xvi THE FAITHFUL READER which we understand and experience the world. The following essays have been written by faculty, staff, and students at Cedarville University and express a biblically-grounded, Christian worldview. The fundamental presupposition of this view is the existence of the living, personal God who can be known through his revelation. “But,” adherents of non-theological worldviews will argue, “your starting point is based upon faith.” In truth, every worldview is based on faith of a kind. The question is: faith in what? The Bible has much to say in answer to fundamental worldview questions and the actions/beliefs flowing from them, either explicitly or in terms of foundational truths and principles to be applied. It is trustworthy because it is God’s revealed Word. Its veracity is anchored in the character of God, who does not lie, who does not change, and who does not make mistakes. Scripture is the ultimate authority for Christian life and practice. In addition to the special revelation of scripture, we have God’s general revelation through the things He has created: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork (Psalm 19:1). If honestly searching, our God-given reason will point us to its author, no matter what facet of His universe we are contemplating—the intricate structure of the human body, the principles of mathematics, the wonders of the stars and planets, the beauty of art and music, an ice crystal, a chemical reaction, a falling stone—all of them point to God. Many subjects are taught and studied at CedarvilleUniversity, and all are approached, both in theory andpractice, in termsof thisbiblically-grounded, Christian worldview. The foreword by Jason Lee indicates the seriousness withwhichbiblical integration is pursued atCedarville in andout of the classroom. The Faithful Reader is a collection of essays applying the Christian worldview to literature and illuminating biblical themes that emerge as a result. *** What makes a work of fiction successful? Putting aside elements of craft, such as plotting and character development, necessary to a gripping story, the end result must engage readers, that is, move or affect them in some way. One way we often express this is to say that a story “speaks to me.”
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