Divine Parodies & Holy Histories: Illustrations of Gospel Truth

By Paul Hughes

This book is a collection of original, thoughtful pieces meant to illustrate and apply Biblical Christian principles. "Divine parodies" present Christian truths in an artful and entertaining form. A parody is a humorous or satirical imitation of something else. Christian parody is a time-honored tradition. The acme of Christian parody was achieved by Erasmus in "The Praise of Folly" 500 years ago. "Holy histories" are illustrations of Gospel truth drawn from historical persons and events. They should not be confused with hagiography, which in modern times is used pejoratively of histories and biographies not considered sufficiently critical or cynical. There is much to be learned from the past, and many persons worthy of emulation. Also included is a selection of original poetry, which likewise is meant to convey Gospel principles.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 9, 2014
• ISBN: 9781312423442

Book preview

Divine Parodies & Holy Histories: Illustrations of Gospel Truth

Divine Parodies & Holy Histories

Illustrations of Gospel Truth

by Paul Hughes

Copyright ©2014 by Paul A. Hughes

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American

Copyright Conventions.  Published in the United States

by Paul A. Hughes, Liberty, Texas

[e-mail]

Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data

Hughes, Paul A., 1957–

ISBN 978-1-312-42344-2

Previously published in paperback

Copyright ©2007 by Paul A. Hughes

ISBN 978-1-4303-0781-5

Other Books by Paul A. Hughes

Christ Within You: The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Liberty, TX, 1993, rpt. ed. 2008), available only from Lulu.

Christ in Us: The Exalted Christ and the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Liberty, TX: God's Trombone, 2006), ISBN 978-0-6151-3840-4.

Editor, A Practical Discourse Concerning Death by William Sherlock, with historical introduction (Liberty, TX: God's Trombone, 2007), ISBN 978-1-4303-1731-9.

Neoplatonist Stew: Or, How Sacramentalism, Mysticism, and Theurgy Corrupted Christian Theology (Liberty, TX: God's Trombone, 2014), ISBN 978-1-304-54918-1.

God's Laws: Sin, Law, Grace, and Obligation in Pauline Theology (Liberty, TX: God's Trombone, 2014), ISBN 978-1-312-41010-7.

Notice

Contact the author for information on licensing and permission to use the enclosed content.  In the case of local churches using these pieces in sermons or bulletin inserts, permission will likely be granted free of charge, with proper attribution.

Preface

This volume contains a collection of thoughtful pieces, sometimes whimsical, often sober, but always with a message meant to illustrate and apply Biblical Christian principles.

The first section is comprised of divine parodies, as I call them, playing on the title of Dante’s Divine Comedy.  A parody is a humorous or satirical imitation of something else.  As a work of literature, a parody by definition amounts to art.  Thus these divine parodies are designed to present Christian truths in an artful as well as entertaining form.  While most of my parodies are original, I hardly originated the art form.  The acme of Christian parody was achieved by Erasmus in The Praise of Folly almost exactly five hundred years ago (1509).  Today, Christians are more familiar with popular parodies such as the Apostle Paul’s pulpit application, various versions of the Beatitudes and the 23rd Psalm, and the Disciples’ answers to Jesus’ question, Whom do men say that I am? to cite a few examples.  Christian parody is therefore a time-honored tradition.

The second section is a literary form I have dubbed holy histories, since they are illustrations of Gospel truth drawn from historical persons and events.  Holy history is a play on the technical term hagiography, but should not be confused with that term in this context.  Hagiography formally refers to the study of the lives of saints, but in modern times is used pejoratively of histories and biographies not considered sufficiently skeptical or cynical.  Today’s intellectuals like to deconstruct myths and destroy icons.  That is not the purpose here, for surely there is much to be learned from the past, and there are many persons worthy of emulation.

Finally, I have included a selection of poetry I have written over the years, which likewise is meant to convey Gospel principles.  Poetry is almost a lost art today, due to lack of interest and readership; but note that songs, from rock to rap, typically amount to poems set to music, and remain wildly popular.  As in the case of all my writings in this volume, I hope the reader will take some time to meditate upon them, and grasp their meaning beyond mere entertainment.

Paul A. Hughes

Liberty, Texas

January 2007

Divine Parodies

The Little Red [Christian] Hen

Based on the Fable of the Little Red Hen

A little red Christian hen felt compassion for the lost souls in her community.  She believed the Lord was calling her church to more actively pursue evangelism efforts.

Who will conduct an evangelism campaign in our community? she asked the church leadership.

Not I, said the pastor.  I have sermons to prepare for Sunday and Wednesday night.  I have the board meeting on Tuesday, and visitation to do on Thursday; and of course, Friday is my regular day for golf.  I have no time to spare for evangelistic work.

Not I, said the deacon.  After all, I am an important businessman with many pressing matters of business.  I must use my limited spare time to check up on the church staff and oversee the operation of the church plant.  Besides, if the Lord is calling them, they will come to church anyway.

Not I, said the youth pastor.  We have ‘gym night’ every Friday, and church softball league on Tuesdays.  There's a youth rally next weekend that I need to coordinate—I still haven't recovered from last week's lock-in—and don't forget musical practice almost every other night.  There's no way I'll be able to do evangelism, too.

So the little red Christian hen began to organize and make plans for the evangelism campaign herself.  She bought literature and had flyers printed, arranged for office space and a meeting hall, and even purchased airtime for radio spots to advertise the campaign as the launch date approached.

Who will go with me into the streets and public places to hand out literature, and to visit the homes in our community? she asked her fellow church members.

Not I, said the church organist.  The church's music is my ministry, and I don't feel called to do anything else.

Not I, said the retired church elder.  I've done my part.  It's time for the young people to do the work of the church.  I've earned my rest.

Not I, said her old friend Lois.  I don't know the Bible that well, and could never just go up and talk to a stranger.

Then I will go by myself, said the little red Christian hen.  So she began to go into the public places and visit the homes in her community.  The work went very slowly, because she was all alone.  But in time, she gathered one lost soul, and then another, until finally even some of the souls she had gathered began to gather souls themselves.  At last, she and her new helpers had gathered a congregation.

The new congregation rejoiced that they had been gathered into the Kingdom.  The Lord is pouring out his blessings, said the little red Christian hen.  Who will come feast with us?

We will, said the deacon,