Summary
In this episode of Beauty Through Faith, Benjamin Harding and Gustav Hoyer are joined by Cori Belle, pianist, teacher, and creator of Commonplace Beauty, to explore what it means to pursue beauty faithfully in both the church and the world.
Cori reflects on her formation as a musician, her journey as a Christian artist, and the ways beauty is discovered not only in virtuosity and performance, but in discipline, obedience, community, and everyday life. Together, we discuss excellence in art, resistance artists face in modern worship culture, the loss of musical formation in the church, and how artists can steward their gifts with courage and humility.
This episode is especially for artists, musicians, and thoughtful Christians wrestling with how faith, craft, and beauty intersect over a lifetime.
Links & Resources:
* Website: https://coribelle.com
* Album: Commonplace Beauty
* Substack: At Home with Classical Piano
* Instagram: Follow Cori for teaching resources and visual curriculum inspiration
Music Link:
* Johannes Brahms — Intermezzo, Op. 118 No. 2
* Charles Ives – The Alcotts (from the Concord Sonata)
Key Takeaways
* Beauty is not accidental — it is pursued through discipline, patience, and obedience
* Artistic excellence is not opposed to faith; it can be an act of worship
* The church has historically valued training and beauty — recovering this matters
* Shared encounters with beauty can be deeply formative and communal
* Faithful artists often live in tension between the church and the world
* God frequently works through discomfort, not convenience
* “Commonplace beauty” is found in daily faithfulness, not perfection
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