Dockery’s Fall ’09 Reading List

My president, David Dockery, has just released his recommended reading list for this fall. He does this on a regular basis recommending new and important books. His recommendation is not of course an endorsement of everything said in these books but an acknowledgement of the importance of the book in current discussions. Recommended Reading List …

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What are Great Books?

My colleague, Brad Green, sent me this quote from Serge Lancel in his book, St Augustine, on what great books are: ” . . . they are the repositories of irreplaceably personal words which achieve their deepest meaning in the setting of a closely circumscribed area of someone’s life.” (p. 204)

“There are plenty of bad things that need killing”

Every once in a while I mention here items on my Children’s literature blog. Certainly one role of a pastor is to encourage families in the training of their children. Yesterday, I posted a reflection on a line from George Macdonald’s book, The Princess and Curdie. The wise, mysterious woman character encourages Curdie, a young …

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Reading Fiction

I have frequently at this blog commended broad reading including fiction and have defended and advocated the reading of fiction in other venues. I was pleased then to find (via Justin Wainscott) this article by Mary DeMuth titled, “Why Should Christ-Followers Read Fiction?” DeMuth deals with common arguments against “wasting” one’s time on fiction. I …

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