Faith, Friends and Wordsmithery: A Discussion of Vocation :: Essays Papers

Faith, Friends and Wordsmithery A Discussion of VocationIn professing English literature, pastoring a congregation, and writing poetry, C.S. Lewis, Heidi Neumark, and Kathleen Norris are tie in in their search to much fully perceive the face of God in their living and writing. Their spiritual autobiographies account for an evolution in their understandings of vocation and faith, each beholding something akin to what Lewis calls Joy, a fleeting desire for something beyond us and this world, often awakened in the written word. Be it writing of the diversity of a South Bronx church in Breathing Space, discerning the meaning of astonishing beauty in English literature detailed in Surprised by Joy, or in poetic reflections of ascetic landscape in Dakota, these authors share how their vocations as wordsmiths link with their identity as Christians. From early childhood, Lewis was drawn to imaginary worlds of garbed animals and knights in armor (Surprised by Joy 13). His literary fascinat ion with that beyond what sight alone conceives, to that which stimulates the soul, followed him throughout his life. It is no surprise that he accepted a fellowship at Magdalen in 1925, and went on to teach English literature, Philosophy (very badly) and the Greats, given his extensive liaison with the tangible and abstract in literature, as well as his brilliant expertise in several literary canons (215). Within such a world, Lewis embraced an enduring seed of Joy, elusive and heretofore persistent, throughout the political chaos of his own life and his dogged rejection of anything resembling the Christian myth (215). Through the written word, Lewis found an understanding of a higher source of living more readily than hed ever experienced in church or in conversation with various religious spokespeople. end-to-end his wretched and thusly blessed years of schooling, Lewis was haunted by the Idea of Autumn, enfleshed through fleeting experiences with Joy in poetry. Finding an un satisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction reading great Nordic works, Lewis was uplifted into huge regions of northern sky desiring something never to be described and then finding himself at the very same moment already falling out of that desire and wishing he was back in it (17). This central tale of his life, this passion for Joy, came to take on many forms as Lewis the boy grew into Lewis the English scholar, and then into Lewis, a Christian. Even after his ultimate conversion to Christianity, the old knife of Joy came as often and as sharply as at any time in his life while reading and writing (238).