Literary appreciation

Rob's left for Presbytery this morning. As part of his licencing process, he will be examined by Rev. Gordan Keddie about systematic theology tonight in front of all the pastors and other elders and then they will vote on it. I know he'll do great. D.V. Tomorrow morning he preaches in front of all the men, then they comment on his sermon, and then they vote on that, too. We've been praying for him today. Thankfully, the Lord is everywhere and can even be in Bloomington to help him as he has need. I sure am glad I don't have to go through all that - I'd be a bundle of nerves.

Wanna get this off before I have to start getting ready for my outing tonight. Canny and I are going to see a play based on James Joyce's Dubliners. The novel, Dubliners, is a collection of fifteen stories - the play (known by the same name) is based on four of them.

I've been reading about Joyce and this work. Harold Fickett says in Invitation to the Classics, "Joyce had discovered how to bring into prose fiction metaphorical use of language and methods of construction previously associated with poetry." Cool, huh?

I'm not going with the expectation to be entertained tonight; I just want to learn. Whether or not I agree with the content (language, worldview, plot - or lack thereof, etc.), I want to be exposed to his method of fictional construction. It was supposed to have been so revolutionary that it changed the literary landscape forever. Joyce who was a high modernist wanted to substitute the "secular scripture" for the Holy Scripture - so I know his take on the truth will be polar opposite to God's Word. God's Word is, of course, the ultimate truth.

To some small degree, I want to be one modern who listens to other moderns so I can better judge the truth value of an author's work in the light of Scripture. I expect Joyce's work to contain truth - not the whole truth - but some truth nonetheless.