Chelle Stearns on Beauty, Dissonance, and the Theology of Music

SummaryIn this episode of Beauty Through Faith, Benjamin Harding and Gustav Hoyer engage with Dr. Chelle Stearns, an independent scholar and musician, to explore the relationship between beauty, music, and theology. Together, they reflect on how beauty is defined through the face of Christ, how music forms faith beyond utility, and why artistic vocation is often misunderstood within church contexts.The conversation delves into musical dissonance, the philosophical and theological legacy of composers such as Arnold Schoenberg, and the role of listening as a form of spiritual formation. Drawing on composers including Haydn, James MacMillan, and Henryk Górecki, Chelle shares how music can become a language of prayer—especially in experiences of lament, suffering, and transformation. Throughout the episode, listeners are invited to consider how deep listening can reshape theological understanding and open new pathways for faith.LinksMore about Chelle* The Seattle SchoolBooks and Articles * Handling Dissonance: A Musical Theological Aesthetic of Unity — Chelle Stearns* Till We Have Faces — C. S. Lewis* Real Presences — George Steiner* Academia.eduComposers & Works* Joseph Haydn — The Seven Last Words of Christ* James MacMillan — Seven Last Words from the Cross* Henryk Górecki — Symphony No. 3 (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs)* Arnold SchoenbergInstitutions & Organizations* George MacDonald Society* University of St. Andrews (Institute for Theology, Imagination, and the Arts)* Museum of the Bible* Society for Christian Scholarship in MusicTakeaways* Beauty is not decorative but formative.* Beauty can clarify or obscure what we truly need, depending on how it is pursued.* Music offers a language of prayer when words fail.* Artistic vocation is often misunderstood when judged primarily by utility.* Dissonance reflects the complexity of human experience and faith.* Listening deeply is itself a spiritual discipline.* Music can create encounters that precede explanation or belief.* Lament and suffering can be voiced truthfully through sound.* Engaging unfamiliar music can expand theological imagination.* Faith is shaped not only by doctrine, but by encounter.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