Evangelization & Culture Podcast

What Is Beauty? w/ Bishop Barron

Jul 22, 2025
Bishop Robert Barron, Bishop of Winona and Rochester and founder of Word on Fire, dives deep into the essence of beauty. He discusses beauty's role as a transcendent truth rather than mere subjective taste, drawing from philosophical insights of Thomas Aquinas. The conversation weaves through personal experiences with art and faith, illustrating how beauty can transform lives and evoke deeper connections to the divine. They explore the interplay between beauty, truth, and goodness, prompting listeners to reconsider their understanding of beauty's impact on spirituality.
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INSIGHT

Aquinas' Objective Beauty Definition

  • Thomas Aquinas defines beauty at the intersection of wholeness, harmony, and radiance.
  • These elements combined produce objective beauty beyond mere subjective taste.
ANECDOTE

Learning to Appreciate Classical Music

  • Bishop Barron shares his experience of initially not understanding classical music at the Kennedy Center.
  • Over time, education and exposure helped him appreciate deeper beauty he initially missed.
INSIGHT

Beauty as a Transcendental

  • Beauty, like truth and goodness, is a transcendental applying to all being.
  • The beautiful first arrests attention, then engages intellect and will towards the ultimate source, God.
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