I have just finished teaching a small unit about Flannery O'Connor's short stories to my Advance Placement class. Was she ever an odd duck! One of the things about her, that I think might sum up her personality quite nicely, is that at the tender age of 5, she gained national recognition for teaching her pet chicken to walk backwards!!
Her stories are no less bizarre! They are not for everyone, and many could perhaps be offended by her plot lines and characters. While her stories may not be everyone's "cup of tea", they do offer poignant lessons and are all largely based on the concept of grace and redemption through Christ and our need, as a fallen people, of them both.
O'Connor wrote stories as a response to what she saw as "repugnant" distortions in modern life. However, she realized that she was writing to an audience that saw these distortions as normal or common place. It was her goal to expose the evil that the world had become comfortable with.
I wonder what "distortions" I have become comfortable with. I wonder if there are subtle evils that we have just become tolerant of over time. To offer a "festive" example, among other things, I have wondered what to think about our involvement, as Christians, in Halloween (as of yet, I am still undecided about this and am making no judgement on those who do participate in it). Teaching my O'Connor unit has reminded me of these questions, as they have been burning for some time in my mind.
About six months ago I really began to grapple with what Paul says in Romans about not conforming to this world. The Contacts group that I was part of last year are studying how to live out our faith without compromise. Unfortunately, returning to work this year, meant that I could not be part of this group. It is unfortunate for many reasons, but also because this is the exact topic that I have been trying to work through.
As I type, I realize I have no idea about how I plan on concluding this post. However, leaving it as it is, is indicative of my state of mind. I offer no answers, just my thoughts on a page. Sorry!!
No comments:
Post a Comment