Jason Baxter on Inferno: A Book that Changed Me, Lent 2023

As a forever English major, Grace loves figurative language. So she was delighted to welcome Dr. Joy Clarkson for this episode on the power of metaphor and her recent book, You are a Tree. Joy Clarkson is the author of Aggressively Happy and host of popular podcast, Speaking with Joy. She is the books editor for Plough Quarterly and a research associate in theology and literature at King’s College London. Joy completed her PhD in theology at the University of St Andrews, where she researched how art can be a resource of hope and consolation. Joy loves daffodils, birdwatching, and a well brewed cup of Yorkshire Gold tea. Learn more at JoyClarkson.com.

This year on Old Books with Grace, I am offering a Lent series on penitential poetry from Early Modern poets. That is, on poems of the past that reflect on one’s sin, on the need for forgiveness, on lament, on making things right, on conversion and satisfaction. In the spirit of Lent, this series will be stripped down to the essentials, which is something I’m trying to maintain in my own life this season. I will give you some background on the poet and poem, where you can find the poem, and translation information if need be. Then, I will read you the poem. I will offer five minutes of silence on the podcast. If you’d like to take this opportunity to meditate on the poem, here is space for you. Today's poem is The Agony by George Herbert. Philosophers have measur’d mountains, Fathom'd the depths of seas, of states, and kings, Walk’d with a staffe to heav’n, and traced fountains: But there are two vast, spacious things, The which to measure it doth more behove: Yet few there are that sound them; Sinne and Love. Who would know Sinne, let him repair Unto Mount Olivet; there shall he see A man so wrung with pains, that all his hair, His skinne, his garments bloudie be. Sinne is that presse and vice, which forceth pain To hunt his cruell food through ev’ry vein. Who knows not Love, let him assay And taste that juice, which on the crosse a pike Did set again abroach; then let him say If ever he did taste the like. Love is that liquour sweet and most divine, Which my God feels as bloud; but I, as wine.    

This year on Old Books with Grace, I am offering a Lent series on penitential poetry from Early Modern poets. That is, on poems of the past that reflect on one’s sin, on the need for forgiveness, on lament, on making things right, on conversion and satisfaction. In the spirit of Lent, this series will be stripped down to the essentials, which is something I’m trying to maintain in my own life this season. I will give you some background on the poet and poem, where you can find the poem, and translation information if need be. Then, I will read you the poem. I will offer five minutes of silence on the podcast. If you’d like to take this opportunity to meditate on the poem, here is space for you. Today's poem is A Hymn to God the Father by John Donne. Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun,           Which was my sin, though it were done before?  Wilt thou forgive that sin, through which I run,           And do run still, though still I do deplore?                  When thou hast done, thou hast not done,                          For I have more.    Wilt thou forgive that sin which I have won           Others to sin, and made my sin their door?  Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun           A year or two, but wallow'd in, a score?                  When thou hast done, thou hast not done,                          For I have more.    I have a sin of fear, that when I have spun           My last thread, I shall perish on the shore;  But swear by thyself, that at my death thy Son           Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore;                  And, having done that, thou hast done;                          I fear no more. 

This year on Old Books with Grace, I am offering a Lent series on penitential poetry from Early Modern poets. That is, on poems of the past that reflect on one’s sin, on the need for forgiveness, on lament, on making things right, on conversion and satisfaction. In the spirit of Lent, this series will be stripped down to the essentials, which is something I’m trying to maintain in my own life this season. I will give you some background on the poet and poem, where you can find the poem, and translation information if need be. Then, I will read you the poem. Then, I will offer something a little different for Old Books with Grace. I will offer five minutes of silence on the podcast. If you’d like to take this opportunity to meditate on the poem, here is space for you. Today's poem is a metrical translation of Psalm 51 by Lady Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke. O Lord, whose grace no limits comprehend;          Sweet Lord, whose mercies stand from measure free; To me that grace, to me that mercy send,          And wipe, O Lord, my sins from sinful me.          Oh, cleanse, oh, wash, my foul iniquity;                Cleanse still my spots, still wash away my stainings,                Till stains and spots in me leave no remainings.   For I, alas, acknowledging do know          My filthy fault, my faulty filthiness To my soul’s eye incessantly doth show,          Which done to thee, to thee I do confess,          Just judge, true witness, that for righteousness                Thy doom may pass against my guilt awarded,                Thy evidence for truth may be regarded.   My mother, lo, when I began to be,          Conceiving me, with me did sin conceive: And as with living heat she cherished me,          Corruption did like cherishing receive.          But, lo, thy love to purest good doth cleave,                And inward truth: which, hardly else discerned,                My truant soul in thy hid school hath learned.   Then as thyself to lepers hast assigned,          With hyssop, Lord, thy hyssop, purge me so: And that shall cleanse the lepry of my mind.          Make over me thy mercy’s streams to flow,          So shall my whiteness scorn the whitest snow.                To ear and heart send sounds and thoughts of gladness,                That bruised bones may dance away their sadness.   Thy ill-pleased eye from my misdeeds avert:          Cancel the registers my sins contain: Create in me a pure, clean, spotless heart;          Inspire a sprite where love of right may reign          Ah, cast me not from thee; take not again                Thy breathing grace; again thy comfort send me,                And let the guard of thy free sprite attend me.   So I to them a guiding hand will be,          Whose faulty feet have wandered from thy way, And turned from sin will make return to thee,          Whom turned from thee sin erst had led astray.          O God, God of my health, oh, do away                My bloody crime: so shall my tongue be raised                To praise thy truth, enough cannot be praised.   Unlock my lips, shut up with sinful shame:          Then shall my mouth, O Lord, thy honor sing. For bleeding fuel for thy altar’s flame,          To gain thy grace what boots it me to bring?          Burt-off’rings are to thee no pleasant thing.                The sacrifice that God will hold respected,                Is the heart-broken soul, the sprite dejected.   Lastly, O Lord, how so I stand or fall,          Leave not thy loved Zion to embrace; But with thy favor build up Salem’s wall,          And still in peace, maintain that peaceful place.          Then shalt thou turn a well-accepting face                To sacred fires with offered gifts perfumed:                Till ev’n whole calves on altars be consumed.

Welcome to this year's Old Books with Grace Lent Series. This year's series is on penitential poetry. That is, on poems of the past that reflect on one’s sin, on need, on lament, on making things right, on conversion and satisfaction. Such poetry is part of an ancient tradition, dating back to the Psalms themselves. Today's poem is "Desire," by Thomas Traherne. You can read along below, or listen as I read: For giving me Desire, An Eager Thirst, a burning Ardent fire, A virgin Infant Flame, A Love with which into the World I came, An Inward Hidden Heavenly Love, Which in my Soul did Work and move, And ever ever me Enflame, With restlesse longing Heavenly Avarice, That could never be satisfied, That did incessantly a Paradice Unknown suggest, and som thing undescried Discern, and bear me to it; be Thy Name for ever praisd by me.   My Parchd and Witherd Bones Burnt up did seem: My Soul was full of Groans: My Thoughts Extensions were: Like Paces Reaches Steps they did appear: They somwhat hotly did persue, Knew that they had not all their due; Nor ever quiet were: But made my flesh like Hungry Thirsty Ground, My Heart a deep profound Abyss, And evry Joy and Pleasure but a Wound, So long as I my Blessedness did miss. O Happiness! A Famine burns, And all my Life to Anguish turns!   Where are the Silent Streams, The Living Waters, and the Glorious Beams, The Sweet Reviving Bowers, The Sadby Groves, the Sweet and Curious Flowers, The Springs and Trees, the Heavenly Days, The Flowry Meads, the Glorious Rayes, The Gold and Silver Towers? Alass, all these are poor and Empty Things, Trees Waters Days and Shining Beams Fruits, Flowers, Bowers, Shady Groves and Springs, No Joy will yeeld, no more then Silent Streams. These are but Dead Material Toys And cannot make my Heavenly Joys.   O Love! ye Amities, And Friendships, that appear abov the Skies! Ye Feasts, and Living Pleasures! Ye Senses, Honors, and Imperial Treasures! Ye Bridal Joys! Ye High Delights; That satisfy all Appetites! Ye Sweet Affections, and Ye High Respects! What ever Joys there be In Triumphs, Whatsoever stand In Amicable Sweet Societie Whatever pleasures are at his right Hand Ye must, before I am Divine, In full Proprietie be mine.   This Soaring Sacred Thirst, Ambassador of Bliss, approached first, Making a Place in me, That made me apt to Prize, and Taste, and See, For not the Objects, but the sence Of Things, doth Bliss to Souls dispence, And make it Lord like Thee. Sence, feeling, Taste, Complacency and Sight, These are the true and real Joys, The Living Flowing Inward Melting, Bright And Heavenly Pleasures; all the rest are Toys: All which are founded in Desire, As Light in Flame, and Heat in fire.

Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson joins Grace on this episode to discuss her new book, Why Do the Heathen Rage? A Behind-the-Scenes Look at a Work in Progress. How does O'Connor's last novel, left unfinished at her death, fit in with the rest of her work? How does one even begin to reconstruct a fragmented manuscript? Jessica Hooten Wilson is the Fletcher Jones Endowed Chair of Great Books at Pepperdine University. She is the author of several books, most recently Reading for the Love of God. She is a Senior Fellow at The Trinity Forum.  

Grace welcomes Nadya Williams, professor and author of Cultural Christians in the Early Church. What do the early Christians--and not just the martyrs and great leaders, but the ordinary folk--have to teach us today in their witness, writings, and historical record? Nadya Williams (PhD, Classics and Program in the Ancient World, Princeton University) is a military historian of the Greco-Roman world and the co-editor of Civilians and Warfare in World History. She is Book Review Editor at Current, where she also edits The Arena blog. She is a regular contributor to the Anxious Bench, and has also written for Plough, Front Porch Republic, Church Life Journal, History Today Magazine, History News Network, and The Conversation.

This year’s Advent series is about the poetry of the Holy Family, the center of Advent and Christmas. Today, we arrive to worship at the manger, brother and sister to the ass and the ox looking lovingly and with great confusion into the unusual bundle resting in the hay. Welcome to the final episode of Advent 2023, on Baby Jesus and love, alongside Gerard Manley Hopkins and Richard Crashaw.

Welcome to the second episode in the 2023 Advent series of Old Books with Grace. Each Wednesday, this series will look at a member of the Holy Family--Mary, Joseph, and Jesus--and a theological virtue--hope, faith, and love. In this episode, Grace meditates upon Joseph, doubt, and faith alongside three greats: W.H. Auden, George MacDonald, and Madeleine L’Engle.

Welcome to the first episode in the Advent series for 2023. Each Wednesday, this series will look at a member of the Holy Family--Mary, Joseph, and Jesus--and a theological virtue--hope, faith, and love. Today, Grace Hamman meditates upon Mary and the stretching, longing virtue of hope alongside a fourteenth-century Middle English poem full of Marian imagery. Poems from this episode: Heyl, leuedy, se-steorre bryht Marye, mayde mylde and fre Grace's book: Jesus through Medieval Eyes: Beholding Christ with the Artists, Mystics, and Theologians of the Middle Ages