The world is not a perfect place, by any stretch of the imagination. Rampant secularism, endless noise, social unrest, political upheaval, and cultural strife mark our times, perhaps more than ever before. It is apparent that the answer does not lie where society’s efforts are focused. More commercialism, more division, more “us vs. them” – this is cultural suicide, and we see our society gasping for breath already.
What can be done?
Jimmy Mitchell has some ideas. Challenging, direct, and timely ideas.
Mitchell is the founder of Love Good, a formation platform that empowers everyday Christians to bring beauty to the forefront of their lives, and in every context – work, family, parish life, etc. He is passionate about evangelization, particularly through the way of beauty.
His new book is Let Beauty Speak: The Art of Being Human in a Culture of Noise (Ignatius, 2023). Mitchell explores ten principles which empower Christians to evangelize through beauty, showing the world what it means to be human. The book looks beyond merely natural solutions to the problems of the world, while seeking answers in the beauty of holiness.
Mitchell recently spoke with Catholic World Report about his new book, the uniqueness of beauty, and how beauty can lead us to God.
Catholic World Report: How did the book come about?
Jimmy Mitchell: After years of observing and accompanying artists out of Nashville, I grew increasingly convinced of the unique power that beauty has to evangelize our culture of noise.
Because the last two decades have been dictated by relativism, truth and goodness have been kicked to the curb and left beauty as the last-standing transcendental. This book is divided into ten principles that empower everyday Catholics to bring beauty to the forefront of their lives and transform culture around them.
You don’t have to be Michelangelo or Mozart to evangelize through beauty. You simply have to live in such a way that your life captivates people around you with the beauty of being fully human and fully alive. That’s what this book is all about.
CWR: The subtitle of the book is “The Art of Being Human in a Culture of Noise”. How does noise disrupt us to the point that we need advice on how to be human in a noisy world?
Mitchell: Noise has a dehumanizing effect on the soul. It has a way of distracting us from the essentials and turning us in on ourselves and our base desires. Only with silence and humility can we recognize the beauty of God in us and around us. It’s what some great writers have called a sacramental imagination, an ability to see beyond the veil and recognize God’s glory in all things.
When beauty breaks through the noise, this lens through which we can see the world as God sees it becomes possible.
CWR: If we “let beauty speak”, what should we expect it to “say”?
Mitchell: Beauty ultimately speaks truth. They are inseparable transcendentals. However, there are very few enemies of beauty in today’s post-Christian culture, thereby making it a much easier place to start in our work of evangelization.
Even pondering our Lord’s public ministry is quite instructive. He always had a way of winning people over with the beauty of his love and then proclaiming difficult truths. The same should be true for us.
CWR: Have we lost a sense of awe in today’s world? How can we regain it?
Mitchell: We have certainly lost our sense of awe in today’s culture of noise. For example, the average American scrolls the distance to the top of Mount Everest and back every year with their phone.
When we’re not glued to screens, we’re inundated by soundbites. Most of us learn to live with anxiety and become accustomed to quiet desperation. And yet, there is nothing more human than standing in awe before the mysteries of life. There is nothing that will more quickly break through the noise and reclaim our childlike wonder than the great transcendental of beauty.
CWR: The eighth chapter is on suffering. How can suffering be beautiful?
Mitchell: Suffering, in and of itself, is ugly and painful. However, the fruits of suffering become beautiful when united to Christ on the cross.
This chapter on suffering is the most personal for me, as it recounts the experience of losing my older brother at a young age. While there was tremendous grief for me and my family amidst that unexpected tragedy, God brought healing to our wounds and beauty to our brokenness that convicted me of our Lord’s Resurrection like nothing else. What is more beautiful than Christians living fearlessly in the truth that Christ defeated death once and for all 2000 years ago?
CWR: What do you hope readers will take away from the book?
Mitchell: I hope readers are inspired to live their lives intentionally and beautifully, knowing that God has a unique and unrepeatable plan for each of us to bring his love into the world.
You don’t need to be an artist to encounter God through beauty or to use beauty to evangelize family and friends. It’s accessible to all of us and I dare say necessary like never before, given our cultural moment.
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