DOROTHY SAYERS ON THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTIANITY

DOROTHY  SAYERS  ON  THE  TRUE  MEANING  OF  CHRISTIANITY

November 11, 2018

A Review of

The Gospel In Dorothy L. Sayers, Edited By Carole Vanderhoof (Plough Publishing, 2018)

                                                       $18.00   241 pages   ISBN: 978-0-87486-181-5

Reviewer:  Forrest W. Schultz

     Although Dorothy Sayers was not a professional theologian, she understood Christian theology, and often in her writings she deplored the false notions many people had of Christianity.  One of her best known complaints was the widely held notion that Christianity was boring.  She loved excoriating such nonsense by showing that real Christianity is the most exciting drama ever!  Her slogan was:  "The Dogma Is The Drama!!".  For Sayers, Creation and Salvation are not just doctrines:  they are the motifs, i.e. the dominant themes, of history, which is God's drama in which we are the characters and in which the Earth is the stage upon which it is enacted!!  (pp. 55, 59, 113-119). 

     This and Sayers' other ideas about Christianity presented in this book are found, as its subtitle indicates, in various "selections from her novels, plays, letters and essays".  There is also an addendum written by C. S. Lewis titled "A Panegryic for Dorothy L. Sayers", which I also encourage you to read.

The Lightness of Being in Stephen King's Elevation As A Reversal of Dorian Gray

The Lightness Of Being in Stephen King’s Elevation As A Reversal of Dorian Gray

In this, his latest, book King’s main character begins to lose weight, which can be measured by his scale, BUT there is no change whatever in the appearance of his body. This is the exact reversal of what happens in Dorian Gray, where his portrait changes its appearance as he degenerates but his body appears unaffected.

At the end of King’s book, the character finally gets down to total weightlessness and then ascends (probably to Heaven). In Dorian Gray’s case, however, he finally becomes so evil that he dies.

At first it looks like King’s book is in line with Christian theology because the loss of weight by the protagonist is caused by a repentance in his life. Now he does become a better person as a result, BUT the story makes it appear that matter is evil and spirit is good.

Well, read it for yourself and let me know what you think.

Forrest Schultz