Monday, March 17, 2014

What We Ought To Be Writing - T.S. Eliot




 What We Ought to Be Writing

I took a few blissful moments of relaxation before bed last night to read “Religion and Literature,” an essay by T.S. Eliot. As I rested back against the pillows, I was struck by the following quote. “It is our business, as readers of literature, to know what we like. It is our business, as Christians, as well as readers of literature, to know what we ought to like.

Sometimes we fail to see that there is a distinction between what we like and what we ought to like. Our writing reflects this too. There is the potential for a gap to form between what we write and what we ought to write.

We’ve been given a challenge, “for the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (2 Timothy 4:3, ESV). Is what we write appealing to the passions of today alone or is it also offering something more? 

What I believe to be incumbent upon all Christians is the duty of maintaining consciously certain standards and criteria of criticism over and above those applied by the rest of the world; and that by these criteria and standards everything that we read must be tested” (“Religion and Literature,” T.S. Eliot). 

Let’s embrace our calling as both Christians and writers and offer something more!

16 comments:

  1. Love this Priscilla. I want to bear this tension well in my writing and I thank you for sharing this well spoken reminder.

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    1. Thank you, Barbara! I think it's a work in progress for each of us. I know it is for me.

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  2. Love that quote! Thanks for sharing it!

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  3. Ack, this was such a convicting post to read! thank you for the challenge.

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    1. It's something I've been mulling over. What would God have me write? Glad to be able to share. Thank you for stopping by!

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  4. This post was brief, but really made me think! It also inspired me to read more of the greats. Thanks for linking up this week and for sharing this particular post. I'll be chewing on it for a few days, I think.

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    1. Thank you for stopping by, Kirsten! Sometimes short is the best way to go. It allows us to take away the important point without getting bogged down in minor details. :)

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  5. thanks for sharing. reminds me, i gotta read some more T.S. Eliot!

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    1. His "Religion and Literature" essay was the first T.S. Eliot I read, and I realized that I was missing a lot.

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  6. I'm so glad you joined up this week! And I love your short reminder that we have a higher calling and to let all of our words reflect what we ought to write.

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  7. I've known T.S. Eliot as a poet, but never knew much about his faith. I'm curious to know more about what he liked and what he felt he ought to have liked. Thanks for this introduction!

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    1. When I pulled his book of essays out of the library, I only knew the name. I was pleasantly surprised by the content. I love finding other great writers (poets or prose writers) that identify with Christ. It's encouraging to me!

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  8. It is SO hard to be brave and have the conviction to write what is in our hearts and not what we feel we "should" write. Loved this post! Apologies for my lateness in commenting!

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  9. Oh don't apologize for stopping by late. I'm always here and love to interact! I agree, it can be challenging to write what we need to, rather than what we "want to" or feel that others "want to hear."

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