"This book is full of insights. Written by a trained philosopher, it mounts a thoughtful defense of the link between beauty and the divine. There are many vehicles facilitating this connection. One of them is imagination. Art can illuminate our world, and the best artists do this remarkably. Drawing from ancient philosophy, modern fantasy, and especially the Bible, Dennis Bray introduces the reader to the way 'beauty will save the world' (Dostoevsky)."

William Edgar, professor emeritus at Westminster Theological Seminary

"When most people use the word 'beautiful,' they’re expressing a feeling. Do we ever think clearly about what we mean—and how our feeling is related to the art we encounter—especially current day artworks? What do we think and feel about works of art that confuse or frustrate our longing for beauty? These and other questions are handled exceptionally well in Dennis Bray's new book, What Is Beauty? This book goes far beyond simply attempting to answer the question in its title—it givesthe reader a foothold in a virtual landslide of contemporary ideas and issues surrounding art and the problematic status of the beautiful over the past hundred years or more. Bray's fresh take on ancient questions surrounding beauty is instructive not only for undergraduates but for any thinker who has ever questioned their own or another's evaluation of a work of art. This book will do for the careful reader what genuine education always seeks. It will enable you to think well and clearly—a skill badly needed in a muddled world in which truth and beauty are seemingly AWOL."

Bruce Herman, painter, professor of art emeritus at Gordon College, and author of Makers by Nature

"What do we mean when we say that humans crave beauty? What makes a work of art worthy of our attention? Are all of us meant to be artists, or is this a particular vocation? Dennis P. Bray guides readers through complex terrain without unnecessarydetours, engaging aesthetic questions with charity and clarity. Drawing on biblical theology, philosophy, and real-life examples, he invites readers not only to appreciate beauty but to shape a beautiful life. This volume is accessible and illuminating, and for many readers, liberating."

Justin Ariel Bailey, dean of chapel and professor of theology at Dordt University and author of Discipling the Diseased Imagination