Mark McInroy: Theological Aesthetics Explored

Mark is Professor of Theology and Founding Co-Director of the Claritas Initiative on Beauty, Goodness, and Truth at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is a constructive and historical theologian with interests in theological aesthetics, theology and the arts, mystical theology, and theories of perception, along with other arenas of inquiry. He is the author of "Balthasar on the Spiritual Senses: Perceiving Splendour," and co-edited "Image as Theology: The Power of Art in Shaping Christian Thought, Devotion, and Imagination," and "The Oxford Handbook of Hans Urs von Balthasar." In this conversation, Mark and I discuss the meaning and importance of theological aesthetics and its emphasis on materiality as a means of divine disclosure, as well as how it might address ideas about judgment and the problem of evil. We also consider the influence of Hans Urs von Balthasar on contemporary ideas related to art and religion, the meaning of beauty as a divine attribute, and the role of beauty, truth, and goodness across various disciplines, including education and science.