Lewis and Myth
The following might be considered 'faith' language, because I am discussing another person's relation to Christianity, but I think it is, for the most part, kosher.
During the first half of the twentieth centruty Brittain seemed to overflow with Christian literary talent, from G.K. Chesterton to J.R.R. Toklien to C.S. Lewis. Many of these people influenced each other, particularly Lewis and Tolkien. They were two of the central figures in the Inklings, an Oxford literary society. Tolkien is also considered the most important figure in Lewis' conversion to Christianity.
From his youth Lewis had a love for northern mythology, above all others. He also particularly enjoyed the dying and resurrecting god of this and other mythic traditions, including the Bible. Interestingly enough, this understanding of the mythic nature of the New Testament led him to believe it held more than just stories (I think I'm allowed to use that word in the negative).
Lewis said that " [t]he heart of Christianity is a myth which is also a fact. The old myth of the Dying God, without ceasing to be myth, comes down from the heaven of legend and imagination to the earth of history." The therefore rejects that implication that myth is opposed to history, and truth opposed to legend. There is no 'just.'
On another note, (more related to my openeing) the very definition of faith language is interesting. We could consider, could we not, that Bloom's proposition of J being a woman is based on faith just as much as the idea that the Bible really is the word of God. Both require us to believe beyond what we can truly know, and therefore, faith.
Just a though.
During the first half of the twentieth centruty Brittain seemed to overflow with Christian literary talent, from G.K. Chesterton to J.R.R. Toklien to C.S. Lewis. Many of these people influenced each other, particularly Lewis and Tolkien. They were two of the central figures in the Inklings, an Oxford literary society. Tolkien is also considered the most important figure in Lewis' conversion to Christianity.
From his youth Lewis had a love for northern mythology, above all others. He also particularly enjoyed the dying and resurrecting god of this and other mythic traditions, including the Bible. Interestingly enough, this understanding of the mythic nature of the New Testament led him to believe it held more than just stories (I think I'm allowed to use that word in the negative).
Lewis said that " [t]he heart of Christianity is a myth which is also a fact. The old myth of the Dying God, without ceasing to be myth, comes down from the heaven of legend and imagination to the earth of history." The therefore rejects that implication that myth is opposed to history, and truth opposed to legend. There is no 'just.'
On another note, (more related to my openeing) the very definition of faith language is interesting. We could consider, could we not, that Bloom's proposition of J being a woman is based on faith just as much as the idea that the Bible really is the word of God. Both require us to believe beyond what we can truly know, and therefore, faith.
Just a though.
posted by J.M.R. Burgard @ 9:15 PM
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