"Oh Beauty Ever Ancient, Ever New"

St. Augustine I The Ethics of Beauty I New Bible Study for Kids I Ancient-Future Faith

One of my favorite lines from a church father comes from St. Augustine¹ in his confessions when he writes, “Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new!”

As many are aware, St. Augustine had been running away from God for much of his life before finally surrendering to the ‘Hound of Heaven.’ Lest we be mistaken, he didn’t become a Christian simply because he was convinced of ‘the cold hard truth,’ but rather, because he discovered that truth was a Person, the Beautiful One, who warmed his soul and brought him back to life! He continues,

“You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.” (Book X)

For St. Augustine, the Beautiful One completed his being just as Adam was completed by the breath of God ‘in the beginning.’ He had now tasted and beheld that the Lord was good and that He alone satisfied his deepest longings.

This is a good reminder and challenge for so many of us. It is easy to neglect our prayer lives, because we believe ‘we are too busy to pray.’ However, we too often forget that God is our daily ‘breath’ Who completes our being and that there is no joy or purpose each day without spending it with Him. Just as a plant without sunlight will wilt and a fish without water will suffocate, so man without prayer will become sick and slowly die.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

The Ethics of Beauty

Speaking of beauty, I am reading a fantastic volume (700 pages+) by Dr. Timothy Patitsas, and it is truly a phenomenal work. Here is a short description: “Covering topics ranging from creation to political theory to the Jesus Prayer, including war, the Orthodox approach to psychology, trauma, chastity, healthy shame, gender, marriage, hospitality, art, architecture, economics, urban planning, and both information and complexity theories, The Ethics of Beauty lays out a grand panorama of the Orthodox worldview, in which Beauty, Goodness, and Truth are recognized as indispensable elements of the glorious life in Christ to which we are all called.” This book is truly all-encompassing, and I really appreciate my friend, Dr. Pete Patitsas (his nephew), for connecting us. Stay tuned for interview dates!

Another ‘beautiful work’ was recently published by Ancient Faith called ‘A Walk Through Acts’ by Arlyn Kantz and wonderfully illustrated by Kaitlin Gallimore. I love the layout of this new Bible Study for children ages 5-12 and each lesson integrates so much about our faith. I have begun using this study with my own children, and it does an amazing job connecting the study of scripture with the life of the church (salvation, liturgy, sacraments, saints, miracles, martyrdom, & the meaning of icons etc.) and living out our faith in today’s world. You can see my review of it below!

Watch My Review

While in college (almost 20 years ago), I discovered the work of Dr. Robert Webber, a Wheaton college professor who wrote books like Ancient-Future Worship and Ancient-Future Faith. In one of my latest videos, I discuss how a church fathers conference organized by Dr. Webber (that I attended way back in 2007!) inspired me to dig deeper into the church fathers, the nature of ancient worship, and what church renewal might look like today.

My Story from Modern Evangelicalism to Ancient Christianity (Watch Now)

Of course, the beauty of the ancient church eventually led me to Holy Orthodoxy which is still very much alive today. It is also why this ministry is called ‘Barrel Aged Faith.’ Our faith can never expire or become ‘tasteless,’ but it continues to renew and refresh the world as long as it is connected to its Source… the Beautiful One, the Ancient of Days, the Alpha and Omega, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Be entirely His,

Kyle

1. August 28th is St. Augustine’s feast day in the Orthodox Western Rite Calendar as well as for Roman Catholics and Anglicans. The Orthodox Eastern Rite Calendar commemorates St. Augustine on June 15th.