Monday, January 2, 2017

Delight – Don't Forget About Delight, a Reading List

I've been posting regular thoughts and quotes on delight which, along with mercy, I think is at the heart of the Christian and message of God's grace and love and how we should live in light of that grace and love. I expect to occasionally post more on the topic, but I am going to take a break so I can focus on some other things.Below are the lyrics of a song by Bruce Cockburn. If you are interested in reading more on delight, there is a reading list after the song.

Don’t Forget About Delight

Amid the rumours and the expectations
And all the stories dreamt and lived
Amid the clangour and the dislocation
And things to fear and to forgive

Don't forget
About delight
Ya know what I'm saying to you
Don't forget
About delight
Ya know

Amid the post-ironic postulating
And the poets' pilfered rhymes
Meaning feels like it's evaporating
Out of sight and out of mind

Don't forget
About delight
Ya know what I'm saying to you
Don't forget
About delight
Ya know

Though you find yourself alone and stranded
With no friend to take your side
On the endless road afoot and empty-handed
Where the wild-eyed Cossacks ride
Don't forget
About delight
Ya know what I'm saying to you
Don't forget
About delight
Ya know

Spring birds peck among the pressed-down grasses
Clouds like zeppelins cross the sky
Anger drips and pools and then it passes
And I say a prayer that I

Don't forget
About delight
Ya know what I'm saying to you
Don't forget
About delight
Ya know
 – Bruce Cockburn

Reading list on Delight and Related Concepts:

A great short introduction to the theme:
Stewards of God’s Delight – Mark Clavier

A serious theological engagement with the topic:
The Beauty of the Infinite – David Bentley Hart

Another serious theological engagement:

A wonderful book on Christian spirituality:

What the world as we know it reveals about God:
A Joyful Theology – Sarah Maitland

A classic be one of the great medieval English theologians:
Showings – Julian of Norwich

A 17th century collection of meditations on delighting in God and creation:
Centuries of Meditations – Thomas Traherne

The poetry of Mary Oliver often expresses an attentive delight in creation

C. S. Lewis’ spiritual autobiography focuses on an understanding of longing and joy:
Surprised by Joy – C. S. Lewis

This essay by Lewis makes important points about engaging one another with delight:
The Weight of Glory – C. S. Lewis

Charles Williams was a theologian of God’s delight
Charles Williams, Selected Writings contains these essays:
The Way of Affirmation
Natural Goodness
The Way of Exchange
The Index of the Body

These two longer works are also good:
The Figure of Beatrice – Charles Williams

Romantic Theology – Charles Williams

Finally, this by a 19th century Russian Philosopher/theologian
The Meaning of Love – Vladimir Solovyov


More Mercy and Delight:




No comments:

Post a Comment