The blog for the C.S. Lewis Society of Harrisonburg, Virginia The Society currently meets at Barnes and Noble on second Thursdays at 7:20 PM. Occasionally the group meets at other sites. You can keep track here or at the Facebook site. https://www.facebook.com/groups/CSLewisHburg/
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
Sunday, July 7, 2019
First I apologize for not posting on the blog for months, I have however been on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/CSLewisHburg/ . Last month we went through Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology with great success except for not being able to get him there as a guest. This month and next month the months of July and August we are not meeting. I will have September's read up soon.
Saturday, February 2, 2019
Reader's guide for Walking On Water February 14th 2019
Selected from Reader's Guide for Walking On Water By Lindsay Lackey
1. When defined as a " Christian artist, " L'Engle admits she feels rebellious against the title and is reluctant to discuss Christian creativity. Do you understand her reservations? Why or why not?
2. L' Engle argues that all artists want to be noticed and have their art recognized. "Art is communication," she says, " and if there is no communication it is as though the work has been stillborn. " Is this true for you? Do you desire your art to be seen and heard and understood, or are you ultimately content to create without recognition? Why is recognition important? What do you hope is being communicated through your art?
3. The vessel of L'Engle's creativity - story - is what helped her "to learn to live." She says that story enabled her to make some sense of the difficulties of life. What helps you to learn to live?
4. What is "wholeness" to you? Multiple times, L'Engle connects the idea of creation and wholeness. She says, "The discipline of creation, be it to paint, compose, write, is an effort towards wholeness." Do you agree? How has your creative life helped you towards wholeness?
5. Chapter 5 is bursting with bold statements on creative living, including the following:
"But unless we are creators, we are not fully alive."
"Creativity is a way of living life, no matter what our vocation or how we earn our living"
"Our freedom to be creators is far less limited than some people think"
Discuss these quotes, and any others that strike you from the text. What do they mean to you? Can you think of an example of someone who is living creatively, regardless of their vocation?
6. What is the difference between wasting time and being time? How do you take time to be? How does being help your creativity?
7. In chapter 7, L'Engle often talks about the importance of retaining the "quality which the world would limit to children." She argues that the artist must be like a child in his/her openness to mystery, to story, and to truth. Yet, she alsoclaims that art for children is the "most looked-down-on of all." How do you personally feel about art that is intended for children?
8. Of faith and doubt, L'Engle says, "I had yet to learn the faithfulness of doubt. This is often assumed by the judgmental to be faithlessness, but it is not; it is a prerequisite for a living faith". What do you think she means by "faithfulness of doubt"? How is doubt an act of faith.
9. Consider the role of discipline in your life. To what do you apply the most discipline? Are there areas of your life that could benefit from more/less discipline?
10. The author says that "our work should be our play" and uses the example of a child at play to illustrate this. Do you think it possible to 'be at play" in your work?
11. Is community important to your creative life? How does community change your work? In what ways do you try to engage or disengage from your community to produce your best work?
12. What is the "lake" the author refers to in this chapter? How are you "feeding the lake".?
Selected from Reader's Guide for Walking On Water By Lindsay Lackey
1. When defined as a " Christian artist, " L'Engle admits she feels rebellious against the title and is reluctant to discuss Christian creativity. Do you understand her reservations? Why or why not?
2. L' Engle argues that all artists want to be noticed and have their art recognized. "Art is communication," she says, " and if there is no communication it is as though the work has been stillborn. " Is this true for you? Do you desire your art to be seen and heard and understood, or are you ultimately content to create without recognition? Why is recognition important? What do you hope is being communicated through your art?
3. The vessel of L'Engle's creativity - story - is what helped her "to learn to live." She says that story enabled her to make some sense of the difficulties of life. What helps you to learn to live?
4. What is "wholeness" to you? Multiple times, L'Engle connects the idea of creation and wholeness. She says, "The discipline of creation, be it to paint, compose, write, is an effort towards wholeness." Do you agree? How has your creative life helped you towards wholeness?
5. Chapter 5 is bursting with bold statements on creative living, including the following:
"But unless we are creators, we are not fully alive."
"Creativity is a way of living life, no matter what our vocation or how we earn our living"
"Our freedom to be creators is far less limited than some people think"
Discuss these quotes, and any others that strike you from the text. What do they mean to you? Can you think of an example of someone who is living creatively, regardless of their vocation?
6. What is the difference between wasting time and being time? How do you take time to be? How does being help your creativity?
7. In chapter 7, L'Engle often talks about the importance of retaining the "quality which the world would limit to children." She argues that the artist must be like a child in his/her openness to mystery, to story, and to truth. Yet, she alsoclaims that art for children is the "most looked-down-on of all." How do you personally feel about art that is intended for children?
8. Of faith and doubt, L'Engle says, "I had yet to learn the faithfulness of doubt. This is often assumed by the judgmental to be faithlessness, but it is not; it is a prerequisite for a living faith". What do you think she means by "faithfulness of doubt"? How is doubt an act of faith.
9. Consider the role of discipline in your life. To what do you apply the most discipline? Are there areas of your life that could benefit from more/less discipline?
10. The author says that "our work should be our play" and uses the example of a child at play to illustrate this. Do you think it possible to 'be at play" in your work?
11. Is community important to your creative life? How does community change your work? In what ways do you try to engage or disengage from your community to produce your best work?
12. What is the "lake" the author refers to in this chapter? How are you "feeding the lake".?
Sunday, January 13, 2019
Our read to come and meet and discuss for Thursday February 14th 7:20 P.M. at Barnes & Noble is Madeleine L'Engle's "Walking on Water- Reflections on Faith & Art" This book is insightful; an encouragement, a drawing up of the incarnation of art for artists, regardless of medium or beliefs. Come be encouraged whether you are a painter, a musician, a writer or a reader(In reading we are all artists, putting our own pictures, film reel, into the writers story). This book has brought articulation to so many things about creativity and art that I was intuitively thinking heart and mind. See you then!
Friday, January 11, 2019
On Saturday January 19th 10:00 A.M. at Shenandoah Joe Harrisonburg (64 South Mason Street Suite 100-Urban Exchange Building- Harrisonburg Va 22801)
An after Christmas meet to look forward to the coming year for the society. We will be deciding on a list of books. George MacDonald, Tolkien, Madeleline L'Engle are some of the authors along with C. S. Lewis. Also would anyone be interested in Neil Gaiman's "Norse Mythology" it's amazing, a really fun read.
Charles Williams is another idea for an author to read this year; and Dorothy Sayers of course!
Have a beautiful week!
Hannah Wills
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