wb: poet-preacher

as i have mentioned in various posts, i have matured into being a fan of the writings of wendell berry. his fiction, nonfiction, and poetry alike captivate me. one of my friends who turned me on to wb (though i never read any of his work until after this friend went into exile), has a wonderful treatment of berry's public theology. with a keen theological mind of his own, sean lucas provides a compelling analysis in "god and country: wendell berry's theological vision" in christian scholar's review xxxii:1 (fall 2002): 73-92. as i read sean's essay again, i couldn't help but imagine how wb's recent novel, hannah coulter, makes sean's argument even more impressive. focusing on the themes of the kingdom of god, creation, the gathered community, work as calling, and heaven, sean conludes that "Christians need Wendell Berry. Though he may not see himself this way, Berry is more than a poet, essayist, novelist, or farmer. Rather, he is a preacher. He proclaims his sermon in a variety of forms, but the message is the same. We live in the Kingdom of God. The creation is good and loved by God. We live as parts of a gathered community. Our work, to which we all are called, is good if it is done to God's glory and the others' benefit. When we live a life of harmony and love, we taste Heaven on earth. While Berry's sermon sometimes cuts the conscience, it also binds up the wounds with the salve of what life could be like if we would live in harmony with God's Kingdom" ("god and country," 91-92). well said.

on a side note: sean also has a book scheduled to hit your local bookstore any day now. so, please keep your eyes open for his robert lewis dabney: a southern presbyterian life. while i must admit i am not really a big fan of dabney (and sean's telling of his life only reaffirmed my distaste for much about the man), when i read this work in manuscript form i recognized it as a wonderful example of biographical writing. sean analyzes dabney's life without unduly praising or damning the man. such works not only illustrate the problem of sin in even the church's greatest saints and leaders, but they also manifest the glorious extent of grace. order your copy today.