beauty

Jan 16, 2020

Earlier this week the English philosopher and aesthete Roger Scruton died. I am confident that in these hours he will discovering that his lives work teaching about beauty as the revelation of God in the here and now was right on track.

In gratitude to Roger Scruton for his work, and as a prayer for his eternal experience of the fulness of beauty, I share one of his best-known video teachings.

May he Rest in Peace.

2 Comments

  1. Thank you for the poignant, most beautiful reflection in high honour of the English Philosopher and Writer, Roger Scruton. R.I.P.
    ‘Beauty’ really does matter … the ultimate aim of life, (politics) and love. Roger Scruton calls us all to reshape our world again.
    Gratefully,
    Virginia

    Reply
  2. What an intelligent and sensitive lesson on the elusive capacity of beauty to redeem, dignify and adorn our lives. Roger’s concluding section using the beloved ‘Stabat Mater’ was brilliant. John thank you for sharing this gem.

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Posts

moving waters

moving waters

Bible questions still pop up regularly in quiz shows and they often cost otherwise sharp players much needed points.
I’m ready for a question asking for the two names for the last book of the Bible. The book often known as Apocalypse is perhaps more often referred to as the Book of Revelation.
It’s common (thanks to movies) to think of an apocalypse as a devastating and unwelcome time of destruction.

to dream

to dream

The pics I use on these daily posts are sometimes snapped by me, and often borrowed from free-use websites. I thought it might be interesting to move towards using only my own snaps, and then only those taken in the past 24 hours. We’ll see how I go.
I took the pic above yesterday morning on an early walk.

to really see

to really see

Perhaps we find the miracles of Jesus too difficult to understand. How can we cope with what we may not have seen with our own eyes?
Many people cope with the miraculous by reducing it to what they can understand. They say Jesus just increased the blind man’s psychological vision, or opened his eyes of faith rather than actually giving him physical sight.

the rich earth

the rich earth

Over the years I have celebrated hundreds of funerals, many well prepared with family and friends gathering to celebrate the life of the one they love. There are efficient funeral directors, beautiful flowers, glossy brochures, photographs and video presentations, eulogies and even artificial grass and sterilised sand at the graveside.

Patrick’s day

Patrick’s day

Most people who celebrate on St. Patrick’s day today think of wearing green and enjoying good Irish music, Guinness and perhaps dancing at an Irish pub. But it’s easy to forget that Patrick was a robust disciple of Jesus Christ who brought the Good News of the ultimate and eternal liberation through Jesus Christ to the people of Ireland.