Sammon, Brendan Thomas. Called to Attraction: An Introduction to the Theology of Beauty. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2017. 172 pp. $24.00.
Called to Attraction: An Introduction to the Theology of Beauty intends to “offer a brief introduction of the theology of beauty” (2). Sammon defines beauty as “a divine name, one of the names of God” (2) and claims that “God’s being, as beauty itself, is a power that calls all things to attraction” (17).
In chapter 1, Sammon begins by exploring the “roots” of beauty in both Jewish and Greek traditions. From Genesis, he emphasizes that God reveals himself as beauty through creation itself, while Exodus highlights God’s revelation in the divine name (15). Sammon then turns to classical philosophy, briefly examining Plato’s and Aristotle’s statements on beauty (18–24). Chapter 2 shifts to the New Testament, focusing on Christ as the perfect definition of beauty. Drawing from Paul’s writings, Sammon emphasizes that Christ’s “being and doing” communicates the perfect combination of mysterious and compelling attractiveness that defines true beauty (38–41). He also notes the influence of Neoplatonism, which both shaped and was reshaped by early Christian thought, contributing to a distinctly Christian vision of beauty (47–48).
Chapters 3 through 7 sketch a clear map of thought on beauty from ancient times to the modern era. In chapter 3, the influence of Augustine and Dionysius the Areopagite is highlighted, especially their contributions to the divine name tradition where beauty and God’s revelation are inseparably linked (61). In chapter 4, Sammon focuses on the Middle Ages and presents the ways beauty was received and developed by significant figures of that era, including John Scotus Eriugena and Francis of Assisi. He briefly summarizes how these figures shaped the theological and aesthetic vision of beauty as “the very presence of God” (74). In chapter 5, Sammon shows how beauty became closely associated with reason in the writings of Albert the Great, Thomas Aquinas, and Bonaventure. He emphasizes Aquinas’s three “necessary conditions” of beauty: integritas (wholeness or completeness), consonantia (harmony and proportion), and claritas (radiance or clarity) (100–102). By explaining what these “necessary conditions” mean, Sammon also demonstrates how these three “necessary conditions” help abstract beauty to become an apprehensible concept.
In chapter 6, the discussion moves into the modern era, where Sammon highlights Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten and Immanuel Kant’s contributions to the theology of beauty (111–14). In addition, this chapter presents Søren Kierkegaard’s view of beauty—realized through desire, passion, and faith (116)—as well as Fyodor Dostoevsky’s conviction that beauty is inseparable from truth (125). In chapter 7, Sammon mainly explores the modern “return” to beauty through Hans Urs von Balthasar, especially through his seven-volume The Glory of the Lord (135–48). Sammon condenses Balthasar’s work into three themes: (1) beauty as form, (2) beauty as expressivity or radiance (splendor), and (3) beauty as analogy (137–51). Overall, chapters 3 through 7 give readers a condensed survey of theological beauty for further study.
Initially, Sammon develops his argument by explaining how beauty reflects God’s presence and reveals his name (who he is) through creation, revelation, and the incarnation of Christ. For instance, Sammon claims that, in Jesus’s incarnation, “the world was given a living principle by which both the material and the spiritual, the worldly and the other-worldly were brought into harmony” (29). Sammon then connects the perfect unity of Jesus’s divine being and human nature with the essence of beauty, which he defines as “a unity-in-plurality and hence a gathering power” (29). Though Sammon does not further analyze the relationship between Christ and beauty, his straightforward mapping of Christ to beauty makes the bridge visible and supports his thesis well: God is beauty itself, since Christ is God.
However, when the discussion shifts to other philosophers and theologians (such as Plato, Aristotle, Dionysius, Eriugena, Augustine, and Francis of Assisi), Sammon’s focus moves from advancing his thesis to summarizing their views and contributions to the theology of beauty. The link to beauty as a divine name is often left implicit; instead, God is presented more generally as the source of beauty.
In sum, Called to Attraction fulfills its purpose as an introduction to the theology of beauty. Its two main strengths are (1) its broad historical scope and (2) its concise summaries of major philosophers’ and theologians’ views across the tradition. The wide historical sweep helps readers form a general understanding of how the theology of beauty has developed from biblical times through the medieval era and into the modern period. Sammon’s clear summaries of complex philosophical and theological material make these perspectives accessible to laypeople, church leaders, and students alike. Protestant readers should note, however, that the book leans heavily toward patristic and medieval Catholic sources and offers no dedicated chapter on the Reformers’ theology of beauty. Although Kierkegaard (with his Lutheran background) appears in chapter 6 and Martin Luther is briefly mentioned, Sammon does not explore how the Protestant Reformation shaped modern conceptions of beauty. Nevertheless, by defining beauty as a divine name, Sammon provides a meaningful foundation for further study in theological aesthetics.
