God's Beauty: A Call to Justice

by Patrick T. McCormick

Overview

What if we began our study of Christian ethics not with an examination of our moral duties but with an exploration of the call of beauty? For like justice, beauty generates a call to a larger, more generous self. God's Beauty offers a fresh, positive approach to moral arguments calling us to work for social justice. It focuses on the calling of divine beauty summoning us to work for justice, protect human rights, overcome alienation and hostility, and be tenders and creators of beauty.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780814680872
Publisher:	Liturgical Press
Publication date:	10/01/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	168
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Patrick T. McCormick is professor of religious studies at Gonzaga University. He is the author of A Banqueter's Guide to the All Night Soup Kitchen of the Kingdom of God (Liturgical Press, 2004) and has written a monthly column on Christianity and culture for U.S. Catholic since 1994.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Beauty as the Font of Christian Ethics ix

Chapter 1 The Beauty of Justice: Four Biblical Visions of the Beautiful and Righteous Community 1

Chapter 2 A Right to Beauty: Milk and Honey for the Souls of the Poor 38

Chapter 3 The Beautiful Stranger: Fashioned in the Image and Likeness of God 77

Chapter 4 Tending Eden's Beauty: The Human Calling to Care for Creation 113

Index 150

Editorial Reviews

This book is a fine introduction to the often overlooked but powerful role beauty plays in evoking and sustaining the work of justice. Noting that the moral life consists of far more than the minimal obligations we may feel duty bound to fulfill, McCormick explores how it is that the gracious experience of beauty can decenter us. His vivid portrayals of how God is drawing all the world toward the peaceful pleasures of life together enable the reader to feel the pull of beauty toward what is good. This book delineates how it is that this vision of treasured community sparks in those who enjoy it a deep moral desire for the welfare of all, delight in human diversity, and pleasure in the care of creation. Many compelling illustrations drawn from scripture, literature, art, film, and history bring flesh to McCormick’s claims.
Patricia Beattie Jung, Professor of Christian Ethics and Oubri A. Poppele Professor of Health and Welfare Ministries, Saint Paul Sch


Classically, the path to God has been threefold, seeking God in the true, the good, and the beautiful. It is the third way that is the most neglected by contemporary theology, especially by moral theologians. In this book Pat McCormick offers his insightful take on the moral life via the way of beauty, illuminating a creative and distinctive path for ethical reflection. McCormick is a scholar of substance who writes with flair.
Kenneth R. Himes, OFM, Department of Theology, Boston College


God's Beauty is a breakthrough book. McCormick's creativity moves us from the drudgery of duty and obligation to show us the joy and liberation that emerges when we let beauty ground our ethics. The book creatively mines the Scriptures and tradition to discover God as the lure of beauty who transforms how we experience justice, poverty, immigrants, and our world. It’s a breath of fresh air for those interested in ethics.
Thomas A. Shannon
Co-editor of Catholic Social Thought: The Documentary Heritage


God's Beauty is a thoughtful and very eloquent book, particularly in its criticisms. . . .a book with profound significance for many areas of ethical thought.
Michael Casey, OCSO, Tarrawarra Abbey


This is a thoughtful and very eloquent book, particularly in its criticisms. . . . This is a book with profound significance for many areas of ethical thought.

Tjurunga

From the Publisher