Search

Beauty and Ugliness: A Timely Reminder

6 days ago

3 min read

This year at Beeson Divinity School, our chapel services are centred on a wonderfully profound theme: God is simply beautiful. Through our series, “God Shines Forth: Divine Beauty in Eternity, Creation and Redemption,” we’ve been tracing the Scriptures to observe what they reveal about God and the glory of His works.

During a recent fall retreat with our international students, this theme came alive for me in an unexpected way—though with a sobering twist. While out on a hiking trip surrounded by the majesty of creation, I was reminded that alongside radiant beauty often lies the stark proximity of ugliness. In this case, the ugliness of sin.

On Saturday, I had the joy of participating in the International Students’ Cultural Fall Retreat at Tannehill State Park, an event bringing together students from universities across the central and northern regions of Alabama. What made the day even better was getting to bring my wife and children along. All in all, it was a wonderful day of laughter, fresh air, and fellowship with people for whom being away from home, family, and friends is a shared experience. We met new friends, enjoyed a hike, and my wife even won the pumpkin carving contest for her creative efforts!

The hike in particular was breathtaking. We were surrounded by stunning scenery: rolling hills, towering trees, birds busily chirping, and the rushing sound of a cold river. The crisp, fresh air, bright blazing sunshine, and falling foliage all served as vivid reminders of God’s beauty in creation and the joy found in it.

However, as we walked, we came upon a sign pointing to a path known as the Slave Quarters Trail, which follows an old roadbed connecting to the historic Montevallo Stagecoach Road. We soon learned how enslaved labour played a pivotal role in Tannehill’s history during the 19th century. Hundreds of workers, many of them enslaved, cut timber, made charcoal, mined ore, and operated the ironworks. Between 1859 and 1863, hundreds of enslaved individuals, alongside leased slave labour, cut heavy sandstone blocks and transported them to construct the park’s three large blast furnaces. Archaeologists have since uncovered the remains of the cabins where enslaved families lived, within sight of the furnace ruins.

We soon learned how enslaved labour played a pivotal role in Tannehill’s history during the 19th century. Hundreds of workers, many of them enslaved, cut timber, made charcoal, mined ore, and operated the ironworks. According to the park’s interpretive signage, between 1859 and 1863 more than 600 enslaved individuals, alongside leased slave labour, cut heavy sandstone blocks and transported them to build the park’s three large blast furnaces. Archaeologists have since uncovered the remains of the cabins where enslaved families lived, within sight of the furnace ruins.

In an instant, I was confronted with the stark ugliness of human sin sitting in the very midst of God’s beautiful creation. Yet, as I continued hiking and reflecting on this contrast, my mind was drawn to the grace of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. At the cross, the ultimate ugliness of human sin is met and overcome by the supreme beauty of God’s love, mercy, and grace.

I was also reminded of the importance of living a life that reflects the beauty of God. Writing on this year's chapel theme, Dean Sweeney highlighted this very call: "We will gaze on God’s majesty, the beauty of creation, the glory of the cross and the character of all who bear His beauty in their lives. We’ll encourage one another to become beautifiers as we share in God’s life, salvation and love. Our prayer for this series is that the Lord will shine through it, showing us His beauty in our everyday lives and enabling us, in turn, to point others to this beauty—the Beauty that, to paraphrase a line from Dostoevsky, is saving the world."

Standing on that trail, I was deeply thankful to God for causing His grace to abound all the more, while remaining the God who is simply beautiful.