Mohler on the Importance of Reading
11 comments | PermalinkReading is an important Christian discipline. Further, growth as a Christian disciple is closely tied to the reading of the Bible, as well as worthy Christian books. This is why the Christian church has championed the cause of literacy. It is why the Reformers fought for the translation of the Scriptures into vernacular languages.A loss of literacy and respect for the book amounts to grave danger for the Christian church. The transmission of Christian truth has been closely tied to scrolls, codices, and books throughout the history of the Church -- a legacy inherited from the Jews, who often protected the sacred scrolls with their lives.
The electronic media have their places and uses, and I am thankful for the accessibility of so much worthy and important information through digital means. Nevertheless, the electronic screen is not the venue for lengthy, thoughtful, serious reading. The vehicle for serious reading is the book, and the Christian should be a serious reader.
Do our own young people read books? Do they know the pleasures of the solitary reading of a life-changing page? Have they ever lost themselves in a story, framed by their own imaginations rather than by digital images? Have they ever marked up a page, urgently engaged in a debate with the author? Can they even think of a book that has changed the way they see the world . . . or the Christian faith? If not, why not?
posted by JT at Wednesday, January 24, 2007
11 Comments:
This is a very good article by Dr. Mohler, but my question is, "What can we do to change this?" I am 29 and for me I have to make myself sit down and read a book. It does not come naturally to me. I would much rather turn on the TV (though I know that has very little and most of the time no edification or education) or read a blog or listen to a sermon or watch a video. With our culture heading the way that it is, we are in serious need to reconsider what we value. Reading is not looked at as a great discipline by many inside and outside of the church. So with this being said, what can we do to change this?
In response to Randy: please note that Dr. Mohler said that reading was a discipline. Unless you love reading already (I do), you're going to have to make yourself sit down to do it.
My advice is this: don't be afraid of being different from everyone else with respect to reading (even as you're not afraid to live life as a redeemed son of God). Changing culture is going to start with the man in the mirror. It's not easy, to be sure, but I'm convinced it's worth the effort.
And by now I've gotten used to the strange looks I get for not having cable or even rabbit ears (going on 3 years or so). I don't know what's going on on "Survivor" or "24" or "American Idol". I killed all conversation at a dinner table (of elders in the church, no less) because I said I was reading The Iliad for pleasure when asked what I was reading.
(Which, ironically, reminds me of an episode of "The Tick" in which Handy, the little sock puppet friend of the Human Ton, says to the assembled villains, "Homer? The Iliad? Read a book!")
I remember the impact reading 'Desiring God' had on my life!
I think I need to clarify something. I do read. My point was that it seems to be, as Dr. Mohler stated, less attractive because of the culture we live in. Desiring God has been one of the most influential books (outside of the Bible) in my life. I have read it 4 times. When everything in culture seems to go against the desire and enjoyment of reading, how can we combat that? That was what I was trying to get across.
When everything in culture seems to go against the desire and enjoyment of reading, how can we combat that?
I know of no better way than to try and model it. Schedule time each day to read until it becomes a habit. Find or make a quiet place. Reduce TV viewing and don't channel surf. Remove the TV from the living room and replace it with books. Limit computer time and especially blog time. Create an evening environment where it seems natural to read. Read fiction instead of watching TV. Read Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death and Hunt's The Vanishing Word which help reinforce a desire to read and to reduce visual media. Talk about books with friends and family. Join a book club. Collect good books (buy them used!) so when you have a desire to read something, you have it. Read widely and deeply.
When we enjoy reading and talk about it with others, the desire to read spreads. It happens to me all the time — someone mentions a book and then I get interested.
I got ahead of myself on that last post. I said, "My point was that it seems to be, as Dr. Mohler stated" but I forgot to say what he stated. "Reading is an important Christian discipline." However, and this is what I was trying to say, in our culture it seems to be very unattractive to people young and old.
I agree that literacy is a vital ability. I'm not sure I saw the connection between the printed page and the necessity of reading texts. I read books and enjoy them (and as far as discipline goes, until recently I hadn't read for fun since high school--so you CAN develop a taste for it).
I've never finished Postman's book, but it seems hard to prove that intelligent critique of modern media is far inferior to criticism of a printed book. Greek plays were the cultural thing to way back when; same with Shakespeare. But today it's TV and movies. I'm just not convinced that you MUST read something in your hands as opposed to reading blogs/news/books online and/or watching TV/movies. I do both.
I remember the impact that Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire had on my life. And Revolution in World Missions. And Desiring God. And The Treasure Principle.
But I also remember the impact that the lectures on "Cat and Dog Theology" had on my life.
James D. -
Yes! I love to hear of it. My wife and I have been without cable or rabbit ears since getting married 4.5 years ago and spend many nights sitting on the couch together reading (& discussing).
Some colleagues of mine at work were discussing the upcoming superbowl; they asked what I did last weekend and I mentioned finishing The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and starting in on Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood. A definite pause, and then conversation slowly ensued... as if there wasn't any way to deal with me the freak show.
I loved it.
However, I love reading more. No commercials. Imagination rather than spoon-feeding.
Freaks like us need to band together or something.
I agree with Joshua Sowin here, we need to model reading and we need to deliberately set aside reading time. We can schedule for ourselves time when we turn off the TV, DVD player and computer and read.
Also, church leaders can encourage reading by promoting books from the pulpit and the church having a good bookstall. We can encourage a variety of books, and encourage young people to start reading through the excellent biographies of missionaries.
It is also important to lay a foundation for the next generation. Do we read to our children? Do we encourage them to read? Love of reading is instilled at an early age. I agree that some lose that love as they grow older, but it is easier to return to that love later if it is laid in early years.
Eric J. Hansen (Spot):
When you're on the couch, do you and your wife read and share one book?
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