The Father of Lights: A Theology of Beauty

by Junius Johnson

"Every good giving and every perfect gift is from on high, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17). This verse conveys a powerful image of God as the source and referent of all beauty. This book demonstrates how the experience of beauty is related to our inherent longing for the God who is reflected in such moments. Richly informed by Junius Johnson's expertise on Bonaventure and von Balthasar, the book offers a robust, full-orbed theology of beauty, showing how it has functioned as a theological concept from biblical times to the present day.

Genres: Philosophy, Theology, Cultural, Christianity, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

Published September 29, 2020

About the author

Junius is a theologian working in the areas of historical and philosophical theology. He holds a PhD in theology from Yale, and writes scholarly books and articles in Trinitarian theology, Christology, Eucharistic theology, and metaphysics. In addition, his scholarly interests include Medieval literature and philosophy of all periods.

Junius is also a professional French Horn player and an aspiring fiction writer.

Reviews

[Samuel G. Parkison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cannot quite nail Johnson down. Judging from this book alone I would say his theological convictions don’t sit squarely within any single tradition. I doubt Johnson would find this offensive, though I do not necessarily intend it as a complement, nor an insult for that matter. The first third of this book is phenomenal. Johnson offers very insightful analysis on the existential experience of beauty in a theological framework, but then things get a little weird with his sacramental theology, and even weirder with his theology of icons. The good news is that the latter conclusions are not required by the earlier ones. So Johnson still has my thanks.

[Jeremy]

I sat in one of Junius's classes at Baylor (Spring 2016).

[Scott Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

It says, "A theology of beauty," but Johnson's book is not about beauty (aesthetic value). It is about anamnesis, how someone or something reminds one of God. As such, this book is useful. But I take issue with so wide an appropriation of the word "beauty" as it crowds out beauty proper (as it is distinct from goodness and truth) and probably creates some confusion (and in this case, I think, marketing issues). Reader beware: if you are looking for a treatment of aesthetic value from a Christian theological perspective, this is not it.

Otherwise, I appreciate Johnson's ambition and spirit. He does not hold back in his sophistication. However, I personally would have liked to see more engagement with prior thinkers on the subject.

[David Bruyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Johnson writes one of the most intricate, analytical and thoughtful treatments of beauty, from a Christian point of view. His writing, at times, becomes too philosophically demanding for all but the naturally brilliant or the ardently curious. His discussion of contuition, metaphor, analogy, language and signs is rarely discussed but necessary to understand God's beauty in all of life. However, I parted ways with him in his views of sacraments and icons.

[Twila Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Harrison Glaze · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5—I’m not convinced this is the totally satisfying account it seems at times to want to be (as another reviewer noted, it’d be more precise to call this “a theology of anamnesis”). But I’m too little a theologian to have much right, in the end, to respond with anything more than humility and gratitude, and this rigorous, necessary, and, yes, beautiful book occasions both.