Literature and it's role of forming the Christian Mind
In dealing with precisely the importance of secular literature in the life of the Christian St. Basil set out some important guidelines (points) which I would like to us for the basis of this article. These points however can be used in a wider sense for giving us some solid guidance on how to use and appreciate the things of this world so as to attain the end for which we have been created, namely that of heaven.
1. To the Christian the life eternal in heaven is the supreme goal,- and the guide to this life is the Holy Scriptures; (and teachings of the Church) but since young men (untrained minds) cannot appreciate the deep thoughts contained therein, they are to study the profane writings, in which truth appears as in a mirror.
Those who are mature in the faith can understand this point, well. To speak often to the youth of religion for them is boring, - they are childish of heart and so to give them something so solid all the time can sometimes have the opposite effect of leading them away from the faith or atleast giving them a distaste for it, and so St. Basil says that sometimes profane can be used like a mirror that work to enlighten the mind of the such souls even if it just taking the same issue but just from another angle. – For example, charity, - there are many examples, in the bible of charitable and noble men in both OT and NT and so also the same is true in the secular world, or in fiction works, if the same point is achieved, namely of leading the soul to charity, then it is legitimate to read or use such things.
2. Profane learning should ornament the mind, as foliage graces the fruit-bearing tree.
In this sense we must be able to use all that we learn as a means of safeguarding our virtue and defending the faith we have been given. In nature, tree’s and animals alike often have an outer garment or layer of protection. Like the wool of sheep which servers to protect to keep them warm and protect them from easily having their skin damaged. So to we can make use of secular knowledge to protect our virtue and then to use example of things we have learned in the world to defend our faith. – Her for example, how often the church is attack from historical perspective, if only we knew a little bit of secular history how we could easily disprove the enemies of the faith, exposing the harmful lies that are spread in abundance.
3. In studying pagan writings one must discriminate between the helpful and the injurious, accepting the one, but closing one's ears to the siren song of the other.
In the world that surrounds us; there are legitimate things which are beneficial but don’t make that a pretense to think that all is good – Don’t expose your self to things which will eventually prove disastrous for your salvation. The pagans without the faith and grace of God lacked the ability to make the distinctions which we should be able to make because of the solid teachings of the church we have received. – If it becomes clear that the book we are reading or movie we are watching is harmful to virtue then we have stop it.
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