Dear Cornerstone family,
I asked Greg Wilbur to give a preview of the upcoming literature discussions as well as a very special opportunity for our next film discussion.
It is not unusual to hear the phrase that God is the Master Storyteller. The implications of God as author and narrator should encourage us to consider a number of patterns that apply to stories as a whole as well as all the world around us. Stories work as stories because they start somewhere and move through difficulties to a place of rest or resolution. In the simplest sense and in the broadest scope, THE story begins with a relationship with the Creator in the Garden of Eden which was broken by sin and followed by exile with a longing for a true home.
Or, the son of the King lost his bride who left home and is now hopelessly lost in the wilderness. The Prince enters into the wilderness to find his Beloved and to bring her home.
Or, the prodigal son leaves home for a life of dissipation and sin until he is covered by the mud and muck of the world. As he seeks out home, his father reaches out to bring him in and restore him to home with feasting.
Or, Hansel and Gretel, through the selfish sin of their mother, are forced from home into the wilds of the forest. They find a candy home and “mother,” but it turns out to be a false home and a false mother/witch who seeks to devour them in fire. After killing death, they pass over the cleansing waters and return to the home of their father. The famine is over, and they now have great riches and no want or lack.
Through these examples, I hope you can see the pattern of the Gospel as it moves through these stories of restored home and rescued love. With the three stories from the Brothers Grimm, we will explore different symbols and signs in versions of fairy tales that look far different from the versions we most typically know—especially in the loss of the inherent Gospel imagery and purpose. We will be reading Cinderella, a version of Sleeping Beauty, and Beauty and the Beast. With only 14 pages to read, there is plenty of time to prepare and come to the discussion on Monday night at 7:00 p.m.
Our next film discussion will be a very special opportunity. On Monday evening, October 24, we will have a pre-release screening of the film Surprised by Oxford. This film is based on the award-winning memoir by Carolyn Weber—who is a member of Cornerstone and a professor at New College Franklin. As part of the evening, we will have a panel discussion with Cornerstone member Ken Carpenter (who produced the film), Ryan Whitaker (the Writer and Director), Rose Reid (the star of the film), and Carolyn (author of the book). Not only will this be a significant opportunity to see the film but also interact with the creative process by which the film came to be.
By understanding how stories work and how to follow the significance in stories, the desire is to increase our ability to read scripture, the narratives of the culture around us, and to ground us in the truth of the Gospel.
Your servant,
