I’ve been thinking about how practices of remembrance are so central to our faith, but how much of our lives (and often church life) fights against this. We think we need things like “a vision” a good future plan, ways to accomplish your dream, but God gives Passover (a remembrance that sustains through wilderness and beyond) and Communion (do this in remembrance…).
This is so good. I think one ingredient is that conspiracy theorists tend to have a very limp version of the Christian story (a story of "escape from the doomed world", ala D.L. Moody), and so Conspiracy Theories fill the story vacuum in their hearts. The "Christian" story, here, isnt' robust enough to counter what amounts to the rhetoric of poetry by QAnon folks.
I think this is quite true; when we treat faith and the bible as if it were a series of aphorisms or even laws about life, it doesn't grip us and go underground to shape and form our imaginations. Creating more robust Christian communities requires a robust story.
As I've been thinking a lot on this lately as well, thanks to your previous posts, I have written my own response to your question and how story has influenced me and my kids as we've been homeschooling the last two years. I just read the Narnia series aloud to them for the first time in my life, and it has had a profound affect on my middle age imagination and opened it in new ways. You can see it in my latest Substack post. Thanks again!
Thanks for pointing me to your reflections. It is so beautiful to stop and read aloud together and yes, I feel like some of the "children's stories" or "fairy stories" hit a bit differently when we are half-way through this life. You are setting up your children for rich imaginative formation.
"How Road A lead to Life A and Road B lead to Life B"
I am increasingly convinced that taking Road A doesn't necessarily lead to Life A. It's all so unpredictable. Path leads to path and so many of them are obscured by the underbrush in the distance. We do our best, but the outcome is hard to predict. But it does make for a good story, when we look back with a sigh. 💜
So many thoughts of story swirling in my head this year. I love the way you tie it to a robust Christian life. We have a storied home as well and are eagerly awaiting the updated Wilderking books here.
I’ve been thinking about how practices of remembrance are so central to our faith, but how much of our lives (and often church life) fights against this. We think we need things like “a vision” a good future plan, ways to accomplish your dream, but God gives Passover (a remembrance that sustains through wilderness and beyond) and Communion (do this in remembrance…).
Yes and significantly both are meals — something that requires our bodies with other people!
Yes!
So well-thought-out and well-written. Thank you, Ashley.
This is so good. I think one ingredient is that conspiracy theorists tend to have a very limp version of the Christian story (a story of "escape from the doomed world", ala D.L. Moody), and so Conspiracy Theories fill the story vacuum in their hearts. The "Christian" story, here, isnt' robust enough to counter what amounts to the rhetoric of poetry by QAnon folks.
I think this is quite true; when we treat faith and the bible as if it were a series of aphorisms or even laws about life, it doesn't grip us and go underground to shape and form our imaginations. Creating more robust Christian communities requires a robust story.
so good. you inspired me to pre-order the new editions of The Wilderking Trilogy coming out this summer!
They are so good! The audio is my favorite to hear Jonathan Rogers do all the voices.
As I've been thinking a lot on this lately as well, thanks to your previous posts, I have written my own response to your question and how story has influenced me and my kids as we've been homeschooling the last two years. I just read the Narnia series aloud to them for the first time in my life, and it has had a profound affect on my middle age imagination and opened it in new ways. You can see it in my latest Substack post. Thanks again!
Thanks for pointing me to your reflections. It is so beautiful to stop and read aloud together and yes, I feel like some of the "children's stories" or "fairy stories" hit a bit differently when we are half-way through this life. You are setting up your children for rich imaginative formation.
"How Road A lead to Life A and Road B lead to Life B"
I am increasingly convinced that taking Road A doesn't necessarily lead to Life A. It's all so unpredictable. Path leads to path and so many of them are obscured by the underbrush in the distance. We do our best, but the outcome is hard to predict. But it does make for a good story, when we look back with a sigh. 💜
So many thoughts of story swirling in my head this year. I love the way you tie it to a robust Christian life. We have a storied home as well and are eagerly awaiting the updated Wilderking books here.