Mythic Mission

Today, I discuss two letters of J.R.R. Tolkien--Letter 181 and Letter 211--which have to do with the alleged "historicity" of Middle-earth and whether this does or does not affect the argument that the Incarnation is present in Middle-earth that I have presented in my book, The Good News of the Return of the King: The Gospel in Middle-earth. 

This quote from Homer's Iliad sums up my interview with my good friend  and colleague at St. Petersburg College, Dr. Matthew Sims, who is also  the author of the forthcoming book: Ancient Greeks on the Human  Condition: Themes in the Writings of Homer, Aristophanes, Euripides and  Thucydides 

https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Greeks-Human-Condition-Aristophanes/dp/1476675783/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=matthew+sims+greek&qid=1613761310&sr=8-1

Dr. Sims and I discuss his forthcoming book, myth, and what Christians  can learn from reading the Greek classics particularly about the human  condition. Dr. Sims presents in his book four views for examining the  human condition: The Heroic, The Tragic, the Comedic, and the Absurd.  You can learn more about Dr. Sims here: https://web.spcollege.edu/instructors/id/sims.matthew

Yes, you read the title of today's 10th episode of Mythic Mission correctly! Narnia IS a real place--indeed, it is MORE real than the reality we are currently living in. The realms of Narnia and Middle earth are portraits of reality as it OUGHT to be, and as it will be, according to the Christian worldview. One day, all things will be made new and the New Heaven and New Earth which God began to prepare in Eden, and which came to fruition in the Incarnation (Jesus Christ) will be complete. Narnia and Middle earth are sacramental visions of this "true country," which will one day be our home. Here and now, we get foretastes and glimpses of our true country now and again, just over the horizon, but we are still pilgrims in a foreign land. Today's special guest is Dr. Brian Williams who is the author of C.S. Lewis: Pre Evangelism in a Post Christian World: Why Narnia Might be More Real Than We Think. Dr. Williams speaks to us about our longing for our true country, among other things with me, and walks us through the 5 main chapters of his new book. Enjoy and God Bless! You can find a link to his Amazon Author Page and the Book below:

https://www.amazon.com/Brian-M-Williams/e/B08TVT9GCH/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

What is Cultural Apologetics? What does it have to do with myth? How we can we draw on culture to point people toward Christ? What does it mean to be disenchanted? Re-enchanted? What does it mean to see the world as Jesus does? What does Dr. Gould think of Tolkien and Lewis? Check out our newest episode to find out!

https://www.amazon.com/Cultural-Apologetics-Conscience-Imagination-Disenchanted/dp/0310530490    

https://www.pba.edu/directory/gould-paul.html

Today, I address this question that I've been asked a lot since the publication of my book where in the Preface, I said that I was returning to the Catholic Church as of Summer/Fall 2020. I explain in today's show that I have not yet made the full transition and that my family and I are still wrestling over this decision. I also bring up several points of agreement that I have with the RC and some concerns about others. Prayers appreciated--I will keep everyone apprised of our decision once it's made, as I know many are interested. Enjoy today's very personal show.

Is The Lord of the Rings an Allegory? The answer we give in today's episode might surprise you. Most people are familiar with Tolkien's "cordial dislike of allegory," but few are familiar with what else he said in his letters about allegory. In Letter 186, he identifies LOTR as one kind of allegory, but not the type he disliked in Letter 131, which he called "the conscious and intentional" kind of allegory. Joining me to discuss this and to help put our finger on why we love Middle-earth so much is Dr. Devin Brown, who is a Lilly Professor at Asbury University and the author of many books about Narnia and Middle earth. Don't miss this episode! Relevant links for Dr. Brown are below:

Dr. Brown's Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Devin-Brown/e/B001JS67MW%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Dr. Brown's Website: https://www.asbury.edu/about/directory/devin-brown/

What is typology? How are the concepts of myth and typology related? How do these concepts illuminate our understanding of the relationship between the "Pagan Christs" and Jesus Christ? What role do other non-Christian myths have--or do not have--in our coming to Christ? What about those who have not heard of Christ, have not accepted Christ today? What about those who lived before him? What role in myth and typology play in C.S. Lewis's writings? All these questions and more will be addressed today in my interview with Dr. Owen Anderson, who is professor of philosophy and religious studies in Arizona State University's New College. In 2013-2014, he was the William E. Simon research fellow  in the James Madison Program at Princeton University and a visiting  scholar at Princeton Seminary. He has published seven books including "The Declaration of Independence and God" (2015) and "The Natural Moral  Law" (2013) with Cambridge University Press. His areas of research include epistemology, the ethics of belief, intellectual history and the problem of evil.

https://drowenanderson.com/

For this week's midweek episode, the title says it all! In this podcast, I argue that parables are incarnational stories, that they are perfect vehicles for communicating the central truth of the Christian worldview: that God has become human. Parables are in their literary form what they wish to communicate in content: God becoming king on earth as in heaven! In this episode, I talk about the relationship between myth, allegory, parable, and fairy story (content from my book, The Good News of the Return of the King: The Gospel in Middle earth) and argue that many Tolkien scholars have overlooked some important nuances about Tolkien's view of allegory because they have not read widely enough on this subject in biblical scholarship, and because parables have not been a central part of their theology. Parables are not the same thing as the "conscious and intentional" allegory which Tolkien disliked, but they could be said to be a subset of allegory (as many scholars have argued). I also point out that in a letter, Tolkien does, in fact, call The Lord of the Rings an allegory--but obviously not the kind which he "cordially disliked" (the conscious and intentional kind). Finally, I argue for the resemblance between fairy stories and parables as one of Tolkien's good friends Father Robert Murray began to do in his 1992 essay "Tolkien and the Art of the Parable," and develop his argument further (which is what I do in my book). Fairy stories/parables are a type of allegory, but distinct from the type Tolkien disliked! The way this kind of story reflects truth, and how it is "incarnational" is the final topic of this podcast, and I think you're really going to enjoy it! 

"Is Man a Myth"? is one question we try to answer in tonight's episode with my special guest, Dr. Charlie W. Starr, author of The Faun's Bookshelf: C.S. Lewis on Why Myth Matters. In addition to delving into Starr's take on Lewis's understanding of myth, meaning, truth, and reality, I also ask him to share his expertise on C.S. Lewis's handwriting (Dr. Starr is the world's leading expert on Lewis's handwriting!), his own definition of myth, and the value of myth in Christian apologetics and discipleship. We may have raised more questions than we did answer them in this episode, but it was great fun and I got to meet another one of my theological heroes (Dr. Markos and Dr. Starr in one month!?). 

This mid week episode deals with the concepts of myth, meaning, truth,  and reality as it relates to Christian apologetics and discipleship. In my book, The Good News of the Return of the King: The Gospel in Middle earth, I argue that myth ought to be understood as a "narrated worldview," an understanding that has been established by some top apologists today such as Alister E. McGrath. Moreover, myth is a sacramentally unitive experience, a holistic story that is in form what it is trying to say in content.