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the_lady_lily) wrote2007-08-10 12:45 am
the_lady_lily) wrote2007-08-10 12:45 am
Entry tags:
Bibliography
Resident Aliens - Stanley Hauerwas & William H. Willimon
This is mainly a placemaker to mark I re-read this rather than any significant thoughts about it, mainly because any of those ought to go on the [religion] filter. This is a book from the early 1990s about the challenges the Christian Church faced in a post-Constantinian world and how congregations and pastors would best cope with that. The writers are both American, and thus having lived in America for two years has deepened my appreciation of some of the issues and problems that I remember going somewhat over my head when I first read this, the summer before I got on the plane to New Jersey.
It being two years since I read it, and having been so profoundly influenced by it the first time through, I felt it was worth revisiting to dust off some of the ideas. I'm still impressed and inspired by its emphasis on telling the story and living that story faithfully, on the challenges it shows are there for the church, of the dangers of trying to make Caesar swallow as much of the Gospel as possible rather than trying to find ways of living the Gospel to show the world something it doesn't have. It's an immensely inspirational text in that sense. But it's not about to provide easy answers, and this isn't the place to consider those questions in depth, so I'll stop here as I'm not really ready to cope with a heavy theological debate in the comments. I will recommend it as a read for any of you interested, though.
The Poetical Works of William Blake
As G pointed out, the use of poetical in the title is a bit unnecessary. That aside, this was my attempt to actually read some Blake. I have to admit that I got within striking distance of the end of this a couple of months ago, and then got horribly bogged down in the Prophetic Books, which have an incredibly complex cast list and mythological back story that are probably a nightmare at the best of times, let alone when you're just reading excerpted lines (this volume contains only a sample). I have to say that from the sample herewithin presented, I think I'd have to be feeling a lot braver to roll up my sleeves and attack the Prophetic Books in their entirety, even if they might make more sense and have better footnotes.
That said - I did enjoy actually getting to grips with some Blake and seeing a transition from the very simple verse forms of Songs of Innocence and Experience to the more intricate stuff in the Prophetic Books. His use of language throughout is particularly curious - he treats English like a jewel box into which he will occasionally plunge, which is good fun. I'm glad to have had the exposure, although I don't think he's ever going to be one of my top ten poets - I keep on being reminded of how much more powerful some of the Songs of Innocence and Experience felt when set to music. That, perhaps, is the problem with Blake's poetry - that it doesn't feel right unless it is being sung, chanted or recited. Alas, I have only so much time.
This is mainly a placemaker to mark I re-read this rather than any significant thoughts about it, mainly because any of those ought to go on the [religion] filter. This is a book from the early 1990s about the challenges the Christian Church faced in a post-Constantinian world and how congregations and pastors would best cope with that. The writers are both American, and thus having lived in America for two years has deepened my appreciation of some of the issues and problems that I remember going somewhat over my head when I first read this, the summer before I got on the plane to New Jersey.
It being two years since I read it, and having been so profoundly influenced by it the first time through, I felt it was worth revisiting to dust off some of the ideas. I'm still impressed and inspired by its emphasis on telling the story and living that story faithfully, on the challenges it shows are there for the church, of the dangers of trying to make Caesar swallow as much of the Gospel as possible rather than trying to find ways of living the Gospel to show the world something it doesn't have. It's an immensely inspirational text in that sense. But it's not about to provide easy answers, and this isn't the place to consider those questions in depth, so I'll stop here as I'm not really ready to cope with a heavy theological debate in the comments. I will recommend it as a read for any of you interested, though.
The Poetical Works of William Blake
As G pointed out, the use of poetical in the title is a bit unnecessary. That aside, this was my attempt to actually read some Blake. I have to admit that I got within striking distance of the end of this a couple of months ago, and then got horribly bogged down in the Prophetic Books, which have an incredibly complex cast list and mythological back story that are probably a nightmare at the best of times, let alone when you're just reading excerpted lines (this volume contains only a sample). I have to say that from the sample herewithin presented, I think I'd have to be feeling a lot braver to roll up my sleeves and attack the Prophetic Books in their entirety, even if they might make more sense and have better footnotes.
That said - I did enjoy actually getting to grips with some Blake and seeing a transition from the very simple verse forms of Songs of Innocence and Experience to the more intricate stuff in the Prophetic Books. His use of language throughout is particularly curious - he treats English like a jewel box into which he will occasionally plunge, which is good fun. I'm glad to have had the exposure, although I don't think he's ever going to be one of my top ten poets - I keep on being reminded of how much more powerful some of the Songs of Innocence and Experience felt when set to music. That, perhaps, is the problem with Blake's poetry - that it doesn't feel right unless it is being sung, chanted or recited. Alas, I have only so much time.