I just returned from a week in England during which I was blessed to attend four plays. One was Les Miserables, marking the fourth time I have seen that stage production. I remember reading the book in high school; it blew me away with its scope and depth. Now, as a Christian, seeing the play wipes me out every time I see it. Has the stage ever provided us with a more amazing contrast between grace and the law? Have you witnessed a more powerful drama addressing faith, family, justice, and redemption? Is there a more compelling character exemplifying integrity and love in action than the lead character, Jean Valjean?
On the plane ride home I wondered why there are not contemporary plays that reach audiences with a similar message and power to that of Les Miz. The book was written by Victor Hugo in 1862. I do not pretend to be an expert on theatrical history, but as I consider the various plays that have succeeded on Broadway and London stages in the past quarter century I am surprised at the paucity of contemporary dramas that have successfully addressed such themes. Has our obsession with movies and television precluded us from producing theatrical works as challenging as Hugo’s? Do our Christian colleges and universities prepare young men and women to create theatrical productions of this nature and quality? Do Christian parents recognize such efforts as a worthy calling for their sons and daughters? Are Christians willing to support such art, in the same way they might turnout for Fireproof or The Passion of the Christ? Are we content to anesthetize ourselves with entertainment that numbs the brain and ignores the soul?
March 2, 2010
Well said George. My brother-in-law actually was one of the conductors of the show in its early days, got close to the Producer and was the 10th Anniversary conductor (you may have seen him on the PBS production of this).
Anyway, he got me great tickets in Tampa way back in 1988 and I remember that first show vividly. It is, as you said, one of the best pictures of the trifecta of possibilities—grace, law, anarchy/flesh/license. I got to go back stage with David, meet some of the cast, and I spoke about that with them. Each actor, many not Christians, were very well aware of the power of the story.
Thanks for sharing this!!
March 4, 2010
Back to the leadership vacuum. Who besides yourself will suggest something other than the status quo? As long a most of the moral leadership just do shallow counselling, nurturing, damage control messages from pulpits…the pew warmers will just continue with the usual…TV garbage, perverted movies and videos…it’s all headed into the moral cesspool and a major reason is due to the constant war against the moral law as revelaed in the bible. Mainstream Christianity has formed an antinomian ANTI-Paul.
Only a baby step is necessary to accept the ANTI-Christ.
The true sense of words …gospel, grace and salvation are corrupted.
March 5, 2010
Our kids go to a Christian school. A very well known writer of Christian children books visited. He made a very insightful comment along the lines that, when he asks kids from Christian homes to imagine and create a story, they stare back somewhat blankly and ask “what are the rules”, “what should I write about”, etc. It seems that creativity is downplayed, in favor of pumping theological points into their tanks in hope that it will stick. Nothing wrong with learning the “facts” of the faith in and of itself. But I notice the same with Sunday school for the kids. It is all a one-way flow of information.
Victor Hugo, Charles Darwin, Fyodor Doestoevsky, and the other great writers struggled deeply with their spiritual lives. I would say that they were tortured souls in many regards. Maybe we all struggle with the big questions, but mostly we are afraid of admitting such big doubts. The one time I dared speak up I was quickly told to grab a copy of More than a Carpenter. Great book, but it was not the sort of answer or dialogue I was looking for.
March 23, 2010
I agree with Ekstasis. It seems that learned platitudes are a widely applied band-aid.
That way we are never real with God or anyone else; never really discover who we are in that light; never experience the overwhelming understanding that we are loved by our Creator in spite of it and are then are unable to allow that to compel us into grace-filled creativity. True truth and real reality.
Instead we just follow some one’s (maybe wise) rules and safe steps and never work out our own Salvation (in the true sense of the word).