Literature & Spirituality

Our passage from the Word of God today is Luke 1:63 which reads: "And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all." Our quote today is from Ezra Pound. He said: "Great literature is simply language charged with meaning to the utmost possible degree." In this podcast, we are using as our texts: "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt, and "Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing" by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 21" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt. Today, we will continue reading a selection from Augustine's "Confessions." This selection is from Book I - Childhood / Chapter 6 - The Infant Augustine Still, dust and ashes as I am, allow me to speak before thy mercy. Allow me to speak, for, behold, it is to thy mercy that I speak and not to a man who scorns me. Yet perhaps even thou mightest scorn me; but

Our passage from the Word of God today is 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 which reads: "Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart." Our quote today is from W. H. Auden. He said: "A real book is not one that’s read, but one that reads us." In this podcast, we are using as our texts: "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt, and "Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing" by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 20" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt. Today, we will continue reading a selection from Augustine's "Confessions." This selection is from Book I - Childhood / Chapter 5 - Augustine's Prayer Who shall bring me to rest in thee? Who will se

Our passage from the Word of God today is Revelation 1:3 which reads: "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand."   Our quote today is from Gustave Flaubert. He said: "An author in his book must be like God in His universe, present everywhere and visible nowhere."   Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 17" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt.   Today, we're taking a brief look at Augustine.   Augustine (354-430) lived during the decline of the Roman Empire. His pagan father ensured that Augustine received an excellent education. Beyond this fact, his father's influence on Augustine seems to have been marginal. However, his mother's influence was very powerful. She was a Christian who over the years, became very strong in her faith. Perhaps her spiritual growth can be linked to her prayerful struggles with God over the destiny of her re

Our passage from the Word of God today is Exodus 32:15-16 which reads: "And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables."   Our quote today is from Arthur Schopenhauer. He said: "Without books the development of civilization would have been impossible. They are the engines of change, windows on the world, ''Lighthouses'' as the poet said ''erected in the sea of time.'' They are companions, teachers, magicians, bankers of the treasures of the mind. Books are humanity in print."   Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 16" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt.   Today, we're reading a selection from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15, Three Parables About Losing and Finding (Including the Prodigal Son).

Our passage from the Word of God today is 1 Timothy 4:13 which reads: "Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine." Our quote today is from Frederick Douglas. He said: "Once you learn to read, you will be forever free." Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 14" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt. We are continuing our selection from Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha: The Ferryman (Part 7) Kamala never stopped looking into his eyes. She thought about her pilgrimage to Gotama, which wanted to take, in order to see the face of the perfected one, to breathe his peace, and she thought that she had now found him in his place, and that it was good, just as good, as if she had seen the other one. She wanted to tell this to him, but the tongue no longer obeyed her will. Without speaking, she looked at him, and he saw the life fading from her eyes. When the final pain filled her eyes and made them grow dim, when the final shiver ran

Our passage from the Word of God today is Job 19:23 which reads: "Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!" Our quote today is from John Green. He said: "Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book." Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 13" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt. We are continuing our selection from Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha: The Ferryman (Part 6) Kamala's wound was washed, but had already turned black and her body was swollen, she was made to drink a healing potion. Her consciousness returned, she lay on Siddhartha's bed in the hut and bent over her stood Siddhartha, who used to love her so much. It seemed like a dream to her; with a smile, she looked at her friend's face; just slowly she, realized her situation, remembered the bite,

Our passage from the Word of God today is Psalm 45:1 which reads: "My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer." Our quote today is from Lafcadio Hearn. He said: "For this reason, to study English literature without some general knowledge of the relation of the Bible to that literature would be to leave one's literary education very incomplete." Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 12" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt. We are continuing our selection from Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha: The Ferryman (Part 5) The years passed by, and nobody counted them. Then, at one time, monks came by on a pilgrimage, followers of Gotama the Buddha, who were asking to be ferried across the river, and by them the ferrymen were told that they were were most hurriedly walking back to their great teacher, for the news had spread the exalted one was deadly sick and would soo

Our passage from the Word of God today is Exodus 32:15-16 which reads: "And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables." Our quote today is from Lawrence Clark Powell. He said: "To achieve lasting literature, fictional or factual, a writer needs perceptive vision, absorptive capacity, and creative strength." Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 11" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt. We are continuing our selection from Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha: The Ferryman (Part 4) And once again, when the river had just increased its flow in the rainy season and made a powerful noise, then said Siddhartha: "Isn't it so, oh friend, the river has many voices, very many voices? Hasn't it the voice of a king,

Our passage from the Word of God today is 2 Chronicles 35:25 which reads: "And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations." Our quote today is from Cyril Connolly. He said: "While thoughts exist, words are alive and literature becomes an escape, not from, but into living." In this podcast, we are using as our texts: "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt, and "Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing" by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia.  Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 10" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt. We are continuing our selection from Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha: The Ferryman (Part 3)Siddhartha stayed with the ferryman and learned to operate the boat, and when there was nothing to do at the ferry, he worke

Our passage from the Word of God today is 1 Chronicles 29:29 which reads: "Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer." Our quote today is from F. Scott Fitzgerald. He said: "That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you're not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong." In this podcast, we are using as our texts: "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt, and "Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing" by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to purchase any one of these books from our website. Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 9" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt. We are continuing our selection from Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha: The Ferryman (Part 2) Va

Our passage from the Word of God today is 2 Kings 12:19 which reads: "Now the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?" Our quote today is from Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He said: "Ultimately, literature is nothing but carpentry. With both you are working with reality, a material just as hard as wood." In this podcast, we are using as our texts: "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt, and "Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing" by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to purchase any one of these books from our website. Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 8" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt. Here is a selection from Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha: The Ferryman (Part 1) By this river I want to stay, thought Siddhartha, it is the same which I have crossed a long time ago on

Our passage from the Word of God today is 1 Kings 11:41 which reads: "And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?" Our quote today is from Ezra Pound. He said: "Great literature is simply language charged with meaning to the utmost possible degree." In this podcast, we are using as our texts: "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt, and "Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing" by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to purchase any one of these books from our website. Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 7 - Hermann Hesse" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt. Hermann Hesse (1877-1962) grew up in a German home that was very committed to Christianity. However, he left those roots and looked for other ways to understand the nature of spirituality. He often turned to

Our passage from the Word of God today is 2 Kings 23:21 which reads: "And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the Lord your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant." Our quote today is from Samuel Butler. He said: "Every man's work, whether it be literature, or music or pictures or architecture or anything else, is always a portrait of himself." Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 6 - Lao-Tzu" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt. Here are our last two selections from Tao Te Ching. Chapter 15 The skillful masters (of the Tao) in old times, with a subtle and exquisite penetration, comprehended its mysteries, and were deep (also) so as to elude men's knowledge. As they were thus beyond men's knowledge, I will make an effort to describe of what sort they appeared to be. Shrinking looked they like those who wade through a stream in winter; irresolute like those who are afraid of all around them; grave lik

Our passage from the Word of God today is Joshua 24:26 which reads: "And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the Lord." Our quote today is from Gao Xingjian. He said: "It's in literature that true life can be found. It's under the mask of fiction that you can tell the truth." Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 5 - Lao-Tzu" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt. The Tao Te Ching (dou de jing) is a collection of poems attributed to a Chinese sage named Lao-Tzu (or Laozi). Many myths and legends surround this book and author, but it is clear that this book is the foundation of Taoism. Reaching back to perhaps the seventh century BC, this long tradition teaches one to accept the deeper nature of reality, which is beyond words and comprehension. Taoism does not give its followers a god or any specific ethical and social commands as found in

Our passage from the Word of God today is Luke 1:3 which reads: "It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus." Our quote today is from C. S. Lewis. He said: "Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become." In this podcast, we are using as our texts: "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi (yaw a-do yam-fi) and Mark Ray Schmidt, and "Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing" by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to purchase any one of these books from our website. Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 4 - Buddha" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt. Here is our third and last selection from Buddha'

Our passage from the Word of God today is Deuteronomy 31:24 which reads: "And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished." Our quote today is from Boris Pasternak. She said: "Literature is the art of discovering something extraordinary about ordinary people, and saying with ordinary words something extraordinary." In this podcast, we are using as our texts: "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt, and "Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing" by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to purchase any one of these books from our website. Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 3 - Buddha" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt. Here is our second selection from Buddha's Dhammapada. Chapter XIII (13) - THE WORLD. Do not follow the evil law! Do not live on in thoughtlessness! Do not follow fal

Our passage from the Word of God today is Psalm 45:1 which reads: "My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer." Our quote today is from Helen Keller. She said: "Literature is my Utopia." In this podcast, we are using as our texts: "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt, and "Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing" by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to purchase any one of these books from our website. Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 2 - Buddha" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt. Here is our first selection from Buddha's Dhammapada. Chapter XII (12) - SELF. If a man hold himself dear, let him watch himself carefully; during one at least out of the three watches a wise man should be watchful. Let each man direct himself first to what is proper, then let him

Our passage from the Word of God today is 1 Kings 11:41 which reads: "Now the rest of the acts of Solomon and whatever he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?" Our quote today is from C. S. Lewis. He said: "Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it. Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life, and you will save it." In this podcast, we are using as our texts: "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt, and "Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing" by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to purchase any one of these books from our website. Our first topic for today is "Spirituality as Quest, Part 1 - Buddha" from the book, "Literatur

Our passage from the Word of God today is Psalm 139:16 which reads: "Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." Our quote today is from Francine Rivers. He said: "I want to see Christian fiction speak to the hard and real issues that tear people’s lives apart.  We need writers who are willing to ask the hard questions and go through the soul-searching and agonizing to find answers – and present these stories with skill that surpasses the general market.  Some of the greatest works or art and literature were rendered by Christians.  I believe God is at work in these areas now." In this podcast, we are using as our texts: "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt, and "Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing" by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to purchase any one of these books from our we

Our passage from the Word of God today is Deuteronomy 31:24 which reads: "And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished." Our quote today is from R. Payne Smith. He said: "The books of men have their day and grow obsolete. God’s word is like Himself, 'the same yesterday, today, and forever.'" Our first topic for today is "Art and the Divine, Part 3" from the book, "Literature and Spirituality" by Yaw Adu-Gyamfi and Mark Ray Schmidt. Once again, both art and the spiritual draw us into new connections with the world and with ourselves. They help us move from our immediate experiences with the physical world to a new awareness of a deeper reality. With the intangible, creative energy of our minds and hearts, we make pieces of art that are very physical. Yet, those physical things (novels, poems, paintings) often point us toward the ultimate - the spiritual. In the same way, our spiritual longings, questions, and experiences lead us to write r