REMINDER: The Marion E. Wade Center and the Wheaton College Tolkien Society present the lecture "Joy Like Swords: Hobbits, Franciscans, and the Crucifix" on the work of J.R.R. Tolkien by Rev. Daren J. Zehnle on Tuesday, January 16, 2018 at 4pm in Bakke Auditorium. After Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee heard a minstrel sing of the deeds of the Fellowship of the Ring, J. R. R. Tolkien wrote that “their joy was like swords, and they passed in thought out to regions where pain and delight flow together and tears are the very wine of blessedness.” By exploring the phrase, “their joy was like swords,” we learn to understand the reality of joy mingled with sorrow and experience God’s merciful love as we embrace the Cross. Father Daren J. Zehnle is a priest of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois where, in addition to other duties he performs for the diocese, he serves as Pastor of St. Augustine Parish in Ashland, Illinois. He is a Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, a member of The Tolkien Society (UK), and holds a B.A. from Quincy University, a S.T.B. and a M.Div. from the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, and a J.C.L. from the Pontifical Gregorian University. This lecture will take place in the Wade Center’s Bakke Auditorium and is free and open to the public.

Delighted to have Ed Stetzer here at the Marion E. Wade Center filming new curriculum for Awana Youth Ministries today, referencing how our authors—particularly J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis—shared their faith through story and other writings. For more on our museum, public programming offerings, and research collections, see our website: www.wheaton.edu/wadecenter.

The Wade Center owns a number of artifacts that were once in the personal possession of one of our seven authors. Our featured artifacts for this blog post are a set of bookshelves and chest from the home of Charles Williams. These handsomely carved wooden pieces can be viewed in the main hall near the museum displays as you enter the Wade. [ 1,385 more word ] https://wadecenterblog.wordpress.com/2018/01/10/cw_chestshelves/

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of—throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.” -C.S. Lewis, MERE CHRISTIANITY, Bk. IV Ch. 9 “Counting the Cost”

Christmas Day, 1850 by George MacDonald Beautiful stories wed with lovely days Like words and music:—what shall be the tale Of love and nobleness that might avail To express in action what this sweetness says— The sweetness of a day of airs and rays That are strange glories on the winter pale? Alas, O beauty, all my fancies fail! I cannot tell a story in thy praise! Thou hast, thou hast one—set, and sure to chime With thee, as with the days of "winter wild;" For Joy like Sorrow loves his blessed feet Who shone from Heaven on Earth this Christmas-time A Brother and a Saviour, Mary's child!— And so, fair day, thou hast thy story sweet. -THE POETICAL WORKS OF GEORGE MACDONALD, VOLUME II (Image: "Adoration of the Shepherds" by Gerard van Honthorst, 1622)

From "The House by the Stable" play by Charles Williams Mary: Now be the gloom of earth split, and be this house blest and no more professed by poor Pride to be Sin, for the joys of love hereafter shall over-ride boasting and bragging and the heavy lagging of Hell after delight that outstrips him -- step and sight. [She makes the sign of the Cross towards the house] Take us, O exchange of hearts! this we know -- substance is love, love substance. Let us go. -COLLECTED PLAYS by Charles Williams

"This is one of my very longest letters. It has been an exciting time. I hope you will like hearing about it. I send you all my love: John, Michael, Christopher, and Priscilla: also Mummy and Daddy and Auntie and all the people in your house. I dare say John will feel he has got to give up stockings now and give way to the many new children that have arrived since he first began to hang his up; but Father Christmas will not forget him. Bless you all. Your loving, Nicholas Christmas." - J.R.R. Tolkien, December 23, 1932, LETTERS FROM FATHER CHRISTMAS

“In the middle of winter when fogs and rains most abound they have a great festival which they call Exmas, and for fifty days they prepare for it in the fashion I shall describe. First of all, every citizen is obliged to send to each of his friends and relations a square piece of hard paper stamped with a picture, which in their speech is called an Exmas-card. … But having bought as many as they suppose to be sufficient, they return to their houses and find there the like cards which others have sent to them. And when they find cards from any to whom they also have sent cards, they throw them away and give thanks to the gods that this labour at least is over for another year. But when they find cards from any to whom they have not sent, then they beat their breasts and wail and utter curses against the sender; and, having sufficiently lamented their misfortune, they put on their boots again and go out into the fog and rain and buy a card for him also.” - C.S. Lewis, “Xmas and Christmas,” GOD IN THE DOCK

"So that is the outline of the official story--the tale of the time when God was the underdog and got beaten, when he submitted to the conditions he had laid down and became a man like the men he had made, and the men he had made broke him and killed him. This is the dogma we find so dull--this terrifying drama of which God is the victim and hero. If this is dull, then what, in Heaven's name, is worthy to be called exciting?" -Dorothy L. Sayers, "The Greatest Drama Ever Staged," LETTERS TO A DIMINISHED CHURCH

The Marion E. Wade Center is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Crystal Downing and Dr. David C. Downing as co-directors and co-holders of the Marion E. Wade Chair of Christian Thought. As Lisa Richmond, Director of Library and Archives at Wheaton College, explains, “The opportunity to have two such distinguished scholars leading the Wade Center is very exciting and holds great promise for continuing the Wade’s strong legacy of work on the seven authors. We are thrilled that the Downings are joining Wheaton in this role.” As co-directors, the Downings will share administrative responsibilities, and as a joint appointment they will also have significantly more time to invest in writing and research on the Wade authors. They will take up their responsibilities at the Wade Center on July 1, 2018. To learn more about this announcement and the Downings, see the Wade Center’s News & Events page.

The Father Christmas Letters by J.R.R. Tolkien (alternate title: Letters from Father Christmas) is a delightful volume for personal or family reading during the Christmas season. With Tolkien’s skillful storytelling abilities and charming illustrations, the book can quickly become a holiday favorite. In this post we will explore some of the historical context for the letters and provide a brief overview of the book. [ 672 more words ] https://wadecenterblog.wordpress.com/2017/12/06/father-christmas-letters/