Posts
After twenty-some years of
studying literature it is only recently I started to study hermeneutics, which
is the subject of interpreting texts, specifically the Bible. It is only in the
last five years that I started to read Christian texts beside the Bible,
(except C. S. Lewis’s writings for the love of the author, not for commentary
on Scripture). I was content to read the Bible devotionally, that is, for
personal edification and application. It was something to read, re-read, and
meditate on. I still read it devotionally, as think it is fundamental to
relationships with God, the Church, and the world. But I had not really studied
Scripture; that is, looking at information about authorship,
historical/cultural context, the English translations, etc. It is strange that
I had done this kind of study of literature, but did not apply it to the Bible.
What prompted the change was readings about integrating Christianity and
non-ministerial professions, and books on Christian approaches to literature.
These readings helped me to see the separation of the sacred and the secular
interests was not so necessary nor so wise.
I graduated from college in 2004, a non-traditional
graduate at age thirty-seven, (I’ve always been a little late to pick things
up), with a Bachelor’s degree in English. I studied the subject for interest in
it, for love of it. This actually stemmed with reading the Bible devotionally, starting
at age nineteen. From reading the Bible devotionally I learned what could be
learned from literature – wisdom. I did not treat all literature as a sacred
text, but each text is someone’s knowledge, someone’s perspective, someone’s
interpretation, and might be considered to represent the worldviews of others,
views to which to relate Christ. Since wisdom does not refuse counsel, these
other voices should be considered when making decisions, even if I disagree
with the view.
My story is, in a way, the opposite of C. S. Lewis’s.
Lewis was a student or teacher of literature, especially medieval literature, all
his life. He was an atheist until age thirty-three. For some time he was well
read in Christian texts, since the subject of medieval literature was commonly
Christianity, and the perspective was that it was the truth. But Lewis did not
see this truth himself. In his autobiography, Surprised by Joy, Lewis writes of
how reading of Norse mythology had given him glimpses of what Christianity
entailed. He came to realize Christianity was the myth that is true (p. 235,
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). For me, knowing how the text of the Bible could
reveal much, not only about God, but about myself in relation to God, and what
I consider to be God’s revelation of the desire to learn, I sought to read
other works too. I believe this was God’s revelation – this desire to learn –
because it was a turn-around. Through high school I read little; I could have
been a good student but chose not to. Immediately after high school I certainly
was not college bound. During the five years between high school and my
eventual admission to college it was the study of the Bible that stirred the
desire to read, to know more, to seek wisdom.
