Christianity in the Land?

[Mr. Broken]

The Illearth War. Page 231, last paragraph:
"Trothgard had borne the name Kurash Plenethor, Stricken Stone, from the last years of Kevin Landwaster until it was RECHRISTENED when the new Lords swore their oath of service after the Desecration."

I would imagine that what was meant was "renamed". I find the use of the term "rechistened" alludes to the possibility that Trothgard originally was "Christened:? This is a surprising reference to Christianity, which, as far as I have read, was not mentioned or recognized in the Land.[/b]

Although it is not mentioned directly within the confines of the land Christianity, is portrayed in a less than glorified fashion throughout the stories, do not forget the traveling minister at the tent revival that threatened to break Covenants arm, or the obscure Foul controlled cult that killed him. I would have to say that Donaldsons opinion of Christianity would paint it as too corrupt to have any place in the land.

[SoulBiter]

I think it was SRD's unintentional use of a word that dates back and has its roots in Christianity. As others have said, Im sure there are many references we could find to other words used that would have had no meaning in a world without these religions.

However, if you are one of those that believes that the Land is a dream that TC has conjured up, then the word exists in the Land because its in TC's vocabulary.

[Blackhawk]

christened is just a word that is so old it has lost its intended meaning (unless your Christian) for people who use the english language but are not necessarily from any religious background.. more people that are not Christians probably use the term "christened" (<- no capital C see?) more often than those that are practicing Christians . the term according to some online definitions of the word "Christened" and some other sources say it can be used outside its strict sense of the term to be used as a naming ceremony...to keep it short ,I dont want to put any of you to sleep. but I will anyway,since this forum contains a semi religious discussion.

I wouldnt call my self an Atheist because I believe we are more than this crude matter (Yoda) we are energy but where do we go. but i sure dont believe any of the stories Ive heard about in the bibles of the world. as far as im concerned they are great stories,but still paper rumors (sorry im not trying to bash any of your religions) fiction isnt new to our time, also it was alot easier to control what people were writing about back in the days before technology, imagine if the Covenant Chronicles in another 3000 years or so gets excavated from the rubble that used to be the forgotten past by some future Tryrant.(..he burns all the LOTR & DT & religious novels aka bibles (sorry i dont know how to spell the many other religious Novels of the world) and says those are crap this is how it really is and will be,(close to how King James did it from what I have heard) I know there will be Bibles too..alot of them but Bare with me...(giant magnetic pulse from the sun, computer failure all data lost, containment breach, deadly virus...(The Stand or close to it)......you could start your own religion from the Covenant books alone. .hey..isnt that how L Ron Hubbard started his religion? he wrote his own bible didnt he... I heard L Ron made a bet with a couple of his friends..and he won. but didnt get to collect on that bet, telling them he could get enough followers to become a religion. Everything I have said is all hear-say, could be true or a lie... only L Ron and his friends know the last one for sure, because you cant always believe what you read or hear someone say about religion can you? no matter how educated? we all have to rely on someone elses point of view, because to form our own we had to hear or read something to make us doubt or re-establish our own points of view. like now, someone will doubt or re-establish their point of view from what I have just written... and will probably try to make me doubt or re-establish my own.

[Blackhawk]

haha..re started another 4 year old topic...heh..well actually the topic I strayed into is as old as cavemen.

[fmyronhays]

As a newbie, forgive me if I make a point made elsewhere. Let's not forget that Donaldson has one of the larger working vocabularies of any writer since Spencer (and makes up more words). If he uses a word that has a religious connotation, he intends to use that connotation. Also, he is the child of missionaries and his work is filled with Calvinist theology and references to religious works that would have been part of his parent's training.

I'd say that yes, he uses religious words and yes those have a particular connotation, but I'd be really careful before saying that there was a religious meaning to what was said.

So, in brief, "rechristen" means to rename with a ritual of transcendental (sp?) significance and has nothing to do with Christianity.

So until I see the "Religious Aspects of SRD's TCoTC works", I'll have to leave my comments at that. Which I guess means I ought to start a discussion board on said topic.
Oh, and lest I forget, I'm a poor typist and even poor speller, so forgive me.

[Vain]

Anybody read this before?

www.oldcambridgebaptist.org/Sermons/unbelieving.html

[deer of the dawn]

Interesting. Some good stuff in there.

It is an axiom of the Gospel, the whole Bible really: agency of grace rarely emerges from the religious community itself: usually it is those who are most deeply despised and afflicted and sidelined and disenfranchised who are the true agencies of God's plan for salvation and liberation.

(btw he mistakes Ahab for Ehud in this pp.)

Other "Christian" ideas emerge in the Chrons, although I am very sure SRD did NOT intend them to be "Christian" books, and an equal number of his own original ideas balance the Christian concepts.

To me the biggest one is the idea of strength in weakness. Both Covenant and Linden struggle continually with their own inadequacy, and draw faith from that; faith that they can go on as long as they stay conscious of their frailty. They trust that others are provided them to make up for their inadequacies, that they can draw on others' abilities and belief in them to do what needs doing.

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:8-10)

Another is Foamfollower's proverb:

Joy is in the ears that hear, not the mouth that speaks.

It is a very biblical teaching that our attitude-- joy and contentment or bitterness and hatred-- are our choice. To "rejoice" and "be thankful" and to forgive are commanded!! They are choices we make. We do not usually "get " joy from our circumstances; we choose it in spite of circumstances.

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:11-13)

And of course, the "redemption-through-suffering" and "unlikely hero" themes run strong throughout. Both very Christian themes.

Part of my pleasure in the Chrons is to find biblical teachings in another form, and see how they play out even in a non-Christian universe.