Kreeft and the Philosophy of Tolkien
I'll now wrap up this series of quotes. If it's gone on for a while, that's only because the book is so full of good, thought-provoking quotes. Definitely pick up a copy of the book. And if you've only seen the LOTR movies, what are you waiting for? Read the book! As is usually the case, the book is better than the movies.
One thought that keeps echoing in my mind is that the LOTR is so popular because it gives us a true taste of Christianity without all the emotional and cultural baggage. I truly believe that if it weren't for all these emotional scars, there would be many more of us who aspire to be Christians; I believe that most people who reject Christianity are not rejecting Christ, but the failings and outright hypocrisy of those who claim to be Christians. This is also why it's much more important to strive to be a saint than it is to "witness"; it's better to be one of the Lord's works of art than to be an outspoken caricature of the faith.
One thought that keeps echoing in my mind is that the LOTR is so popular because it gives us a true taste of Christianity without all the emotional and cultural baggage. I truly believe that if it weren't for all these emotional scars, there would be many more of us who aspire to be Christians; I believe that most people who reject Christianity are not rejecting Christ, but the failings and outright hypocrisy of those who claim to be Christians. This is also why it's much more important to strive to be a saint than it is to "witness"; it's better to be one of the Lord's works of art than to be an outspoken caricature of the faith.
posted by Rich @ 06:55
5 Comments:
At 10:05 PM,
Trebor Nevals said…
It's amusing to me growing up in a secular (read that: hippy) household that all the books I read and enjoyed as a kid turned out to actually be Christian in nature. Lord of the Rings... Those fanciful Narnia books... The Book of the Dun Cow... and of course when you're a child you get the 'watered down' version of books like 'Swiss Family Robinson' and only when you read them years later as an adult do you realize that they're all really about Christianity too. This makes me think that I really need to move above and outside fiction/literature in some way towards some more critical examinations of the same.
At 2:29 AM,
Rich said…
You've read The Book of the Dun Cow? Wow! I loved that book! I keep meaning to get a copy of its sequel, The Book of Sorrows, but there's something about the title that makes me hesitate...for years.
If you'd like some suggestions for further reading, I'd be glad to help.
At 7:40 AM,
Trebor Nevals said…
Yeah, I read that as a child for some reason I can't really put my finger on. I recall even then thinking, "There's something deeper in this book I don't quite understand yet" but I've never gotten back around to reading it as an adult to determine what that 'something' was aside from the apparent retelling of creation. I should probably pay more attention to my own intuition and reread the things I have a nagging urge to reread. C.S. Lewis worked out well after all and answered a lot of those nagging 'Christian' questions I've had for a while. That Screwtape, he so crazy.
So yeah, I'm always up for reading suggestions. Heck, I'm 95 books into my queue of only 438 so I'd better add something before I accidentally finish.
At 10:49 AM,
Rich said…
Well, if you've read some Lewis, that's not a bad start. (I would say Mere Christianity, The Problem of Pain, and Miracles will get you a good flavor of what was in his mind.) A Francis A. Schaeffer Trilogy (which includes The God Who Is There, Escape from Reason, and He Is There and He Is Not Silent)is also a good look at more thoughtful modern Protestants than the kind you see in Vegas.
I would urge you to read something a few centuries older for a look at Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. But I might end up with another list of 400+ books to tack onto your existing list. So how about for now just leaving it at The Roots of Christian Mysticism by Olivier Clement (which I am currently re-reading) for a look at Orthodoxy, and Spirit of Mediaeval Philosophy (or anything) by Etienne Gilson for a look at something RC.
To get the full-sensory picnic, I would listen to Bach while reading Lewis and Schaeffer, Byzantine Chant or Russian choral music for Clement, and Gregorian Chant for Gilson.
For a "deeper" look at Vegas style Xianity, if you can't receive a Protestant radio station in your area, simply turn to your favorite radio station and when you hear somebody sing "baby" simply replace it with "Jesus".
After you've completed these tasks, Hercules, there will be more.
At 2:12 PM,
Trebor Nevals said…
Alrighty then. Consider them officially added. I'm thinking I could use a diversion for a bit into something a little more factual so while I'm waiting for my friends at amazon.com to ship my Wangerin and Schaeffer goodies I think I'll wander off and read one of Charlie's recommendations, "A short history of nearly everything." And no, it's completely untrue that I'd read ANYTHING to avoid going back to Conrad novels.
As for the choice between historical, theological and the mystical as you put it... I don't know really. After reading Lewis' "Screwtape Letters" and "Mere Christianity" almost exactly a year ago I'd had enough for quite a while. I'm only now open to the prospect again. Your current list in this vein will probably be enough to satiate me for at least another decade, especially if you consider I've still got that 'Bible' thing I'm supposed to be reading. Thankee!
Post a Comment
<< Home