Blog — The Way of Beauty

Study the Master of Sacred Arts and the Theology Doctorate (Th.D.) at Pontifex University www.PontifexUniversity.

David Clayton

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GOP Rep. Jim Banks offers bill to prescribe traditional architectural styles for federal buildings

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GOP Rep. Jim Banks offers bill to prescribe traditional architectural styles for federal buildings

Architecture by the people, for the people, and of the people; rather than serving the interests of elites who have disdain for them and push Brutalism. Brutalism says: ‘You may not like it, but you’re wrong - we know what is good for you.’The ‘"Beautifying Federal Civic Architecture Act" declares "traditional and classical" architectural styles to be preferred for new Federal government buildings. This sets the tone for a wider American culture of beauty and superabundance.

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Liturgical Art as Prophecy and Priesthood: Sacred Art and the Restoration of Human Dignity.

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Liturgical Art as Prophecy and Priesthood: Sacred Art and the Restoration of Human Dignity.

To repeat our opening words, we act as we see. The first step is therefore education, not  education merely to swell our head knowledge, but to check, and if necessary, recalibrate,  our vision of the world and of our worship.

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The First Adeodatus Conference on Catholic Education and Culture

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The First Adeodatus Conference on Catholic Education and Culture

Pasadena, CA; June 21-24th. Theme for 2023: Major Sources of Catholic Education and its Renewal, The Formation of the Supernatural Man. Featuring: Michael Waldstein, Andrew Kern, James Matthew Wilson, Ed Feser, R. Jared Staudt, Mike Foley, David Deavel, Fabio Reali, Josef Froula, Fr. Robert Spitzer, Arthur Hippler, Paul Shrimpton, Joe Heschmeyer, Fr. Sebastian Walshe, Margarita Mooney Clayton, Dale Ahlquist, David Whalen, RJ Snell, Andrew Seeley, Deal Hudson, Michael Naughton, and Pater Edmund Waldstein.

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Introducing Peter Carter and The Catholic Sacred Music Project

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Introducing Peter Carter and The Catholic Sacred Music Project

The Catholic Sacred Music Project promotes beautiful sacred music and worship accessible for all through events such as the Scala Conference 2023, a composers workshop with Sir James MacMillan, a conductors's workshops and choral festivals.

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The Philosophy of Contemporary Mainstream Fine Art Education and Art Criticism: Part 3

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The Philosophy of Contemporary Mainstream Fine Art Education and Art Criticism: Part 3

Trying to Understand, and Counter, the Philosophy of Mainstream Art Schools and Contemporary Art Criticism. Part 3. How Marxist theory has entered the mainstream, and how radical, Christian ‘counter-revolutionary’ beauty is the response that will save the world.

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The Philosophy of Contemporary Mainstream Fine Art Education and Art Criticism: Part 2

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The Philosophy of Contemporary Mainstream Fine Art Education and Art Criticism: Part 2

Trying to Understand the Philosophy of Mainstream Art Schools and Contemporary Art Criticism. Part 2, The Appeal of Marxism as a Quasi Religion with It’s Own Salvation History, and the Counter-Revolutionary power of Christian sacred art

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The Philosophy of Contemporary Mainstream Fine Art Education and Art Criticism: Part 1

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The Philosophy of Contemporary Mainstream Fine Art Education and Art Criticism: Part 1

Trying to Understand, and to Counter, the Philosophy of Mainstream Art Schools and Contemporary Art Criticism. Part 1, Postmodernism, an art movement that doesn’t really exist?

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Choosing Candles or Oil Lamps for the Image Corner in Your Domestic Church

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Choosing Candles or Oil Lamps for the Image Corner in Your Domestic Church

The burning flame is a symbol of the Light of the World which becomes also a sign that, when lit, the household is in prayer time. The flickering light renders the icons more beautiful through reflective interplay of light and dark. Also, if you have children, you will know that the presence of fire adds a focus that draws their attention to it, as powerfully as if they were moths.

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The Mathematics of Beauty - Teaching Principles for Today, and Work Submitted by a Student

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The Mathematics of Beauty - Teaching Principles for Today, and Work Submitted by a Student

Intution has a part to play in the creation of beauty, but as with a musical composer needs the theory before he can create a new and beautiful piece of music, so does the artist. Even Mozart and Beethoven, prodigies that they were, had music lessons and were taught some theory by their fathers. 

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Emblems of the Wounds in the Body and Heart of Christ Painted Onto a Candle

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Emblems of the Wounds in the Body and Heart of Christ Painted Onto a Candle

Designs by Gina Switzer, based upon the 'Vulnerary of Christ', that is emblems of the wounds of Christ, incorporated into a cross. that relates the life and death of Christ to his resurrection by directing our attention, through the symbolism of the flowers, to paradise.

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Book Recommendation: Christian Iconography - Selections from The Art of Painting (1649), by Francesco Pacheco

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Book Recommendation: Christian Iconography - Selections from The Art of Painting (1649), by Francesco Pacheco

At long last, this classic treatise from the teacher of Velazquez on Baroque and Counter-Reformation sacred art has been translated from the original Spanish for the first time.

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Keep the Dates! Scala Foundation Conference, April 21-22, 2023. Princeton, NJ,

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Featuring Aidan Hart, Jonathan Pageau and David Clayton

Scala Foundation will host its next conference on April 21-22, 2023 on the campus of Princeton Theological Seminary. The Scala Foundation’s mission is to restore meaning and purpose to American culture through beauty, liberal arts education and religion. The name Scala comes from the Latin word for a ladder. With God’s help we can ascend the the ladder of perfection, like the angels in Jacob’s dream.

This conference, entitled Art, the Sacred, and the Common Good: Renewing Culture through Beauty, Education and Worship. brings together Christians from different denominations with a view to us all working together to evangelize American culture as one of beauty that speaks of the Beauty of God. It will feature a dozen total speakers, including the best-selling author Andy Crouch and the internationally renowned artists Jonathan Pageau and Aidan Hart. I am honored to have been asked to moderate a conversation with my friends Jonathan and Aidan on the renewal of sacred art. We are particularly blessed to have Aidan, my former teacher, coming from England especially for the conference.

In the afernoon session, Elizabeth Black, Principal of St Stephen’s K-9 school in Grand Rapids, MI, will talk about how she has implemented The Way of Beauty into her school. I visited her school this past summer and wrote about it, here.

I was at the 2022 conference as both speaker and attendee and it was one of the most hopeful, constructive and inspiring events of this type that I have attended.

Scala Foundation’s Executive Director, Margarita Mooney Clayton writes:

The goal is to show how traditions in beauty, education and worship, although under threat, are indeed being renewed. Attendees at this event will have the opportunity to:

  • Meet internationally renowned artists and prestigious scholars;

  • Experience beautiful sacred music, art, and architecture;

  • Learn why beauty is essential to personal happiness and civic participation;

  • Be inspired by educators who form virtues through beauty;

  • Build community with people pursuing the way of beauty.

One attendee last year said:

“The conference was rejuvenating. Inspiring. Encouraging. Enlivening. As an architecture major who went into youth ministry and now doing graduate work in theology, this conference allowed me to connect the dots between art, faith and service.”

The conference begins with a dinner and keynote lecture on Friday night, followed by a full day on Saturday of keynote addresses, panels, and breakout sessions with speakers. Attendees will also have the chance to participate in chorale prayer for liturgy of the hours, to see an exhibit of archives of sacred texts from Princeton Theological Seminary, and see the art of the speakers and other local artists.

Registration will begin in December 2022. Visit the conference website to let them know you are interested and they will send you advance notice of registration!

I encourage all to attend!