Should Christians Study Secular Literature?

Regardless of personal beliefs or opinions, it is nearly impossible to imagine the existence of modern English literature without the influence of religion. Since the dawn of recorded history, religion has played a vital, recurring role in works of fact and fiction, alike. In his book How to Read Literature Like a Professor, author Thomas Foster asserts several points about this relationship between religion and literature, especially in relation to the image of Christ, and states, “Culture is so influenced by its dominant religious systems that whether a writer adheres to the beliefs or not, the values and principles of those religions will inevitably inform the literary work” (125).

Hello Brittany Harrington,I enjoyed reading your post and I think you came up with a good idea why Christians should study secular literature. Children nowdays are being easily exposed to electoronic divices like smartphone and television. As they keep watching television and smartphone, they lose the senses and imagination. They also lose creativity, strategic thinking, and how to feel other's emotion. It is important for Christian to share other people's feelings as Christ did. Jesus was always sensitive to other's feeling. Whenever He saw people who were harassed and helpless, He had compassion on them. He sensed other's pain and empathize with all people's weaknesses. The literature can help people to engage in a world where people have

I chose my passage from How To Read Literature Like A Professor: A Lively And Entertaining Guide To Reading Between The Lines. In chapter fourteen, page one hundred and twenty-five, Foster states, "Okay, so not everyone is a Christian around these parts, nor do those who would say there are necessarily have more than and nodding familiarity with the New Testament... Okay, so it's not the most profound insight ever, but it matters." When I started reading this chapter I felt offended. I thought who are you to tell me to put my religious beliefs behind me while reading?" As I read further into the chapter, I caught on to what Foster was really saying. This passage is my favorite because, it shows the reader that the author does not discriminate

Testaments is essential,” is Foster’s way of explaining that our religious background is integrated into our literature. If your religious background was Islamic or Buddhist, literature written by your ancestors would reflect Islamic or Buddhist religion instead. Religious symbolism is a major recurring technique Foster uses.

If the burden of authorship were laid on man, it would like the foresight of God for the future. Because God divinely authored the Bible, he can also use it to speak to us today despite the difference in culture from the date of its authorship to now. That does not mean that we can just find any meaning we want and assume that God planted it there, it is still our responsibility to ensure that we are using proper study habits to decipher the word. One of the biggest issues I see today is that we have a habit of taking scripture out of context reading only the portion of the verse that supports our thoughts or not taking into consideration the context of who the scripture was directed towards or the culture of that time. During the reading in this week’s session, there were two things that stood out to me. McGrath notes in the Christian Theology Reader that under Hodge’s view “Biblical Authority is specifically linked with the correct Biblical interpretation” (McGrath, 2011, p. 111) and that the Bible is “absolutely infallible when interpreted in the same sense intended, and hence are clothed with absolute divine authority” (McGrath, 2011, p.

“You cannot open a book without learning something” (Confucius). Through numerous years of reading and comprehending texts, it’s needless to say that through each text, I overcame another road block. I have learnt to spell simple words, find morals in stories and understanding how important the Australian identity is to its country. Through my experiences of different text types, it has further shaped and moulded my personal attitudes, values and beliefs when a hurdle in my life was encountered, which is inevitable. The opportunities and experiences that I have studied has prepared me for the next stages of my journey. Each challenge and tribulation provides a fundamental foundation for the texts that we enjoy, immerse ourselves in and have further influenced all of us. In particular it has influenced my understanding of my past, present and most importantly my future.

What are the biggest differences between a secular and a Christian worldview? Why is this an important question for this particular study of the Old Testament?

Although pagan (i.e. Roman) literature clearly contains valuable lessons on philosophy, logic, rhetoric, science, authority, virtue, etc., many argue that the mere fact that it is pagan should cause Christians to avoid it all together and receive an education elsewhere. If Augustine was grateful for his reading skills, which come from “early lessons in literacy,” why did he warn Christians against pagan literature (Confessions 1.20)? After understanding what St. Augustine thought and why he thought it, recognizing that a man should not be ignorant and that all truth leads to Christ, comparing Christianity with paganism as a whole, and knowing that Christ perfects all, one can conclude that Christians should continue to read pagan literature.

It is imperative that we as humans study scripture reasonably and not view it in an irrational manner.

I found this chapter to have an equal balance with the information provided. Johnston did a great job to expose both Evangelical Christians and non-evangelicals pros and cons. The information provided is great evidence for both parties to reflect upon. As a Christian believer, I was challenged by Johnston’s three questions. She is right-as Evangelical Christian we should stop hiding and dialogue with those contrary to our Christian faith.

In Chapter Eight, Whether God Can Be Studied, I love how the author wrote “much of the language of Christian confession is delivered through premodern cosmologies, prescientific views of the world. Yet the conflict of cosmologies is not as as deep as the conflict between faith and unfaith in the hearer. Even when clothed in the latest language and symbols of modernity, Christianity with its ‘Word made flesh’ cannot remain completely non-offensive.” (pg. 198) This is a powerful quote denoting the desire of humanity to make Christianity an all welcoming community, while forgetting at its core, Christianity will never be what people desire it to be.

The development of Christian literature was the result of more Christian writers developing literature after the faith was legalized. It also led to the rules that we still follow to this day. These being, that priests don’t have to serve in the military and that churches do not have to pay

reading community” (115-116) Scripture when read as a story of what God has done and is doing today, gives us a complete picture of God's reconciliatory plan for humanity. This is very significant for me because by being aware of all scripture as the grand story of God no book or chapter is less significant because the book is part of the grand story of God. I will still struggle with some books like the Songs of Solomon, but after acquiring this new perspective from right, I can read the book with new lenses and try to figure out it connects to the story of God, but I believe I can only do that with the help of the Holy Spirit.

The term secular literature is described as not being concerned with religion, which can be somewhat frustrating to Christians at times. Personally, before reading about secular literature in this module/weeks material, I didn't like to read works that are against Christianity. In the first presentation, professor Kingsbury made many good points on why Christians should read secular works. Professor Kingsbury described her personal experiences about her growing faith in Jesus Christ and the moment when she decided to pursue a relationship with God. I learned through this presentation that becoming a careful reader and critical thinker is crucial in Christianity. Professor Kingsbury's presentation caught my attention when she explained that

Studying of cultural literature will promote an individual to become open-minded. Learning about other cultures and their development, which would be impossible to understand by simply reading the pieces of work, will allow the individual to see and appreciate new