Thursday, March 3, 2011

An Inspiring Faculty Chapel

Since I am technically staff as well as a grad student, I get invitations to the faculty chapels.  Normally, I prefer to stay in my office, working at either projects or thesis (only when I'm not needed for something work-related), but today, there was a speaker I was dying to hear:  Douglas Gresham, C.S. Lewis's stepson!

Gresham is intelligent and witty, much like his stepfather was.  He spoke for a short while, then opened up the rest of the time for questions and answers, which was wonderful.  I loved hearing the personal, anecdotal stories about Lewis!  More importantly, Gresham had some brilliant advice for Christian writers, artists, and filmmakers - advice that happened to touch directly on some topics we've recently been discussing at Lantern Hollow Press.  I felt really inspired after hearing Gresham talk, and I also felt reminded of the noble goal with which we founded our press.  It's always great to learn that we're doing something right!

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"Passage—immediate passage! the blood burns in my veins! Away, O soul! hoist instantly the anchor!
Cut the hawsers—haul out—shake out every sail!
Have we not stood here like trees in the ground long enough?
Have we not grovell’d here long enough, eating and drinking like mere brutes?
Have we not darken’d and dazed ourselves with books long enough?

Sail forth! steer for the deep waters only!
Reckless, O soul, exploring, I with thee, and thou with me;
For we are bound where mariner has not yet dared to go, And we will risk the ship, ourselves and all.

O my brave soul!
O farther, farther sail!
O daring joy, but safe! Are they not all the seas of God?
O farther, farther, farther sail!"

~Walt Whitman, "Passage to India"