Theopoetic: Theology and the Religious Imagination

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In today’s crucible of myths, theology has a special problem. Ancient scenarios provided by Scripture are especially vulnerable to the modern outlook. Amos Wilder, a distinguished scholar and critic, here relates the Christian faith, in depth, to the changes in modern man’s sense of reality, and to the powerful new forms of spirituality that reflect these changes. The focus is upon the deeper dynamics of the religious situation–that is, upon its myths and dreams, symbols and arts–rather than upon its doctrines and social forms. A total vision requires a mythopoetic and not only isolated visions and epiphanies. The testimony of contemporary poets and believers demonstrates that world-old myths and sagas can still have living power. As Wilder writes, Before the message, the vision; before the sermon, the hymn; before the prose, the poem. The discursive categories of theology as well as the traditional images of sermon and prayer require a theopoetic.