Archive for the 'Literature' Category

Book 11: The Mockingbird Parables

Published on October 21, 2010 by Chris Bean in Campus Ministry, Faith and Literature.

I just posted this review on Amazon.com for my buddy, the author…Matt Litton. You’ll want to visit Amazon and purchase a copy for yourself very soon.

As someone who interacts with college students on a daily basis, I am often looking for great resources which would help students engage their faith. Literature in general, but especially classic works of literature filled with timeless characters and story provide a great context for conversation about life and faith. That is what I found to be most useful about Litton’s collection of parables based on Harper Lee’s classic “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Whether one agrees with all the author’s conclusions or not, each chapter deals with a significant theme. These themes of courage, community, compassion, environmental stewardship, etc all stir up interesting perspectives on Kingdom living from a Christian perspective as well as cultural implications outside of the faith arena. Having just finished a fresh reading of “To Kill a Mockingbird” this summer, I was particularly poised to enjoy “The Mockingbird Parables.”

Weaving together scenarios and observations from the novel, his own personal stories, a variety of relevant and inspirational nuggets, as well as theological commentary and interpretation from Biblical sources, Matt has contributed an enjoyable and challenging tribute to the familiar characters from Maycomb, Alabama. These reflections on several meaningful topics could serve a variety of reading interests. For those who are simply enamored by this classic piece of American literature, you’ll be sure to find some new reasons to fall in love with Scout, Jem, Atticus, and many other characters. For those who enjoy thinking of the impact of story on life, Litton draws you into several great multi-faceted conversations. TMB certainly has the potential to increase awareness around these great themes and even hints at a few provocative ways to move from awareness to application.

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Book #9: To Kill A Mockingbird

Published on September 10, 2010 by Chris Bean in Faith, Gospel and Literature.

Over a year ago, I was enjoying a weekly run with my friend Matt and discussing some of the themes and characters of the classic “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. Matt Litton is a high school English teacher in the Cincinnati area who also writes and thinks deeply about faith, culture, and the Kingdom of God. Although the main focus of our times together was putting in miles along the trail, I know that for me the conversation and fellowship was substantially more valuable than the mere physical activity.

During that entire year of running and conversations sprinkled with names like Atticus, Scout, & Boo Radley…I was often embarassed that I had never actually read this classic piece of literature which most high school freshmen or sophomores are required to consume. On one of my pilgrimmages to Barnes & Nobles, I picked up this copy and it sat on my night stand for several months.

It wasn’t until this past weekend while I was on a personal retreat enjoying some quiet and solitude that I pulled out the book, climbed into a tree (seemed like something Jeb might do) and spent a few hours in Maycomb County. As I mentioned in my last post regarding sleep, there are many things that get categorized as “secular” ways to spend your time. But again, I would argue that there’s something deeply spiritual about enjoying a great piece of literature and identifying with the grand themes of life as they weave in and out of the stories of characters who easily come to life in your mind.

One of my motivations for getting immersed in Harper Lee’s world of early 20th century Alabama was to prepare myself for reading Matt’s book, “The Mockingbird Parables.” Since his parables interact with characters in the story, I wanted to be a little more familiar with the context. However, the basic themes of Matt’s writing as well as the characters from To Kill a Mockingbird deal with the kinds of issues which are common to all of our lives: divine courage, racial tensions, gender roles, community and the role of faith, etc.

I can now see why “To Kill a Mockingbird” has such high regard among English teachers and remains one of the most-read novels of all time. The stories of the Finch children and their friends and neighbors reminded me of some of my own childhood experiences. Although many of us never take time to reflect or write from our own experiences, such powerful stories remind us of who we are and push us to become more. In a simple sort of way, the Bible does this as well…reminding us of the Story in which we participate while beckoning us towards the not-yet of where God desires us to be.

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