Exploring Christian Literature in the Contemporary and Secular University

Abstract

Both of us teach in the Duke English Department and hold secondary appointments in the Duke Divinity School. In this essay, we reflect on impediments to teaching Christian literature in contemporary English departments, in particu-lar the naturalistic, anti-metaphysical dogma pervading humanistic inquiry, yet also the widespread theological illiteracy among today’s undergraduates and graduates. Still, students usually embrace focused ethical and theological inquiry, as well as the attention to textual and hermeneutic issues called for by much Christian literature across the centuries. We conclude by outlining options for a more productive future alignment of literary and theological inquiry and pedagogy.