Effective Literature

 

Christian literature has become widely unrealistic and difficult for Christians to apply to life practically. Nevertheless, Christian literature has not always been this way and from the very beginning of Christianity until the last hundred years or so, Christian literature (that have indubitably lost their popularity in the current Christian culture) was often right on in addressing the different areas of life that humans struggle with. The following are five different works from different centuries and genres that would be considered solid Christian literature, as they serve the purposes of recognizing sin as it is, being honest about it, and emphasizing the beauty and the power of the Gospel which brings sinners out of sin and into redemption.

 

The Letter to the Romans is a second century epistle written by Ignatius of Antioch. Addressed to the Christians in Rome, Ignatius beseeches them not to do anything to save him from death in the arena. Throughout his letter, Ignatius emphasizes how he is a weak and unworthy sinner who longs for nothing more than to be with Jesus. Instead of fearing death, he rejoices in the fact that he is about to have the honor of dying in the name of his Savior. He leaves several admonishments for them to be distinct from the rest of the world and to desire God above all else even as he will no longer be around to lead them spiritually. Although this text may be a little strange to the modern reader, the message is clear and timelessly applicable. We are all depraved, unworthy sinners, and yet Christ died for us. Therefore, we need to do our best to live lives that are neither ignorant of nor conformed to the ways of the world.

 

“The Life of Antony” is what McGrath refers to as “a classic example of early Christian hagiography” (69). Written between 296 and 373 AD by Athanasius, this work shows that the devil is constantly looking to bring shame to Christ and the more devoted one is to the Lord, the more Satan will try to bring him down. Having dedicated his entire life to doing little more than fervently seeking after God, Antony can be considered a good example of a “holy” man. However, in the text, it is clear that Antony’s righteousness is not because of his own strength, but because of the power of Christ in him. As he continually faces spiritual battle, Antony clings on to his salvation in Jesus, trusting Him for everything and recognizing that without Him, he is nothing. In our contemporary context, we can learn from Antony to always rely on the Lord. Evil and perversity will always be present, spiritual battles will continue to ensue, but our hope is in Christ who empowers us against all stronghold.

           

In “The Dream of the Rood,” we are presented with an interesting perspective from the very cross on which Jesus died. This sixth century poem depicts the cross of Christ relating its experience of how it was being used to execute criminals and was then raised up and “honoured… above the other trees in the forest” (140) when the Almighty God was nailed to it in order to bring salvation to mankind. It emphasizes the power and majesty of Christ in His death, burial and resurrection, and reminds mankind of how Jesus went through all of that suffering “to the benefit of men” (140).  This poem serves as a reminder to all Christians that, like He did with the cross, Jesus honored mankind when He descended from glory and took on the body of a human. In all His glorious majesty, He humbled Himself and was taunted and ridiculed all for the sake of redeeming an unworthy race of sinners. The personified cross reminds us that in the goriness of the blood that soaked into its wood, Christ displayed beauty in its truest form.

           

Isaac Watt’s “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” is yet another reminder of the Cross of Jesus Christ and the sacrifice He made for us. Well loved through the centuries and one of the few hymns that are still widely sung today, this 1707 hymn draws our wispy and temporary attentions back to the cross, emphasizing how all material possessions and worldly accomplishments are nothing compared to the wonder of the Gospel. The words “Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast/Save in the Cross of Christ my Lord” (500) recognize our human frailty and tendency to bask in self-attained fame. Because of this selfishness, we need to be constantly reminded of the beauty in the “love and sorrow” that met and the richness in the crown of thorns that pierced His brow. It is when we reflect on the “[l]ove so amazing, [and] so divine” that we desire to give Him our souls, our lives, our all.          

           

Finally, in Fydor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, we are led into a depressing novel that does not seem very Christian at all. This nineteenth century Russian story is about a horrible man who sires four sons: three legitimate sons from two different mothers, and one illegitimate son borne of yet another woman. When the patriarch Karamazov winds up dead, the eldest Karamazov son becomes the prime suspect and has to go through a trial at which he is declared guilty. Despite the author’s confusion about God and love and faith, he draws his readers’ attentions to the depraved condition of humanity and the desperate need for a way out. Through the character of Alyosha, Dostoevsky never explicitly says that Jesus is the only way out of hell, as his struggle with believing in Christ is evident in Ivan’s character, he heavily implies that a firm foundation in God is what keeps us righteous and out of trouble.

           

As can be observed, literature has a unique ability to bring truth to people. For this reason, Christian literature as a bigger responsibility in emulating truth realistically so that no one is misled by misconstrued ideals of life.

 

 

Works Cited

 

Athanasius. “The Life of Antony.” Christian Literature: An Anthology . Allister E. McGrath. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers, 2001. 69-74. Print.

 

Dostoevsky, Fyodor. The Brothers Karamazov. Christian Literature: An Anthology . Allister E. McGrath. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers, 2001. 621-35. Print.

 

Ignatius. The Letter to the Romans. Christian Literature: An Anthology . Allister E. McGrath. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers, 2001. 17-20. Print.

 

 McGrath, Alister, ed. Christian Literature: An Anthology. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers, 2001. Print.

 “The Dream of the Rood.” Christian Literature: An Anthology . Allister E. McGrath. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers, 2001. 137-42. Print.

 

Watts, Isaac. “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” Christian Literature: An Anthology . Allister E. McGrath. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers, 2001. 499-500. Print.