The joy of reading great works

With all the really important things we can do with our time, why spend it reading? In an article at byFaithOnline, Dr. Kathleen Nielson says our anti-reading culture has “ignored the power of our God-given imaginations, one crucial route through which God means to reach us and teach us and grow us into the image of our Creator.”

She claims that the value of literature–defined as “the artful shaping of the human experience in words”—is rooted in the biblical doctrines of creation, fall, and redemption. “If it is indeed true that these biblical doctrines tell the true big story of the universe, then every little story of every kind must relate to it. If not—if there is no such intrinsic relation between the fundamental doctrines of the faith and the literature we read—then that literature may be accurately deemed irrelevant, evil, or simply useful as a mouthpiece for propagandizing the Christian message.”

She concludes with suggestions for how to choose and how to read the best books.

What do you think? Is she right?

Thanks to reading buddy Diana for the link.

21. February 2006 by Mindy
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