Martin Luther's Theology of Beauty: A Reappraisal - Paperback

by Mark C. Mattes (Author)

Many contemporary theologians seek to retrieve the concept of beauty as a way for people to encounter God. This groundbreaking book argues that while Martin Luther's view of beauty has often been ignored or underappreciated, it has much to contribute to that quest. Mark Mattes, one of today's leading Lutheran theologians, analyzes Luther's theological aesthetics and discusses its implications for music, art, and the contemplative life. Mattes shows that for Luther, the cross is the lens through which the beauty of God is refracted into the world.

Back Jacket

Mark Mattes has given us an intriguing and richly textured study of beauty in Luther's theology. In the crucified Christ, salvation is given to those who believe; thus, Christ is beautiful, and believers can celebrate this 'gospel beauty' through the ways God grants mercy in worship: preaching and the sacraments. Christ has absorbed the ugliness of sin, enabling believers to feel at home in the world and to celebrate creation's beauty. This splendid study will deepen understandings of Luther and open new appreciations for the fullness of Jesus Christ as 'the fulcrum through which life, and most specifically truth, goodness, and beauty, are to be understood.'
--Donald K. McKim, editor of The Cambridge Companion to Martin Luther and author of Moments with Martin Luther: 95 Daily Devotions

"Beauty has historically been a neglected topic in much of traditional Protestant theology, a lacuna of increasing significance in an age that is more and more preoccupied with aesthetics. In this book Mattes retrieves Martin Luther as a source for aesthetic reflection and, in so doing, brings both Luther's thought and the Protestantism that stems from him into important dialogue with both earlier theologians and contemporary thinkers such as Charles Taylor and John Milbank. Martin Luther's Theology of Beauty is rich in historical theological insight and modern philosophical potential."
--Carl R. Trueman, Westminster Theological Seminary, Pennsylvania

"Claiming that Luther's work has not only 'existential' depth but also 'cosmic' and 'eschatological' breadth, Mattes brings to the fore the centrality of beauty in Luther's theology. Providing a careful and clear reading of Luther's work that situates it within its historical context and in relation to contemporary discussions, Mattes argues that, for Luther, God's proper work--mercy--is beautiful indeed. Timely and incisive, this book charts a distinctive path that opens up fresh appropriations of Luther's work in our time."
--Lois Malcolm, Luther Seminary

"Most students of theology would never guess that Martin Luther, famous for his denunciation of theologies of glory, had a richly developed aesthetic. This is the thesis made plausible by Mark Mattes, a distinguished Lutheran theologian. Clear and learned, this book draws connections that will surprise many."
--Gerald McDermott, Beeson Divinity School; coauthor of The Theology of Jonathan Edwards

Author Biography

Mark C. Mattes (PhD, University of Chicago) is professor of philosophy and religion at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa. He previously served parishes in Illinois and Wisconsin. Mattes has authored, edited, or translated a number of books and is an associate editor of the forthcoming Dictionary of Luther and the Lutheran Traditions.