Saturday, April 25, 2009

Loving Literature

I am halfway through reading Book III of Milton's Paradise Lost. I am loving it. It is so refreshing to be working with ideas again.

Themes I have found so far:

*Acedia in hell
*Christ as the one who provides the justice (death for death). This idea of appeasing God's wrath/justification is found more in the Western side of Christianity.
*Justifying God's ways, especially that both the spirits and man have/had the freedom to chose to obey or revolt
*Typology of first and second Adam (typology sees Old Testament figures and events again in the New Testament and is part of a way of seeing and/or interpreting the world; or so I think!)

I am also reading a book explaining the historical context in which Milton was writing in. This is really helpful and of great interest.

Doing this study is making me feel alive again.
I am really hoping that the class itself goes well.

5 comments:

Pres. Kathy said...

Best wishes for your class.

E Helena E said...

Delighted to hear about loving it and feeling alive...great signs... it's been a long time, from the sounds of it.
It can be quite startling to see the two different western and eastern sides (as Bp Ware writes: Christ the Victim / Christ the Victor), as I'm learning now.

avery said...

cool! I remember my Milton class with great fondness. I had a great great teacher. I hope you enjoy it sooo much and that you have a good prof!

avery said...

(me, not avery. duh! I never remember to sign off after my kids have been on my computer. sigh)

elizabeth said...

Thank you so much Pres Kathy!

E-H - yes - it is wonderful to feel alive again!

and what Bp Ware is explaining is a very important difference. Also important is understanding that the West is a bit imbalanced on the God's wrath/why Christ had to die - as I am reading Milton I am really seeing this difference...

Vic - No worries!! I always know it is you! :) thanks so much!!! I really hope I have a good prof too!