Beauty in the Light of the Redemption

by Dietrich von Hildebrand

"What importance is to be attributed to beauty in the life of a Christian? What role should it play in the life of those who have been redeemed? What is the relationship between redemption and beauty? Did beauty lose its significance after the redemption?” These are some of the questions Dietrich von Hildebrand answers in this collection of essays, which introduces his philosophy of art, truth, and beauty.

Genres: Philosophy, Theology, Christian, Christianity, Art, Faith

54 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 24, 2019

About the author

Dietrich von Hildebrand was a German Catholic philosopher and theologian who was called (informally) by Pope Pius XII "the 20th Century Doctor of the Church."

Pope John Paul II greatly admired the work of von Hildebrand, remarking once to von Hildebrand's widow, Alice von Hildebrand, "Your husband is one of the great ethicists of the twentieth century." Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has a particular admiration and regard for Dietrich von Hildebrand, whom he already knew as a young priest in Munich. In fact, as young Fr. Ratzinger, he even served as an assistant pastor in the church of St. Georg in Munich, which von Hildebrand frequented in the 1950s and 1960s. It was also in St. Georg that Dietrich and Alice von Hildebrand were married.

The degree of Pope Benedict's esteem is expressed in one of his statements about von Hildebrand, "When the intellectual history of the Catholic Church in the twentieth century is written, the name of Dietrich von Hildebrand will be most prominent among the figures of our time." Von Hildebrand was a vocal critic of the changes in the church brought by the Second Vatican Council. He especially resented the new liturgy. Of it he said "Truly, if one of the devils in C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters had been entrusted with the ruin of the liturgy, he could not have done it better."

Von Hildebrand died in New Rochelle, New York, in 1977.

Reviews

[Peter]

Bellus libellus.

[Kyle McManamy]

4.5 - an excellent introduction to the aesthetic reflections of a formidable philosopher and theologian in the Christian tradition. He explores distinctions within beauty, the approaches (right and wrong) to it, misconceptions about its place now that Christ has come, and more. Though it be small, it is mighty still. Take and read.

Hildebrand has a 2 volume master-work on Aesthetics and this is a great place to start to understand more of where he's going in that.

[Gab Nug · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great introduction into von Hildebrand’s philosophical and theological aesthetics. This collection consisted of two independent essays and the introduction to his two-volume magnum opus “Aesthetics” in which he puts forth his whole aesthetic understanding. This short reading makes me enthusiastic to continue delving into the Hildebrandian aesthetic vision.

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short book offers a poignant introduction to Hildebrand’s Phenomenology of beauty and art. Opening with the eponymous essay, Hildebrand carved out a unique role for beauty for the life of a Christian arguing, as he will throughout all three essays, that beauty is a road toward values which are important-in-themselves and ultimately toward God. Throughout, he contrasts various attitudes towards the beautiful which are inadequate to fully grasp beautiful things as beautiful. Attitudes like that of the aesthete only enjoy beauty for the subjectively satisfying pleasure they give us not for the value they present before us. Opposite attitudes also occur where beauty as such is denied and reduced to mere subjectivity (which plagues the modern world in droves). All of this is rejected by Hildebrand, who clears the cobwebs away in order to allow us to reorient ourselves to properly interact with the beautiful, something he controversially admits not everyone has the capacity to do. This little book is an excellent way to dip one’s toes into the world of Hildebrandian Phenomenology and, through his refreshingly clear prose, manages to tease out major themes that he will greatly expand on in major works such as Ethics and his two-volume works on Aesthetics (of which the introduction to the first volume is included). Overall, this is a highly recommended work!

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent little book. Very thought provoking. I think Von Hildebrand does an excellent job of emphasizing the transcendent nature of Beauty, and beauty’s ultimate end of leading a person into an encounter with God.

[Samuel G. Parkison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous little book. Highly recommend.

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beauty in the light of redemption – 4/5
Aestheticism and the True Disposition to Art – 5/5
Introduction to Aesthetics – 5/5

[Madelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overwhelmingly Western in scope.

[Clara! · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well deserved five stars. I am still firmly a pragmatist but no longer an aesthete apparently.

[Fr. John Clark]

Brief and clear, stern yet reverent. As with all good phenomenology, he doesn’t say more than he should. A wonderful little read.