{"id":32699,"date":"2023-08-20T16:40:33","date_gmt":"2023-08-20T23:40:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=32699"},"modified":"2023-08-20T16:40:33","modified_gmt":"2023-08-20T23:40:33","slug":"giantsofthefaith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/giantsofthefaith\/","title":{"rendered":"Giants of the Faith"},"content":{"rendered":"

In preparing for our trip to Oxford in September, I found the book, The Secret History of Oxford<\/em> by Paul Sullivan, to be interesting. For instance, I had no idea that Oxford was made up of forty-four colleges. [1] Nor did I truthfully realize until reading through chapters two and three all of the famous people who have attend this school through the years. I found the chapter on the buildings to be interesting as well – particularly the part about Tom Tower. [2] I enjoyed learning of it’s history and look forward to seeing the tower in person now.<\/p>\n

For this blog, I would like to focus on two of the celebrities that were mentioned in chapter three: Lewis Carroll, who was the author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland<\/em>, and C.S. Lewis, who is a very famous author and theologian among Christians.<\/p>\n

Lewis Carroll<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I became familiar with the writings of Lewis Carroll as a young child, being thoroughly captivated by Alice and her bizarre adventures from an early age. Paul Sullivan, in his book, describes Carroll as “shy, precise and absorbed in mathematical reverie.” [3] The description goes so far as to peg him as a repressed Puritan. [4] All of these seem opposite portrayals of the antics in his books.<\/p>\n

He said in chapter 10 of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland<\/em>, “I can’t go back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.” When I think about perhaps Carroll’s Christian beliefs in light of this line, I think of 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” [5]<\/p>\n

Only recently have I explored other writings by Lewis Carroll. In an anthology of letters compiled by Roger Green, Lewis Carroll writes, “One of the secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others.” [6] This puts me in mind of the ‘Golden Rule’ of Scripture found in Matthew 7:12, “Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” [7]<\/p>\n

Having read more from Lewis Carroll, I have a greater respect for him than I did in the beginning when I just knew him for his Alice in Wonderland fame. That’s a good thing.<\/p>\n

C.S. Lewis<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I have quite a collection of C.S. Lewis books, mostly on Audible, and have read him extensively over the years, beginning with the Narnia books as a teenager. They were my hook, so to speak. An anthology of his writing was published in 2003 that I enjoy entitled A Mind Awake: An Anthology of C.S. Lewis<\/em>. In it he writes of forgiveness… “I think that if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him.” [8] I love this quote. Forgiving myself is something I struggle with at times. I realize we all mess up. I’m a perfectionist. When I mess up, it just gets all over me. I have a difficult time letting it go and moving on. I need to write this on a card and post it up somewhere that I’ll see it and be reminded of its truth – daily!<\/p>\n

Another gem from this anthology\u00a0 deals with God’s love for us. “The great thing to remember is that though our feelings come and go God’s love for us does not.” [9] Praise God! His love for me is not based on feelings – mine or His. His love for me is steadfast. O that my love for Him and others could be just as steadfast as His!<\/p>\n

The final quote from C.S. Lewis that I will share comes from his book Joyful Christian<\/em>. It deals with worship. “In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him.” [10] Sometimes I think that we miss the mark in our walk with Him, and it might become a drudgery day in and day out. A routine perhaps, more than drudgery. I’m searching for the right words. When in reality, enjoyment and pleasure is His goal for our relationship with Him. There are days when I need reminded of that as well.<\/p>\n

Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n

All in all, I am excited to be going to Oxford in September. I am anxious to walk where these giants of the faith have walked – particularly C.S. Lewis. To sit in the hall, and see the same sights. Take it all in.<\/p>\n

_____________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

[1] Sullivan, Paul,\u00a0The Secret History of Oxford<\/i>, Gloucestershire: The History Press, 2013., p.40.<\/p>\n

[2] Sullivan, Paul,\u00a0The Secret History of Oxford<\/i>, Gloucestershire: The History Press, 2013., p.140-142.<\/p>\n

[3] Sullivan, Paul,\u00a0The Secret History of Oxford<\/i>, Gloucestershire: The History Press, 2013., p.128.<\/p>\n

[4] Sullivan, Paul,\u00a0The Secret History of Oxford<\/i>, Gloucestershire: The History Press, 2013., p.128.<\/p>\n

[5] Crossway Bibles, ed. 2007. ESV: Study Bible: English Standard Version<\/i>. ESV text ed. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. p.1457.<\/p>\n

[6] Carroll, Lewis & Roger Green,\u00a0The Selected Letters of Lewis Carroll.<\/em> Springer, 1989., p.200.<\/p>\n

[7] Crossway Bibles, ed. 2007. ESV: Study Bible: English Standard Version<\/i>. ESV text ed. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. p.1213.<\/p>\n

[8] Lewis, C.S.,\u00a0A Mind Awake: An Anthology of C.S. Lewis.\u00a0<\/em>Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2003., p.148.<\/p>\n

[9] Lewis, C.S.,\u00a0A Mind Awake: An Anthology of C.S. Lewis.\u00a0<\/em>Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2003., p.84.<\/p>\n

[10] Lewis, C.S.,\u00a0Joyful Christian.<\/em> Simon and Schuster, 1996., p.120.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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