Literature

Faithful Learning #4

by Clifford Foreman

Do you like to read? If you find books irresistible, feel the allure of losing yourself in another world, or have a taste for mystery, romance, or adventure, you might sometimes wonder if you’re wrong to get lost in books other than the Bible. But a Christian student can read—and even study—The Screwtape Letters, The Great Gatsby, and other novels, poems, and short stories with confidence!

Clifford Foreman provides a sneak peek into the joy of studying literature, giving you every reason to further refine your appetite for great prose and poetry. Find out how literary forms communicate ideas, artfully use language, and draw us to the greatest Storyteller of all.

The Faithful Learning series invites Christian students to dive deeper into a modern academic discipline. The authors, scholars in their fields, believe that academic disciplines are good gifts from God that, when understood rightly, will give students the potential to cultivate a deeper love for God and neighbor.

Genres: Education

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This booklet articulates a Christian view of literature and argues that the academic study of literature is important and beneficial for the Christian. It is a part of a series of booklets published by Presbyterian and Reformed called “The Faithful Learning Series” which covers various academic studies from a Christian worldview. Clifford Foreman, the author of this booklet, is quite capable in addressing the topic of literature, having taught English literature at the college level for many years and is himself a Reformed Christian. He begins in the booklet with an account of the time when he was a new Christian in a fundamentalist church there was another new Christian who told him that he has decided not to read anything but the Bible. The author was at that time going to college and majoring in English and it didn’t sit comfortable with him then. Many years later, the author is able to articulate more clearly and profoundly why reading literature outside the Bible is not necessarily wrong—rather if it is done right, it can be of great benefit for the Christian. Fortunately for us, the author summarizes these reasons in this booklet. I appreciated the author’s discussion about the importance of language and how language as a medium can give us “second order of beauty, meaning and creativity” beyond the more direct and immediate means of communicating about reality such as realistic painting, photography or a video clip. It is amazing to think that God revealed Himself through language and not just compilation of brute un-interpreted data and as Foreman points out words such as in the context of poetic statement can touch not only a person’s mind but will and emotions. As I read that I thought about how many times have the Psalms lifted me up or a promise in God’s Word have gave me assurance and faith. Language is a wonderful thing! The reasons Foreman offered for the importance of literature can be divided into two, with the first being benefits for a Christian’s reading of the Bible and secondly the benefits for the Christian outside of the area of reading the Bible. Concerning the first type of benefit Foreman tells us that the study of the mechanics of storytelling can make us more conscious of the mechanics used in the stories of Scripture which helps us understand God’s Word better. Foreman warns the reader that as Christians we must hold to the inspiration and infallibility of the Bible must we must not let this make us “blind” (good word choice) to the human literary characteristic of the Bible. The best part of this booklet was his discussion of the reasons to read literature outside of the benefits for our Scripture reading because he covers reasons beyond the obvious. For instance, Foreman argues that a Christian who has learned to analyze literary works would be more capable of being freed from manipulation from powerful writers. While acknowledging that there are literatures to avoid Foreman also argue that this does not mean we avoid all literature in the same way one’s fear of gluttony should not justify anorexia (what a word picture!). I don’t want to give away all the reasons that Foreman puts forth but its worth purchasing the booklet. I especially enjoyed how he gives us “samples” of literary analysis, especially his analysis of a poem by Frost since I would have never seen the many wonderful things in the poem that Foreman was able to draw out. I can say this as someone who typically do not read works of fiction that this book has wetted my appetite. I highly recommend this book.
NOTE: This book was provided to me free by P&R Publishing and Net Galley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever had a friend who only wanted to study the bible and nothing else? Maybe you didn’t. But if you knew someone who only wanted to study the bible and nothing else, what would you do? Perhaps you can get the person to read this book!

Why so? Because God has given us the bible and also a vast array of literature, to allow us to see how creative and how beautiful language is. Clifford Foreman wants the readers to see how God has given us literature and how we ought to appreciate it. Foreman very helpfully teaches us not to shun away from “non-christian” literature or accept them uncritically. Instead he wants us to know how to understand literature well, furthermore to use this knowledge to sharpen the way we read and understand the bible.

Foreman in this little book helps show how beautiful literature is to the readers by analysing some literary works and showing forth their depth and meaning. Foreman also tackles the issue any freshman might face in an academic setting, wanting to look sophisticated, that is, they might want to use a more difficult word than the occasion calls for. That Foreman says is not the true a mark of scholarship, rather scholarship aims to make complex or difficult works clear to the readers. Lastly, Foreman using what has been covered in the study of literature and examines the bible through that lens.

I found the book very readable, though I must say that I was not that quick to catch on to what the author was trying to show in this booklet. However, I must say that Foreman has written a short booklet that every literature major should give it a read sometime in their studies (preferably before or shortly after they began). If you are interested to have a really short primer on literature, this is a good book to start with. I’m sure you will go away having a clearer idea about the value of literature in your student life.


Rating : 3.75 / 5

Disclaimer: I was given this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Faithful Learning series is a blessing and this newest volume, Literature, is no different. Clifford Foreman encourages the believer to take up great literature as a means to worship God. By enjoying art we see creation better and learn how to read the Scriptures better.

Foreman writes in a manner that makes you feel like you are sitting in a English-Lit class chatting about great works of literature. That makes this booklet quite enjoyable and really encourages the reader to dive deeper into the world of writing and stories. Enthusiasm is often contagious and it is easy to catch Foreman's excitement about the beauty and benefit of great literature.

Whether he is writing about Whitman, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, or writers I have never heard of, Foreman presents their work in a way that makes you want to read them. I even hunted down a book of poetry to read. Me. Poetry. Foreman is a convincing writer and this booklet is a great encouragement to become a better reader.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.