$46.49
Author: Mattix Micah
Number Of Pages: 208
Details: Product Description
“One of the best, and least expected, anthologies in decades.” —Joseph Bottum, Poetry editor, New York Sun
Showcasing thirty-five American poets born in or after 1940, this anthology confirms that one of the most vibrant developments in contemporary verse has been a renewed engagement with the Christian faith. Across a full spectrum of Christian belief, including the struggle to believe at all, these poets bring the power of their art to bear on serious questions: how to understand the goodness of God in a fallen and tragic world, how to reconcile universal truths with the particularities of human experience, how to render familiar events of salvation history in new language that generates its own epiphanies. As Christian engagement assumes a multiplicity of modes and voices, so does contemporary poetry in America. This volume, then, selective yet representative, features the work of early-, mid-, and late-career poets, formalists, free-verse poets, and experimenters in prosody. This anthology bears witness to the poetic mind as it seeks that which is above.
Review
Praise for Christian Poetry in America Since 1940: An Anthology
“This anthology stands out as a constellation of inspired lights, not just for the poets of faith in our time, but for ALL poets and artists for generations to come. They shine as guiding stars toward the rejuvenation of our souls, and a necessary resource to grow our sanctified imagination.” —Makoto Fujimura, artist and author of Art+Faith: A Theology of Making
“Micah Mattix and Sally Thomas have performed a great service, especially for left-brain readers, like me, who often struggle with poetry. The insightful opening essay and thoughtful introductions to each poet lay solid ground for appreciating the poems that follow. And for one who has steeped himself in theology for decades, it’s a pleasure to discover poems imbued with the truth, goodness, and beauty of the Christian faith.” —Mark Galli, former editor in chief of Christianity Today, and publisher of the Peripheral Vision newsletter
“All poets can see that in the beginning was the Word. They might even discern that the Word was God. But how do they perceive that the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us? For that last step, the addition of faith, makes all the difference. The poets gathered in Christian Poetry in America Since 1940 have all made the leap of faith—and it thickens their verse into one of the best, and least expected, anthologies in decades.” —Joseph Bottum, Poetry editor, New York Sun
“The most comprehensive anthology of modern Christian poetry I have seen, including notable voices from across the various denominations of the Church. If Christians are to know the poetic voice of God, they would do well to train their ears with the verses of these disciples.” —Jessica Hooten Wilson, author of The Scandal of Holiness
“It’s a great time for this anthology of Christian poetry. The works and writers assembled here by Micah Mattix and Sally Thomas have assembled here provide just the right mix and quality of technical sharpness, intellectual acuity, and spiritual food that this age of cheap pleasures and lost eloquence needs so much. From Paul Mariani to Dana Gioia to Christian Wiman and beyond–it’s a trove of expression for the mind and the soul. Teachers: do assign this to your classes. It contains that for which your students thirst.” —Mark Bauerlein, editor at First Things, and author of The Dumbest Generation Grows Up
“Mattix and Thomas have performed true yeoman’s work in collecting this potpourri of poems from a diverse assortment of Christian poets. This slim but substantial volume gives the lie to those who complain that believers in Christ have abandoned the fine arts. There are still many poets out there with their sleeves rolled up, ready to wrestle with temporal and eternal issues.” —Louis Markos, Professor in English and Scholar in Residence, Houston Baptist University; author of The Myth
Release Date: 06-09-2022
Package Dimensions: 22x234x364
