Nourishing Faith Through Fiction: Reflections of the Apostles' Creed in Literature and Film (Communication, Culture, and Religion) [Paperback]

John R. May (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2001 | Series: Communication, Culture, and Religion

In Nourishing Faith through Fiction, John May passionately shows us that alongside religious tradition and Sacred Scripture, the books we read and films we see profoundly affect who we are and how we view the world, By exploring nearly one hundred works of fiction, this book invites us to see how stories both carry religious meaning and affect our whole being at the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual levels.

May uses the Apostles' Creed - the most universally accepted creed within Western Christian churches - as his foundation for understanding faith as "a personal commitment to God's initiative of salvation revealed in Jesus Christ and sustained today by their life-giving spirit." He then divides his book into three parts according to the persons of the Trinity - "Stories of the Creator," "Stories of the Savior," and "Stories of the Lifegiver" - and looks deeply into works of literary and cinematic imagination that fit into each category to see if and how they reflect Christianity's distinct worldview in how we relate to God, others, and ourselves.

Editorial Reviews

Review

[An] excellent contribution to the field. (Perspectives On Religious Studies )

[An] excellent contribution to the field..... (Perspectives On Religious Studies )

About the Author

John R. May is Alumni Professor of English and Religious Studies at Louisiana State University, where he teaches courses in religion, literature, and film. In addition to his works of theological literary criticism, May has been coauthor, coeditor, and editor of several works on religion in film, including New Image of Religious Film (Sheed & Ward, 1997).

Product Details

• Paperback: 138 pages
• Publisher: Sheed & Ward (August 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580511066
• ISBN-13: 978-1580511063
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,030,838 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ancient faith; modern text, September 18, 2001

By 

Canon SF Bloxam-Rose (Somerset UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nourishing Faith Through Fiction: Reflections of the Apostles' Creed in Literature and Film (Communication, Culture, and Religion) (Paperback)

John May brings us a unique relection on the Apostles' Creed through the books we read and the films we see. Setting religious tradition and Sacred Scripture alongside contemporary culture, he demonstates that religious revelation is a continuous on-going process affecting who we are and how we view the world. John May explores nearly one hindred works of fiction, inviting us to see that the stories (some familiar to us) carry both religious meaning and affect our whole being at the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual levels. His choice of book is often surprising and it comes as a revelation in itself as to where may sees the passion of Christ in 20th century literature.
Taking the text of the creed as a starting point, he explores the themes of the existence of God, the life, death and resurrection of Christ and the life of the Spirit in the Church and the World. This might be seen as a companioon volume to Hans Kung's 'Credo' which does the same thing through the medium of art.
It is a must for those preparing sermons, discussion groups, particulary with intelligent teenagers at school.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A carefully worded and thought-out study, January 13, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nourishing Faith Through Fiction: Reflections of the Apostles' Creed in Literature and Film (Communication, Culture, and Religion) (Paperback)

Nourishing Faith Through Fiction: Reflections Of The Apostles' Creed In Literature And Film attests that the books we read and the films we see have overwhelming impact on who we are and how we perceive the world. How does exposure to mass media relate to Christian spirituality? Which popular culture films exist in harmony with religious values? Author John R. May (Alumni Professor of English and Religious Studies at Louisiana State University) does his best to answer these questions by reviewing and analyzing nearly one hundred works of fiction, informing the reader of which stories aptly reflect Christian theology and which run contrary to standard Christian beliefs. Highly recommended and informative reading for students of Christian theology, spirituality, literature and film, Nourishing Faith Through Fiction is a carefully worded and thought-out study and compelling criticism of numerous products borne from our money-hungry popular culture.