was hard to read and spoke about literature rather than actual art, which I wasn’t expecting. Still, I made a lot of notes.

[Gerard Mc Mahon]

Dropped it in the end as it wasn't going anywhere for me.

[Timothy Hoiland]

“. . . for Christian theology, God’s act of creation is utterly gratuitous, describable as a kind of play.”

[Adam Shaeffer]

Interesting and dense, Williams offers a lot of food for thought in this one as well as many passages to reread as time permits.

[Lou]

A brilliant, mind-stretching, clearly-written examination of what art means for life and theology.