I Have An Inkling: Saving Western Civilization?

Friday, July 20, 2007

Saving Western Civilization?

Welcome to my Inklings Blog. I welcome your comments or suggestions. Please note that all comments are moderated, so it may take some time for your comments to appear. (I reserve the right not to post any inappropriate material.)

Although they were certainly far from perfect (Aren't we all?), I believe that God put The Inklings in England when He did for a reason. It was an age when War had disillusioned the academic world, with the resulting lack of faith. The writings of JRR Tolkien and C S Lewis were a breath of fresh air in this environment. Each in their own way, they brought hope to an age that seemed beyond hope.

I will keep this first Blog post brief. Hopefully I will be able to add to my Blog every week. If you have any ideas for topics to cover, let me know.

May God always turn your calamities into eucatastrophies,

Mark Sommer
Granger, Indiana

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Favorite C. S. Lewis Quotes

"Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things – trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that’s a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We’re just babies making up a game, if you’re right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That’s why I’m going to stand by the play world. I’m on Aslan’s side even if their isn’t any Aslan to lead it. I’m going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn’t any Narnia. So, thanking you kindly for our supper, if these two gentlemen and the young lady are ready, we’re leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for Overland. Not that our lives will be very long, I should think; but that’s small loss if the world’s as dull a place as you say.” --Puddelglum to the Witch in The Silver Chair

Some people when they say that a thing is meant "metaphorically" conclude from this that is is hardly meant at all. They rightly think that Christ spoke metaphorically when he told us to carry the cross: they wrongly conclude that carrying the cross means nothing more than leading a respectable life and subscribing moderately to charities. They reasonably think hell "fire" is a metaphor--and unwisely conclude that it means nothing more serious than remorse. They say the story of the Fall in Genesis is not literal; and then go on to say ... that it was really a fall upwards--which is like saying that because "My heart is broken" contains a metaphor, it therefore means "I feel very cheerful." This mode of interpretation I regard, frankly, as nonsense. ---Miracles

Favorite JRR Tolkien Quotes

"If we are indeed the Eruhin, the Children of the One, then He will not suffer [allow] himself to be deprived of His own, not by any Enemy, not even ourselves." spoken by Finrod in "Athrabeth Finrod Ah Andreth" (The Debate of Finrod and Andreth), found in the book Morgoth's Ring, by JRR Tolkien edited by his son Christopher

"In sorrow we must go, but not in despair. Behold! we are not bound to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory. Farewell!" Aragorn to Arwen at his death [Appendix A The Return of the King]

"Mighty are the Ainur,and mightiest among them is Melkor [Morgoth]; but now that he may know, and all the Ainur, that I am Ilúvatar, those things that ye have sung, I will show them forth, that ye may see that no theme may be played that hath not it uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined." -- JRR Tolkien's "Ainulindalë" [The Music of the Ainur] in The Silmarillion