Pat Mingarelli
[Originally published as Why Beauty Exists: A Reflection on how Beauty Points to God. Photo credit: Pat Mingarelli]
As a photographer, have you ever stopped to ask why beauty exists at all?
- Does beauty have a purpose?
- Why did God create it?
We can all think deeply about these questions — and many have. But in some ways, we don’t need to. Simply put, beauty points to God. That is why He created it. And I don’t even know if He actually created beauty, or if it simply exists in Him and through Him.
Whether God created beauty or whether beauty eternally exists within Him is a question for theologians to debate. I cannot fully answer it. But as an artist, I can explore how beauty reveals God. I know this not only for theological reasons, but also from personal experience as a photographer and a lover of beauty.
A Mountain Lake, Evolution and Why Beauty Exists
God speaks to me about Himself through the beauty of His creation. One of the most memorable moments this happened was on the shores of Grinnell Lake in Glacier National Park.
At the lake, my hiking partner and I went in different directions to spend quiet time alone with God. I found a secluded spot and sat down where my mind was filled with the beauty surrounding me.
The waves of the water rippled the reflecting light of the sun that emanated from a slightly overcast sky. I saw the surrounding mountains, listened to the birds, and felt the breeze.
As I pondered, I wrote in my journal. I asked God why He made it all so beautiful — and as I did, I asked myself:
Why does beauty exist at all?
Why do we long for beauty?
Evolution does not provide a satisfying answer — nor do other worldly perspectives.
Why would we long for something that is merely the result of random processes?
Why would beauty exist at all?
On the shores of that lake, I realized that beauty exists because of God. At its core, beauty points to God.
Beauty Points to God
Beauty in its simplest and clearest definition, is perfection in being. Because God exists as a being in perfection, beauty ultimately points to Him — the most beautiful of all. It speaks to us about who He is. As photographers, we are drawn to capture beauty because it draws us to God.
We often think of beauty as something visual. But in its purest form, beauty is not physical at all. God is beautiful, and as Scripture teaches, He is not physical (John 4:24; 1 Tim 1:17, 6:16). Yes, Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, took on physical form when He became man, but from eternity past, He existed in a non-physical form (John 1:1–14).
Since God is not physical, He does not possess physical beauty in the way we understand it. True beauty is far beyond what we see with our eyes. What we perceive as beauty is only a reflection — a shadow — of what beauty truly is. And that reflection directs us to the true beauty of God. That’s why we desire it so deeply, and why artists long to create it.
The beauty of a fresh snowfall fades quickly, as does all earthly beauty. The only beauty that last is the beauty of God. The fading beauty of life tugs on our hearts because we desire the everlasting beauty of God.
Because beauty reveals something of God, we seek it, capture it, and try to hold onto it. Yet physical beauty fades. All the beauty we see on earth is temporary — and often fleeting. Consider how long a person remains physically beautiful — at most, only a few decades. Think of spring blossoms, summer flowers, autumn colors, or gentle snowfall. Each fades quickly.
Pure Beauty is not Physical
But non-physical beauty — the deeper, purer kind — endures far longer.
Consider a beautiful, godly woman. As she ages, her physical beauty fades, but her inner beauty continues to grow. That inner beauty is carried into eternity with God. In Him alone we find everlasting, incorruptible beauty.
Although beauty exists in its most pure form as non-physical, God, in His goodness, has given us the gift of physical beauty. Even though it falls short of true beauty, He allows us to enjoy it. Genesis 1:31 says, “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.”
The Hebrew phrase translated “very good” is tob meod. Scripture uses this phrase only a few other times, including in descriptions of the beauty of Sarah, Rebekah, and Bathsheba. It conveys a sense of breathtaking, awe-inspiring beauty — something that causes us to pause and take it in.
Genesis 1:31 shows us that God Himself paused, appreciated, and delighted in the beauty He created. And on the seventh day, He rested in His Creation. In the same way, we are invited to pause, appreciate, enjoy, and rest in His creation.
There are many ways to enjoy the beauty God has given us. Photography is a powerful way to pause and appreciate it. Through photography, we can celebrate and share beauty that ultimately directs to God. Nature photography is one expression of this, but beauty can be captured in many forms. Wherever true beauty is found, it points back to God.
When we photograph beauty, we are not just capturing an image — we are pointing to the One who created beauty.
