How Catholic Art Saved the Faith

The Triumph of Beauty and Truth in Counter-Reformation Art

By: Elizabeth Lev

Narrated by: Nancy Peterson

Length: 6 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Not long after Martin Luther's defiance of the Church in 1517, dialogue between Protestants and Catholics broke down, brother turned against brother, and devastating religious wars erupted across Europe. Desperate to restore the peace and recover the unity of Faith, Catholic theologians clarified and reaffirmed Catholic doctrines, but turned as well to another form of evangelization: the arts.

Convinced that to win over the unlettered, the best place to fight heresy was not in the streets but in stone and on canvas, they enlisted the century's best artists to create a glorious wave of beautiful works of sacred art - Catholic works of sacred art - to draw people together instead of driving them apart.

How Catholic Art Saved the Faith tells the story of the creation and successes of this vibrant visual-arts SWAT team whose war cry could have been art for faith's sake! Over the years, it included Michelangelo, of course, and, among other great artists, the edgy Caravaggio, the graceful Guido Reni, the technically perfect Annibale Carracci, the colorful Barocci, the theatrical Bernini, and the passionate Artemisia Gentileschi. Each of these creative souls, despite their own interior struggles, was a key player in this magnificent, generations-long project: the affirmation through beauty of the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church.

©2018 Elizabeth Lev (P)2020 eChristian

Brilliance

This book by Elizabeth Lev is a brilliant treatment of her subject. In depth knowledge, startling insight, and excellent writing make it a book to remember. The print edition includes over 70 reproductions of art, wonderfully complimenting the audio narrative.

Worth Reading with some qualifiers…

Very good overall, does a great job on speaking about a wide variety of Italian Renaissance art. Overstates the case that this art, before the availability of color reproductions, could have influenced the majority of the Western world and restored Catholicism to the degree it did.

There are some anachronisms of theology concerning Marian doctrines, and the book is somewhat overly polemic against Protestantism. Too kind to the Renaissance era Catholic Church but thankfully does admit some of its mistakes. This book still gives a great overview of some amazing art that long haul had a great influence on culture. Worth the read!

Expertly told.

Would highly recommend for anyone. The book has opened my eyes to see this art in a different way thanks.

It’s probably better in print.

This is a good book. But it’s a little difficult to follow in audio format because of all the names involved. Probably best just to read a physical copy.