Christianity and Literature:  Outline

The Big Idea:  What distinguishes Christian Literature?  Answer:  it clearly points to Christ

Introduction:

• Asked to discuss “Christian Literature” though unsure of value of this discussion
• Understands that Literature is a means for sharing the Gospel
• Rules for good writing are same for Christian and non-Christian
• Thus, does not see a value in a genre of “Christian” literature, just good literature or bad literature, both kinds reflecting the author’s perspective
  • Is one a “Christian writer” or a “writer that happens to be Christian?”

One:  What makes literature “Christian?

• Sacred in theme/starting point for devotion
  • Value is subjective (rag may be sacred for some)
  • Written by Christians for Christians, not for literary merit per say
• Christian approach to literature
  • Creative vs. derivative
  • Spontaneity vs. Convention
  • Freedom vs. Rules
  • Great authors are innovators, “breaking fetters,” not followers
• Jesus as Poet or Philosopher
  • Jesus’ limitations
  • Poetic in some senses
  • More like Socrates than Shakespeare in analogy
• Man as head of woman, God the Father as head of the Son, Jesus as head of Church
  • The subordinate is to reflect the head
  • Just as son watches Father, so Jesus observed the Father to better communicate his being
• New Testament Literary Expression
  • Originality is the prerogative of God
  • Creativity discouraged and being conformed into the image of Christ
    • “being as little as possible ourselves, in acquiring a fragrance that is not our own but borrowed, in becoming clean mirrors filled with the image of a face that is not ours
  • Lewis’ rejection of Total depravity
  • Derivative & reflective is good
    • “pride does not only go before a fall—a fall of the creature’s attention from what is better, God, to what is worse, itself.
• Applied to Literature
  • Purpose is not to create, but to reflect Christ
  • Embody or reveal what is true of eternal beauty and wisdom
  • Originality is not true originality as it comes from God
  • Non-Christian writes for vain purposes, Christian for Christ
  • Christian does not ask, “Is it mine?” but will ask “Is it good?”
• Conclusion
  • “The Christian knows from the outset that the salvation of a single soul is more important than the production or preservation of all the epics and tragedies in the world”
  • The strength of Christian literature comes not from the literature but from the God of Christian literature

Words to Define:

• Hagiological:  of the Saints
• Proprement dite:  French for “properly itself”
• Argumenta ad hominess: argument by opinions
• A fortiori:  “From the Stronger”
• Catena:  chain
• Redolere Christum:  “to smell of Christ”
• mi/mhsiß is derived from mimhth/ß, meaning:  imitator
• au moins je suis autre: French—“At least I am different”
• di se medesmo rise:  Italian for, “I lauged at myself”