As Christians, we stand — whether we recognize it or not — as the happy heirs to a robust literary tradition that ranges from the medieval poetry of Dante’s Divine Comedy to the contemporary fiction of Marilynne Robinson. However, many of us can feel, at times, quite estranged from this tradition — even uninvited to participate in it or reap the benefits it can offer. Whether because of busy jobs or the demands of high school or the stress of raising children (to name just a few reasons) many of us, young and old alike, may be tempted to feel that Christian literature does not necessarily apply to our actual lives. In this class, we would like to create a space for all ages — from high schoolers to the oldest among us — to explore some of the most remarkable pieces of the Christian literary tradition.

Each Sunday morning, we will gather, first, to read aloud a piece of literature — whether a poem or a short prose passage — and then discuss it as a small group. We will discuss not only its “literary” merits but also, even primarily, the way that it might actually affect our daily lives as Christians. Our goal is to make this class as accessible as possible; as such, we plan to have printouts of the readings on-hand for every week.

Primary Contact: Will Brewbaker
Additional Leaders: Warren Gould