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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More Than Mere Cultural Engagement,
This review is from: An Unexpected Light: Theology and Witness in the Poetry and Thought of Charles Williams, Micheal O'Siadhail, and Geoffrey Hill (Princeton Theological Monograph) (Paperback)
Mahan's book is nothing less than a marvel. He has done for modernist poetry what Begbie has done for music, Siedell has done for modern art, and (some will say) Johnston has done with cinema: he's given the church an articulate, brilliant, scholarly model of how to engage culture. A serious Christian, Mahan doesn't simply come to poetry with a particular worldview and offer commentary from a distance - instead he demonstrates that there are specific ways in which poetry is uniquely suited to unpacking the Christian gospel and the Christian life. An Unexpected Light is not without problems, I suppose, but they're minor. It really is essential reading for several groups of people:
(1) Anyone who has a low view of modernist poetry: As a group, analytic philosophers tend not to be very fond of poetry; and certainly not modernist poetry, which can come across as simply unclear. I say this from personal experience as such a philosopher. Mahan gently, but powerfully, shows that such a view is utterly mistaken (and mistaken in important ways). His posture isn't at all defensive, he simply models an approach to the poetic text that demonstrates how important poetry is for our understanding of theology in general, the gospel in particular, and the evangelistic task broadly construed. (2) Anyone with a high view of modernist poetry: Mahan's careful, patient, yet enthusiastic reading of the poets is infectious to those who need convincing of poetry's value, but for those who need no convincing, his scholarship shows just how deeply its significance runs. Certainly, the chapter on Geoffrey Hill shows Mahan's powers as a scholar at their highest. His reading of Hill is informative, subtle and convincing. (3) Pastors: Chapters 1 and 5 are fantastic, easily worth the price of the book, will give pastors a vision for what cultural engagement can look like, and will revitalize their own personal reading (it also helps model how their reading relates to both their evangelistic efforts and preaching). It also adds a layer of theological sophistication to a missional understanding of the local church's worship. (In this respect, I'd suggest reading these chapters alongside Begbie's Resounding Truth or Theology, Music and Time.) Chapters 2-4 will be hard-going for anyone who isn't trained in the close reading of texts, but will repay the effort expended. After reading chapters 1 and 5, the pastor will likely be able to make immediate use of the chapter on O'Siadhaill's "Gossamer Wall" in their preaching. (4) Campus ministers: Whether parachurch staff, university employed, or volunteer, Mahan's model of engagement with the poetic text cannot fail to be an encouragement and example to those whose labors center on the university campus. To many, the mindset of the artist can seem impenetrable and totally foreign and even profoundly mistaken. Reading this book is incredibly helpful in helping the reader both to understand and (more importantly) to appreciate the artistic mindset. In addition, Mahan is a sure-footed guide who shows the reader how to see the themes of the gospel where they can seem obscured. And these are essential skills and instincts for the evangelist - especially when the mission field is the university campus. One can only hope that Mahan will produce more work along this score. The church needs it desperately. Luke Potter, University of Notre Dame
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