Christians and Literature – 10 Questions for Heather Weir

Previously, Mark Nenadov, Michael Plato, Olga Lukmanova, Ian Clary, and Vincent Cancilla’s answers on the topic of literature have been featured. Here are Heather Weir’s answers.

1. Can you give a brief summary of where you live, your educational background, what you do for a living, what church you attend, and the religious tradition you stand in?

My name is Heather Weir, and I presently live in Toronto. I grew up in Windsor, and came to Toronto for university and stayed on. My first degree is in aerospace engineering, my second in teaching, my third is an M.Div, and my fourth is a doctorate in theology (ThD) from Wycliffe College and the University of Toronto. At the moment I work with used books at Crux Books, a theological bookshop on the University of Toronto Campus and teach courses through Wycliffe College. I’ve also taught at Tyndale University College and in the lay education program at Knox College. I research and write on the history of women interpreters of the Bible. I’m a deacon at Walmer Road Baptist Church, part of the CBOQ denomination.

2. How has your early upbringing shaped your view and use of literature now?

Books were an important part of growing up. My parents read, and encouraged my brother and I to read. “Readers are Leaders,” my father often announced. We’d roll our eyes and read anyway because we liked to. My parents decided not to have a TV at home when my brother and I were growing up. This meant we had lots of time for reading. I don’t have a TV any longer; this gives me more time for reading.

3. Are there any people who, in your adult life, have encouraged you to encounter literature in a deeper or more passionate way. If so, who? (they can people you know personally or not)

There are some books that pushed me to read more broadly and more deeply than I had before, so the authors of those books encouraged me to encounter literature in a different way. I’ve never met any of these people, and two of them died before I was born. They are C.S. Lewis, Dorothy Sayers, James Sire, and Eugene Peterson. Lewis wrote two books that encouraged my reading, Surprised By Joy, and An Experiment in Criticism. Sayers wrote The Mind of the Maker. Sire wrote How To Read Slowly, and Habits of the Mind. Peterson published an annotated reading list called Take and Read. All of these books changed the way I read and pushed me to look at literature differently.

4. What authors/works would you re-read if you had a month-long sabbatical to dedicate to reading?

What a lovely thought, a month-long sabbatical to read. Better yet, six months. If I had a month to read, I would not re-read anything. I’d push on to things that have too long been on my to-be-read pile. I’d finish War and Peace as a start. Then I’d move onto The City of God (Augustine, I have Bettenson’s translation). If there were still time I’d launch into Dante’s The Divine Comedy, translated by Dorothy Sayers. Then I might re-read something. Possibly Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) for a change of pace. Or The Children of Men (P.D. James).

5. Who are your favorite authors or characters portrayed in literature? (if any of them have substantially changed you, list how briefly)

My favourite book, the one I consider the Best Book Ever, is Possession by A.S. Byatt. I’m not alone in thinking this is an awesome book as it won the Booker Prize in 1990. Be warned that not everyone finds this an easy read, but I love it so much that I’ve read it 9 times since 2004. This book has many layers and can sustain re-reading. It is a book that I think compels good reading as described by Lewis in An Experiment in Criticism. The last time I read it I made notes on the theme of resurrection found in it. Go read it now. I’m not sure how the book has changed me, but if I’ve read it 9 times in 7 years it probably has.

6. Should Christians read more literature? What are the benefits to that? What are some cautions you would share?

Yes, of course Christians should read literature. The benefits are innumerable. Entering the secondary world created by the author expands the mind, it helps us become empathetic, it gives us access to points of view and experiences we cannot otherwise have, it gives us vision for possibilities in life.Cautions/Advice: You don’t have to read every book to the end. Just because a book is recommended by Oprah or is on a best-seller list doesn’t mean it is bad – if it appeals to you give it a try. If you can’t get into a book now, try again later. Think about what you read. Reading is a skill, you get better as you learn how to do it.

7. To what degree is reading communal for you? (ie. Are you more solitary? Do you share in any way with your friends? Are you in reading groups?)

I read alone, though I always am willing to talk about what I read. I’m also willing to listen to others talk about what they read. This is often how I hear about my next good read. I talk about reading with my family and friends. We don’t always read the same book at the same time, but often I’ll have discussions with others about books I’ve recommended, or books they’ve recommended to me. I share about my reading with a wider audience on my blog.

8. What are some methods or principles you use to decide what you will and won’t read?

I’m pretty open to trying new authors and books. I read very widely in all kinds of genres and sub-genres. Mostly I listen to my friends’ recommendations and I follow the threads I find in the books I read. If I read a book and like an author, I’ll read more of her books. If I read a book and see a book mentioned in it, I’ll follow that up. (Example: In Little Women, Jo March reads The Heir of Redcliffe by Charlotte Yonge. This is a real book and I’ve read it.) I read reviews in the newspaper, and I haunt the library and used book stores.

9. What literary works or authors could be of the greatest value to the church if they were read more? Why?

I’m not sure that any one author or set of works can or should be listed here. Of course the church as a whole would benefit if we all read the Bible more, but I don’t think that’s the question. Toward the end of How To Read Slowly James Sire suggested that we all should consider reading as part of our vocation. We each need to figure out what God has called us to, and how reading fits into that call. Then we should pursue our reading as part of our vocation to the glory of God.

10. Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

The book is usually better than the movie.