Beauty Through Faith Podcast

Summary
Dr. Eliot Grasso returns to Beauty Through Faith for a conversation on attention, silence, artistic practice, and human formation. Together, Eliot, Benjamin Harding, and Gustav Hoyer explore how beauty invites us to slow down, become more present, and resist a culture of distraction.
The conversation also turns to Eliot’s current work in music and education, before closing with a thoughtful discussion on AI, human agency, and why true learning and creativity require practice, participation, and transformation.
Links
Gutenberg CollegeLearn more about Gutenberg College, its programs, conferences, and upcoming events.
Soli Deo Gloria: The Life and Legacy of Johann Sebastian BachBy Greg Wilbur
Eliot contributed the introduction to a new edition of this biography exploring Bach’s life, faith, and artistic vocation.
Smithsonian Folkways / Archival Recording
Takeaways
* A life ordered toward beauty begins with attention — particularly the attention required to truly love another person.
* Silence is not merely the absence of noise; it can create space for reflection, discomfort, curiosity, and transformation.
* Encountering art is an active experience. Listeners are invited not merely to consume sound or images, but to notice, question, and attend.
* Learning cannot be reduced to receiving information. Practice is formative because it changes the person doing it.
* Good teaching creates space for students to wrestle with questions rather than simply repeat someone else’s conclusions.
* Artistic creation is more than the production of an object. The process of making can itself be an act of love, obedience, discovery, and formation.
* Eliot’s work in Irish traditional music, composition, teaching, and education reflects a common concern: helping people become more attentive, thoughtful, and fully human.
* Artificial intelligence raises important questions about the difference between persons and tools, particularly when human language such as “thinking” or “creating” is applied to machines.
* AI may function as a tool, but it cannot do the formative work of practice on behalf of a human person.
* Christians are called not merely to acquire information, but to be transformed — becoming increasingly conformed to Christ through faithful participation in the life God has given them.
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Summary
What role does beauty play in drawing us toward God?
In this episode of Beauty Through Faith, Benjamin Harding welcomes acclaimed poet, essayist, and Orthodox Christian Dr. Scott Cairns for a rich conversation about poetry, prayer, suffering, and the pursuit of truth.
Scott reflects on his journey from a Baptist upbringing into the Orthodox Church, the transformative beauty of the Divine Liturgy, and the profound influence of the Church Fathers, Dostoevsky, Annie Dillard, and Greek poetry. Together they explore why great poetry should open readers to wonder rather than certainty, how prayer and artistic practice shape one another, and why beauty is not merely decorative but a means of encountering God.
Whether you’re a poet, musician, painter, or simply someone seeking a deeper spiritual life, this conversation offers timeless wisdom on cultivating attentiveness to truth, goodness, and beauty.
Links & Resources
Books by Scott Cairns
* Against Certainty
* Correspondence with My Greeks
* The End of Suffering: Finding Purpose in Pain
* Short Trip to the Edge: Where Earth Meets Heaven – A Pilgrimage to Mount Athos
* Lacunae
Referenced Resources
* The Philokalia
* The Jesus Prayer
* The Trisagion Prayers
* Mount Athos
* Simonopetra Monastery
* Eighth Day Books (Wichita, Kansas)
Referenced Authors & Thinkers
* Fyodor Dostoevsky
* St. Isaac the Syrian
* St. Athanasius
* St. Gregory Palamas
* Annie Dillard
* Simone Weil
* Constantine P. Cavafy
* Frederica Mathewes-Green
* St. Mary of Egypt
Key Takeaways
* Beauty is not an escape from reality—it is one of God’s primary ways of drawing us toward Himself.
* Great poetry opens us to mystery rather than reducing truth to simple conclusions.
* Prayer and artistic practice both require faithful daily discipline, even when inspiration is absent.
* The Orthodox tradition emphasizes participation in the mystery of God rather than mastering Him through explanation.
* Reading deeply is a conversation across generations, allowing us to enter into dialogue with writers who came before us.
* Suffering, united with Christ, can become a means of transformation rather than despair.
* Language is never exhausted; the richest words continue to reveal new depths each time we encounter them.
* Christian artists are called not merely to illustrate ideas but to pursue truth, goodness, and beauty with humility.
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Summary
In this episode of Beauty Through Faith, Gustav Hoyer welcomes poet, educator, and editor Joffre Swait back to the podcast to discuss two of his newest books: Word Horde: An Anthology of Poems Every Christian Should Know and We Bring Pomegranates, his first full-length collection of original poetry.
Their conversation explores why poetry matters for Christians, how language itself reflects God’s creative order, and why reading poems aloud transforms the way we encounter beauty. Joffre shares the philosophy behind curating an anthology centered on truth, goodness, and beauty, reflects on the role of English as a uniquely poetic language, and reads one of his own poems, I Can See the Cascades From Here. Together they consider poetry not as something to consume quickly, but as a lifelong companion that forms the imagination and deepens our love for God.
Links & Resources
Joffre Swait
* Joffre Swait on Substack
* Word Horde: An Anthology of Poems Every Christian Should Know
* We Bring Pomegranates
* Roman Roads Press
Referenced Authors & Thinkers
* C.S. Lewis
* Gerard Manley Hopkins
* John Milton
* Percy Bysshe Shelley
* Samuel Taylor Coleridge
* Alfred, Lord Tennyson
* Thomas Traherne
* Edward Taylor
Key Takeaways
* Poetry is meant to be experienced with both the mind and the body by reading it aloud.
* Great poetry offers gifts rather than merely displaying artistic skill.
* Christians can approach poetry as a means of spiritual formation and delight, not simply academic study.
* Language itself reflects God’s creativity, and learning to love language can deepen our appreciation for beauty.
* An anthology should have a clear point of view rather than pretending to be completely objective.
* The best poetry continues to shape us long after we’ve finished reading it.
* Original poetry can become an act of hospitality, inviting readers to see the world with renewed wonder.
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Summary
In this episode of Beauty Through Faith, Gustav sits down with author, artist, and founder of Creo Arts, Winfield Bevins, to explore the profound connection between beauty, faith, and creative work.
Winfield shares how art and beauty played a central role in his own journey to faith, becoming a means of grace during a difficult season of his youth. From his early encounters with painting to a life-changing moment by a lake in East Tennessee, Winfield reflects on how beauty awakened longing, pointed him toward God, and shaped his vocation as an artist, pastor, writer, and advocate for Christian engagement with the arts.
The conversation also explores Winfield’s book, How Beauty Will Save the World: Recovering the Power of the Arts for the Christian Life, and the mission of Creo Arts to inspire beauty, goodness, and truth by connecting artists, patrons, churches, and communities. Together, Gustav and Winfield discuss why the arts matter for spiritual formation, why Christians are called not only to create but to behold, and how the church might recover its historic role as a patron and steward of beauty.
Key Themes
* How beauty and art shaped Winfield’s journey to Christian faith
* The role of creation, longing, and transcendence in spiritual awakening
* Why human creativity is not competition with God’s creation, but participation in it
* The meaning of co-creation and Tolkien’s idea of “subcreation”
* Why beholding beauty is a spiritual practice
* How the arts help Christians slow down, listen, and become more fully present
* Winfield’s book How Beauty Will Save the World
* The mission and work of Creo Arts
* Why churches should recover their role as patrons of the arts
* The hope for a new Christian renaissance rooted in beauty, goodness, and truth
* Winfield’s own work as a painter and printmaker
* The importance of encountering art in person, not only digitally
Featured Guest
Winfield Bevins is an author, artist, teacher, and founder of Creo Arts, an organization dedicated to inspiring beauty, goodness, and truth by forming communities where art and faith flourish. His work encourages artists, churches, and patrons to recover the power of the arts for Christian life and cultural renewal.
Links
* Creo Arts
* How Beauty Will Save the World: Recovering the Power of the Arts for the Christian Life by Winfield Bevins
* Winfield Bevins’ artwork and writing
* Father of Lights by Junius Johnson
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Summary
In this special preview episode of Beauty Through Faith, Gustav Hoyer is joined by members of the Kalos Arts Ensemble ahead of their upcoming salon concert at St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Souderton, Pennsylvania. Together, they explore what makes chamber music unique, why live artistic experiences matter in an increasingly digital world, and how the pursuit of beauty points us toward deeper truths about God and ourselves.
The ensemble reflects on the intimate nature of chamber music, the role of beauty in the Christian life, and the special lighting design that will accompany the performance. Whether you’re a lifelong classical music enthusiast or attending your first concert, this conversation offers a glimpse into the heart behind the salon experience and an invitation to participate in a living, breathing encounter with beauty.
Event Information
Souvenirs & Passions
Saturday, May 30, 20267:00 PMSt. Peter’s Anglican Church
Featuring:
* Original chamber music by Gustav Hoyer
* An immersive synchronized lighting experience
* Intimate salon-style performance
* Conversation, fellowship, and reflection on beauty and faith
Tickets Here.
Key Takeaways
* Chamber music invites listeners into a conversation rather than a spectacle.
* Live artistic experiences offer a uniquely human connection that cannot be replicated digitally.
* Beauty, truth, and goodness ultimately find their source in God.
* Music unfolds through memory, inviting listeners to actively participate in the experience.
* Every performance is unique, shaped by the musicians, audience, and moment.
* The salon format creates space for deeper engagement with both art and community.
Beauty through Faith is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beautythroughfaith.substack.com/subscribe