Persuade Us to Rejoice: The Liberating Power of Fiction / Edition 1

by Robert McAfee Brown

Overview

Studying such literary figures as Frederick Buechner, Albert Camus, George Dennison, Ursula Le Guin, C. S. Lewis, Alan Paton, Ignazio Silone, Alice Walker, Elie Wiesel, and Charles Williams, Robert McAfee Brown illustrates "the liberating power of fiction" by enabling the reader to enter their worlds. Brown asserts that although there is no faith that offers ironclad guarantees against future struggles, the wisdom of these authors can help us toward praising and rejoicing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780664253813
Publisher:	Westminster John Knox Press
Publication date:	09/01/1992
Edition description:	1st ed
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

Editorial Reviews

As a starting point, Brown uses the biblical story of Nathan, who tells King David an analogous story (one that leads David to perceive his own serious sin). He then affirms a personal belief ``that God can use all things for the fulfillment of the divine purposes, including the full message of non-Christians rather than only selected congenial portions.'' Brown analyzes selected works by 14 20th-century writers and espouses his belief that entering fictional worlds can be a powerful, liberating experience, since it temporarily releases one from social oppression, impersonal fate, and personal sin and guilt. Such rejoicing reminds the author of the wonder of communication, human doubt, empathy, shared goals in spite of different means, and most of all, integrity. Recommended for most religion collections.

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