Transcript Christianity Found in the Imaginative Worlds of Bunyon

Who truly is
OR
?
For this question to be
answered we must
come to closure
about. . .
Christianity Within in the Imaginative
Worlds of authors like Bunyon,
Milton, C.S. Lewis, Tolkien and. . .
She whose name and
works we do not name.
Oh, what the heck:
J.K. Rowling
Common Claims About Fantastic
Literature that Are Problematic:
Tolkien’s and Lewis’ stories are overtly
Christian because they are filled with
Christian images.
 The way to tell good fantasy from bad one
is by whether the world-view constructed
by the author is clearly Christian or not.
 J.K. Rowling’s stories are ontologically
very different from those of J.R.R. Tolkien
and C. S. Lewis.

These sound good, but their logic
flawed:
Due to faulty
Some Quick Definitions

Ontology: The science or study of being; that
department of metaphysics which relates to the
being or essence of things, or to being in the
abstract. (OED)
 Ontological: Of or pertaining to, or of the nature of,
ontology; metaphysical. ontological argument,
proof (for the existence of God): the a priori (the
warrant) argument that “the existence of the idea of
God of necessity involves the objective existence of
God” (OED). Thus the very fact that we can
conceive of a God proves God exists.
OED = Oxford English Dictionary
Thus, the ontological nature of a
word or concept is not placed
there by the reader but is part of
its very essence.
Keep these Definitions
in your head for later
Here are just a few
more. . .
Also, remember the Difference
between the Connotative and the
Denotative meaning of Words
Denotative:
 Having
the quality of denoting;
designative, indicative. (a meaning
assigned) (OED)
 Logic. Of a word: Having the quality
of designating, as distinguished from
connotative. (OED)
Connotative:
 1.
Having the quality of connoting;
pertaining to connotation, or to an
additional or implied signification. (OED)
 2. Logic. connotative term: a term or word
which, while it denotes (or is predicated
of) a subject, also connotes or indicates its
attributes. In the scholastic and later logic
a connotative, as distinguished from an
absolute, term was one which primarily
signified an attribute and secondarily a
subject. (OED)
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true,
whatever things are noble,
whatever things are just,
whatever things are pure,
whatever things are lovely,
whatever things are of good report,
if there is any virtue and if there is
anything praiseworthy—meditate on
these things."
Philippians 4:6-8 (KJV)
Paul’s admonition is a central
concern for both the artist and
scholar involved with literature.
But what are its practical
consequences?
Ironically, the text quoting scripture for this
presentation was cut and pasted from the web site
“Twelve reasons not to see Harry Potter Movies”
http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/HP-Movie.htm
Christians and their use of
Imaginative Stories—can we lie
and tell the truth?
Parables
Yes,
We
Can!
Allegories
Dramatizations
Stories which contain [God
created] Truths
How can we do this?
Because Fiction is the lie that tells the truth!
And because our Great Example used Fiction
himself.
Parables

A fictitious narrative or allegory (usually
something that might naturally occur), by
which moral or spiritual relations are
typically figured or set forth, as the parables
of the New Testament. (Now the usual
sense.) [OED]
 Favorite teaching tool of Christ
 Also favored by Buddha
A few of Jesus’ Parables

The Parable of The Unforgiving Servant

The Good Samaritan

The Friend at Midnight

The Parable of the Rich Fool

The Faithful Servants

The Fig Tree

The Seats of Honor

The Great Supper

The Lost Sheep, Coins and Sons
Some Parables of Buddha
 The Blind Men and the Elephant
 The Thief and the Master
 The Monkey King
 Worse Than a Clown
 The Brave Little Parrot
 The Story of the Hoe
 The Hungry Dog
 The Old Man and the Scorpion
 Esarhaddon, King of Assyria
 Just a Fly in My Tea
The Old Man and the Scorpion
One morning, after he had finished his meditation, the
old man opened his eyes and saw a scorpion floating
helplessly in the water. As the scorpion was washed
closer to the tree, the old man quickly stretched himself
out on one of the long roots that branched out into the
river and reached out to rescue the drowning creature.
As soon as he touched it, the scorpion stung him.
Instinctively the man withdrew his hand. A minute
later, after he had regained his balance, he stretched
himself out again on the roots to save the scorpion.
This time the scorpion stung him so badly with its
poisonous tail that his hand became swollen and
bloody and his face contorted with pain.
At that moment, a passerby saw the old man stretched out
on the roots struggling with the scorpion and shouted:
"Hey, stupid old man, what's wrong with you? Only a fool
would risk his life for the sake of an ugly, evil creature.
Don't you know you could kill yourself trying to save that
ungrateful scorpion?"
The old man turned his head. Looking into the stranger's
eyes he said calmly,
"My friend, just because it is the scorpion's
nature to sting, that does not change my nature to save."
Allegories

Description of a subject under the guise of
some other subject of aptly suggestive
resemblance. (OED)
Some examples of Allegory
Jesus’ “The Good Samaritan” and “The
Prodigal Son.”
 The anonymously penned mystery play
Everyman
 Spencer’s the Fairie Queen
 Bunyan’s Pilgrims Progress
 C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch and the
Wardrobe.
 Hannah Hurnard's Hind's Feet on High Places

The nature of Allegory, such as
this portion from Pilgrims
Progress, is specific in the truth
the author is trying to relate:
Chr. I seek an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled,
and that fadeth not away, and it is laid up in
heaven, and safe there, to be bestowed, at the time
appointed, on them that diligently seek it. Read it
so, if you will, in my book.
Obst. Tush! said Obstinate, away with your book;
will you go back with us or no?
Chr. No, not I, said the other, because I have laid my
hand to the plough.
Characters in such stories are
defined to represent the idea
Obst. Come, then, neighbour Pliable, let us turn
again, and go home without him; there is a
company of these crazy-headed coxcombs, that,
when they take a fancy by the end, are wiser in
their own eyes than seven men that can render a
reason.
Pli. Then said Pliable, Don't revile; if what the good
Christian says is true, the things he looks after are
better than ours: my heart inclines to go with my
neighbour.
Obst. What! more fools still! Be ruled by me, and go
back; who knows whither such a brain-sick fellow
will lead you? Go back, go back, and be wise.
Dramatizations:

This is when an author attempts, through
fiction, to portray religious events in what
he or she believes is historically accurate
manner.
 John Milton in Paradise Lost and Paradise
Regained
 General Lew Wallace’s Ben Hur
It should be remembered that as sincere as these authors
are in their attempt, they are bound by time, culture and
world view.
"Awake,
awake!" Up sprang the dogs, and,
howling, ran away. The herds rushed together
bewildered. The men clambered to their feet,
weapons in hand. "What is it?" they asked, in
one voice. "See!" cried the watchman, "the sky
is on fire!" Suddenly the light became
intolerably bright, and they covered their eyes,
and dropped upon their knees; then, as their
souls shrank with fear, they fell upon their faces
blind and fainting, and would have died had not
a voice said to them, "Fear not!" And they
listened. "Fear not: for behold, I bring you good
tidings of great joy” Ben Hur by Gen. Lew Wallace
M ilton ’s S atan
What though the field be lost?
All is not lost; the unconquerable Will,
And study of revenge, immortal hate,
And courage never to submit or yield:
And what is else not to be overcome?
That Glory never shall his wrath or might
Extort from me. To bow and sue for grace
With suppliant knee, and deifie his power. .
What matter where, if I be still the same,
And what I should be, all but less then hee
Whom Thunder hath made greater? Here at least
We shall be free; th' Almighty hath not built
Here for his envy, will not drive us hence:
Here we may reign secure, and in my choyce
To reign is worth ambition though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav'n.
Paradise Lost Book I
Dangers of Dramatization:
How, even while trying to tell the truth, an
author can still be in danger of
misrepresentation of the divine.
Personal
Bias of the Author
Interpretations of the Reader
Unseen consequences of
unstated world views.
Bias of the Author

In the 19th century most novelizations of
Christ’s life depict him as being slightly
effeminate.
 The Victorian bias (Dickens exemplifies
this perfectly) was that women were
organically more in tune with God’s nature
then men. So Christ, being most like God,
would have to be also on some level
womanly.
 He also was constantly depicted as having a
headache. (Caused by spiritual stress)
And, of course, when dramatizing
one must wonder (and worry) how
readers will interpret one’s work
“Milton was of the Devil’s
Camp and didn’t know it”
William Blake
18th Century
British Poet, Critic
and Myth Maker
But How Does the Nature of the
World View Affect the Author’s
Successes?
C.S. Lewis reminds us in
The Discarded Image
One age does not
always translate
to another.
For example “Sometime
between 1160 and 1770 an
English Priest named Layamon
wrote. . .that the air is filled with
many being some good and
some bad” (2).
The recollection that we, in an
age of science, do not share all
the assumptions of those who
came before us is especially
important to remember when
examining “works of the
fantastic” (science fiction and
especially fantasy both for
adults and children).
Let us consider the word “witch”
Do we believe that there are witches?
A man who practices witchcraft or magic;
a magician, sorcerer, wizard. c890 Laws of
Ælfred xxx, a fæmnan, e ewunia onfon
ealdorcræftian, & scinlæcan, & wiccan.
c1100 Gloss. in Wr.-Wülcker 183/31 Augur
uel ariolus, wicca. a1225 Juliana 41 Ich hit
am at spec urh simunes mu e wicche. c1250
Gen. & Ex. 3028 e wicches hidden hem foran, Bi-foren pharaun nolden he ben. (OED)
At One Time Magic Functioned as a
Legitimate Explanation for Physical
Phenomena:

Chaucer like many medieval thinkers
believed that Astrology actually explained
why people behave the way they do.
 Supernatural events in other belief systems
other than Christianity were credited to
magical powers of Satan.
 In 391 AD, Emperor Theodosius outlaws all
pagan worship.
 Many Calvinists thought white magic a
legitimate science.
King James the Sixth of
Scotland and the First of
England believed in Witches
He was also branded
"the wisest fool in Christendom“
by France's Henry IV
Remember His World View

He greatly feared the power of witches. He believed
wholly that a storm which threatened to sink his ship
and drown both him and his 15-year-old wife, Queen
Anne, was summoned by witches.
 The Presbyterian church burned 4000 witches during
his reign over Scotland
 James I who authorized the translation of the King
James Bible. Under his control, the soon to be oftquoted Exodus 22:18 was changed from "Thou must not
suffer a poisoner to live" to "Thou must not suffer a
witch to live."
 In addition, in 1597 he wrote Daemonologie to counter
Discoverie of Witchcraft written by the skeptic Reginald
Scot
W itches and w izards w ere not the only pow ers of dread in
th
Shakespeare’s 17 C entury:
Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes
Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated,
The bird of dawning singeth all night long:
And then, they say, no spirit dares stir
abroad;
The nights are wholesome; then no planets
strike, No fairy takes, nor witch hath power
to charm, So hallow'd and so gracious is the
time.
Marcellus from Hamlet: Act I, scene i
A Literal, Fundamentalist (Catholic) View of Belief Systems
In this model, the Only Truth is that which
comes from the direct revelation of God:
first through the Jews, then through Jesus
and finally through the Fathers of New
Testament Church.




All other belief systems since they are false, come from
Satan. Intended to delude.
Thus Wicca is Satanic because it is outside of the true
belief system.
So is Greek Mythology, Norse Mythology and Celtic
Mythology—all perversions, all Satanic
So is Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and even the Jewish
faith since it has failed to recognize the Messiah-ship of
Christ.
The Exclusive Nature Endemic to Those Who Are Certain
But Many Christians, especially
in our tradition, do not hold to
this view. . .

Magic is no longer a valid explanation of
how the universe works. (No broom can fly
no matter what one does to it.) Science
explains much.
 Other belief systems are no longer
consigned to Satan. (They are in error but
are not overt manifestations of the
diabolical. They contain glimmers of truth.)
 God’s truth turns up in surprising places.
No, there is no such creature as a
“witch”
In spite of what they
claim, these women
are no more real. . .
Than this Gippsland Water
Dragon
witches like these
. . .has
anything
in
common
with this.
People who, while watching the
Wizard of Oz, stand behind their
children and say when Glenda the
Good appears:
“There’s no such
. . .should remember that thing as a good
there are no such things
witch.”
“Children have a
as witches at all! Why
better sense of make
not tell these same
believe than most
children as they read The adults give them
credit for.” Theodore
Hobbit, “There is no
Guisel (Dr. Seuse)
magic?”
God’s Archetypal Revelation to all of Humanity
Every belief system has the potential to be twisted--power twists.
Can Christianity Be Twisted?
Tragically, Yes
Who is the more Satanic? The pagan for practicing an
outlawed belief systems or the “Christian” about to set
fire to a fellow human being’s flesh?
Stories which contain [God
created] Truths

Tolkien and C.S. Lewis used characters from
old belief systems (Roman, Greek, Nordic,
Celtic) because they knew these systems,
while false, offer the artist a way to present
truth while avoiding connotative baggage.
 Lewis’ phrase: “getting around sleeping
dragons.”
 Fantasy works which use such elements
should not have their truthfulness measured
by the artificial system they create but by the
truths their characters reveal.
Jesus is still the only way, the truth and the life.
Truths Believed in By
Christians. . .and others.

One either accepts that worthy works of
literature have something to say whatever
the background of the writer is overtly
Christian or one does not. But if one does
not. . .
–
–
–
–
–

No Homer’s Odysseus or Iliad
No Shakespeare’s Hamlet or Macbeth
No Wilde’s Portrait of Dorian Gray
No Melville’s Moby Dick
No Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea
Worthy Art Expresses Truth
Tolkien’s work is true and
therefore worthy





His work is Christian because of its truth.
There is good and evil.
The least of souls has value in larger schemes of things.
Sometimes the greatest good is done by those who give
up what power is available rather than claim it as their
due.
The fact that Middle Earth is populated by Wizards,
Elves, Trolls, and an Enchantress with a magic mirror
which foresees the future is immaterial to the work’s
truth.
Rowling’s work is true and
therefore worthy





Her work is Christian because of its truth.
There is good and evil “There are good wizards and bad
ones, Harry.”
The least of souls has value in larger schemes of things.
Nigel Longbottom wins the house cup even when he is
overcome by his more adept friends.
Sometimes the greatest good is done by those who give up
what power is available rather than claim it as their due.
“Harry gives up a stone and a way to great power.”
The fact that Hogwarts is populated by Wizards, Witches,
Trolls, and flying brooms is immaterial to the work’s truth.
Why Stand Up for Fantasy
and the Pumpkin King?

A vast host of precious readings are at
stake. Some of the greatest works will
burn if some literalists have their way.
 A developed imagination is not just frosting
on the “character-cake”--scientists have
found that imagination helps develop the
ability to objectify one’s self--and laugh.
 A developed imagination opens the human
heart to gain some sense of the limitless
quality of God’s creative nature.