Riveting New Book Offers a Cultural Talking Point on Art, Faith, and History

Stephen F. Auth. Pilgrimage to the Museum. Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute Press, 2022. Paperback $19.95. Ebook $9.99. Available from the publisher.

Whether you’re an art enthusiast, history buff, or simply interested in the meaning of life, this book is for you. From Ancient Rome to the Renaissance to Surrealism, the statues, reliefs, and paintings of this book will speak to you about your search for God and God’s search for you. 

Many of the works explored in the book are from the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. Author Steve Auth also developed a spiritual tour of the called “Man’s Search for God: A History of Art through the Prism of Faith” with his wife Evelyn. Fr. Shawn Aaron, LC further provided insights for this book.

Fr. Mark Haydu, author, Meditations on Vatican Art wrote, "Steve and Evelyn artfully guide us through one of the world’s great Museums to tackle the most meaningful issue of our existence: humanity’s search for God. Enjoy the journey – you will be better for it!"

"Pilgrimage to the Museum provides an extraordinarily coherent and inspiring itinerary through the wealth of works in the Metropolitan Museums of Art," raved Elizabeth Lev, art historian and author, The Silent Knight.

As you journey through Christian history with art, you will learn about humanity’s struggle to overcome sin. At times artists reflect their abandonment of God, portraying loneliness and chaos. Other times, they reveal a prism of Divine beauty, expressing man’s encounter with God. By reflecting on the human experience and other themes in the spiritual life, Auth conveys many life lessons, such as:

• The slippery slope of “the second look”: lust that leads to pain and death
• The “U-Haul with a hearse” greed that weighs us down on the way to Heaven
• Even in darkness there is light: each time we turn back to Christ we find hope

Through fascinating stories and masterpieces, you will also learn how to grow in appreciation of spiritual realities. These thought-provoking images and reflection questions will inspire you to embark on a course of more virtuous living. The meaning behind the icons will speak to you and teach you how to hear the voice of Christ, who is weaving your tapestry.

“The Auth's are right: Art attracts people to faith. Their beautiful new book is the proof. Its artful approach both moves the heart and speaks to the mind, drawing clear inspiration from the Holy Spirit," Tim Busch, Founder of Napa Institute, a Catholic Lay Apostolate.

 “Pilgrimage to the Museum invites its reader on a spiritual journey through the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Summoning us to the great masterpieces of the ages, it bids us to find not only an illumination of man’s great longing for God but an invitation to renew our own," John Garvey, President, Catholic University of America. 

Members of the media may send an email to Sophia Institute Press’ Director of Publicity, Sarah Lemieux at slemieux@SophiaInstitute.com to receive a physical or digital copy of Pilgrimage to the Museum, and/or to schedule an interview.