God Is Beauty: A Retreat on the Gospel and Art (Unabridged‪)‬

Read by Christopher West and contributors.

Originally delivered in 1962 for artists—and made available now for the first time in English—St. John Paul II's (Karol Wojtyla's) penetrating spiritual exercises on divine beauty and its reflection in our humanity—and the art it produces—remain as timely as ever.

The retreat itself, of course, forms the heart of this attractive volume. To aid you in mining its many riches, it’s followed by an extensive commentary by Dr. Christopher West and various shorter, personal reflections from authors who are distinguished in the fields of theology and the arts and whose hearts and works have been transformed by the themes in this retreat: Bill Donaghy, Mike Mangione, Fr. Thomas Loya, Jennifer Settle and Dr. Sarah Maple. The book also features an inspiring conversation with artist Dony MacManus.

This book shows you:

The interior journey of "the ache" an artist must take to produce transcendent, impactful art.
How an artist should process the tensions in life that can inform their work.
The one thing necessary to make everyone's life a reflection of divine beauty.


"Not all are called to be artists in the specific sense of the term. Yet, as Genesis has it, all men and women are entrusted with the task of crafting their own life...to make of it a work of art." (Saint John Paul II)

Reflections from artists and theologians who are living out the themes of this retreat. A road map for the Church to reclaim its role as the world's patron of the arts.

Features "The Turnabout" from Mike Mangione from his 2023 album Blood and Water.