The Importance of Literature for Christians - 2056 Words

Literature plays a vital role in nearly every aspect of life. The importance of literature to the Christian worldview is immeasurable. Commonly defined as written works that have superior or artistic merit, literature has been a part of our world since creation. In the first book of the Bible we are introduced to the story of Creation. â€Å"In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth. The Earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.† God spoke the creation of the world into being. Palmer states â€Å"God begins His story by describing the creative power of words over chaos.† As†¦show more content†¦For example, in Paradise Lost, John Milton describes the fall of man : â€Å"Of man’s first Disobedience, of the Fruit, of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal test Brought Death i nto the World, and all our woe, With the loss of Eden, till one greater Man Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat.† This epic is Milton’s version of the Creation and Fall of mankind, not the accurate record we receive from the Bible. Other writers have also taken scripture and made novels and series’ out of them. For example, The Left Behind Series, written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, focuses on the rapture of the church, rise of the anti-Christ and the return of Christ written in the Revelation of John. This fictional series takes the final book of the Bible and allows the reader to imagine themselves in the last days. The reader feels the emotion of God rapturing His church and leaving all those unsaved souls behind. The emotions and visualization keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Like Milton’s epic, Paradise Lost, Left Behind is the writer’s perception of how events occur. Literature has the advantage of being thought-p rovoking, educational, and entertaining. One of the most thought-provoking and entertaining writers that ever lived was William Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s work was mostly based on fictional characters with biblical principles underlying. Shakespeare’s work is filled with a world of characters that are both fallen andShow MoreRelatedBeowulf And The Germanic Heroic Code Of Values, Traditions, And Customs1522 Words   |  7 Pagesthroughout the lifetime of the culture. A major part of culture is literature; the literature of the time reflects upon daily life and society during the time that the story was composed. Beowulf, an epic poem, is one of the most important and only works of Anglo-Saxon literature. Much like a fable, the epic poem of Beowulf had lessons that taught the people within this society how to behave. This essay will outline how the importance of Christianity and the Germanic Heroic Code in Beowulf are revealedRead MoreChristianity During The Roman E mpire1526 Words   |  7 Pagesprominent than others, one of the most popular being Christianity. Christianity developed during the time of the Roman Empire. It began as a minority religion and grew into something much more than that. Christianity’s importance to the empire increased over time. At first, Christian values seemed different than those of pagan Roman civilization and Romans were not sure how to react to this growing minority religion. The difference between the two religions became clearer as Christianity became moreRead MoreThe Bible and Understanding Scripture800 Words   |  4 PagesBible is God’s word to His people. Christians are taught to read and study the Bible daily. A new person in the body of Christ would understand reading and studying just as one reads a regular book or study material. Often Christians are not taught how to read and study, instead they internalize reading and studying as memorization of the Bible because most Christians can remember the word of God without a complete understanding of scripture. When Christians are taught the history of the Bible andRead MoreChristianity And The Christian Church1473 Words   |  6 Pagesreligion shaped entirely around Jesus’ personal philosophies and ideologies that has forever shaped the course of human history. In order to appreciate the importance of Christianity, first an understanding of the religion itself must be reached. The Christian church teaches that there is one God who created everything. Although Christians believe there is a singular God, he is split into three parts: Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. The content of the religions beliefs and historyRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Sir Gawain And The Green Knight804 Words   |  4 PagesThere are many elements that are used to classify medieval literature. Beside the obvious association to the medieval time period, the writings contain unique aspects that create the iconic medieval tale. Characters within medieval romances are larger-than-life, courageous, and noble. The people of the Middle Ages openly received each of these traits, because of the importance they put on acts of nobility and chivalry. The themes of medieval stories were based on beliefs or ideas, expressed by theRead MoreThe Anglo Saxon Era Of Ri ch History And Reflected Literature1486 Words   |  6 PagesThe Anglo Saxon Era of Rich History and Reflected Literature The Anglo Saxon Period began in 449 and ended in 1066 AD. This was a time of Viking conquering other nations, patriotism, and Pagan to Christian religious conversion. There are only few recorded authors of this era as a result of literary works such as Beowulf, Wife’s Lament, and The Seafarer being passed down orally through generations of time. The literature serves as a reflection of this ancient time rather than having an impact on thisRead MoreChristian Symbolism and Chivalric Ideals in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight1472 Words   |  6 Pagescomes off as a romantic normative poem about chivalric ideals and traditions of the ruling class with covertly Christian Images. The protagonist character Sir Gawain stands out as the role model of the chivalric ideals of the 14th century while displaying Christian images on his armor. The combination of Gawain’s armor and actions throughout the poem exemplify his characteristics of Christian perfection and chivalric ideals. T he very first scene with Bertilak of Hautdesert known as the Green KnightRead More Comparing Love and Marriage in Canterbury Tales, Lanval, Faerie Queene, and Monsieurs Departure675 Words   |  3 PagesTales, Lanval, Faerie Queene, and Monsieurs Departure Medieval and Renaissance literature develops the concepts of love and marriage and records the evolution of the relation between them. In Chaucers Canterbury Tales, Christian love clashes with courtly love, as men and women grapple with such issues as which partner should rule in marriage, the proper, acceptable role of sex in marriage, and the importance of love as a basis for a successful marriage. Works by earlier writers portray the medievalRead MoreCivilizations and Heroism in the Epic Poems of Gilgamesh and Beowulf624 Words   |  3 Pageshas appeared throughout history in the literature of different civilizations. Heroes represent the principles and ideals associated with the varying morals of each individual society. The literature of Mesopotamia and Western Europe is a prime example of this. Beowulf, an Anglo-Germanic tale and The Epic of Gilgamesh, of the Sumerians, demonstrate perfectly, the ability of civilizations to convey the values and customs of their society thr ough their literature. The setting for Beowulf is ScandinaviaRead MoreA Short Note On The Edict Of Milan873 Words   |  4 Pagesfor the East by Licinius, granting all people the freedom of any religion they wanted to worship. Also, it assured Christians of legal rights, including the right to organize churches. Not only granting them freedom of religion and legal rights, but giving back the property that was confiscated (brittanica.com). The Edict of Milan was a significant event because it gave Christians rights and made Christianity a set religion. Not only did the Edict of Milan make Christianity a set religion, it