E-Book Overview
The Sacred Desert is a reflection on the role of the desert in theology, history, literature, art and film. - An original reflection on the role of the desert in theology, history, literature, art and film.
- Discusses figures as diverse as Jesus, the early Christian Desert Fathers, T.E. Lawrence, T.S. Eliot, Georgia O’Keeffe, Wim Wenders and Jim Crace.
- Makes connections across millennia of desert literature.
- Deepens the reader’s understanding of the desert as a real place, as an interior space, and as a textual site,
- Concludes with comments on the recent conflicts in Iraq.
- Written in a readable and engaging style.
E-Book Content
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The Sacred Desert
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For Alison, with love
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The Sacred Desert Religion, Literature, Art, and Culture
David Jasper
©ȱ2004ȱbyȱDavidȱJasperȱ ȱ BLACKWELLȱPUBLISHINGȱ 350ȱMainȱStreet,ȱMalden,ȱMAȱ02148Ȭ5020,ȱUSAȱ 9600ȱGarsingtonȱRoad,ȱOxfordȱOX4ȱ2DQ,ȱUKȱ 550ȱSwanstonȱStreet,ȱCarlton,ȱVictoriaȱ3053,ȱAustraliaȱ ȱ TheȱrightȱofȱDavidȱJasperȱtoȱbeȱidentifiedȱasȱtheȱAuthorȱofȱthisȱWorkȱhasȱbeenȱassertedȱinȱ accordanceȱwithȱtheȱUKȱCopyright,ȱDesigns,ȱandȱPatentsȱActȱ1988.ȱ ȱ Allȱrightsȱreserved.ȱNoȱpartȱofȱthisȱpublicationȱmayȱbeȱreproduced,ȱstoredȱinȱaȱretrievalȱsystem,ȱ orȱtransmitted,ȱinȱanyȱformȱorȱbyȱanyȱmeans,ȱelectronic,ȱmechanical,ȱphotocopying,ȱrecordingȱorȱ otherwise,ȱexceptȱasȱpermittedȱbyȱtheȱUKȱCopyright,ȱDesigns,ȱandȱPatentsȱActȱ1988,ȱwithoutȱtheȱ priorȱpermissionȱofȱtheȱpublisher.ȱ ȱ Firstȱpublishedȱ2004ȱbyȱBlackwellȱPublishingȱLtdȱ ȱ 2ȱ ȱ 2006ȱ ȱ LibraryȱofȱCongressȱCatalogingȬinȬPublicationȱDataȱ ȱ Jasper,ȱDavid.ȱ Theȱsacredȱdesert:ȱreligion,ȱliterature,ȱart,ȱandȱcultureȱ/ȱDavidȱJasper.ȱ p.ȱcm.ȱ Includesȱbibliographicalȱreferencesȱandȱindex.ȱ ISBNȱ1Ȭ4051Ȭ1974Ȭ8ȱ(hardcover:ȱalk.ȱpaper)ȱ–ȱISBNȱ1Ȭ4051Ȭ1975Ȭ6ȱ(pbk.:ȱalk.ȱpaper)ȱ 1.ȱSpiritualȱlifeȱ–ȱChristianity.ȱȱȱ2.ȱDesertsȱ–ȱReligiousȱaspectsȱ–ȱ Christianity.ȱȱȱI.ȱTitle.ȱ BV4501.3.J37ȱȱ2004ȱ 248–dc22ȱ 2003019365ȱ ȱ ISBNȬ13:ȱ978Ȭ1Ȭ4051Ȭ1974Ȭ0ȱ(hardcover:ȱalk.ȱpaper)ȱ–ȱISBNȬ13:ȱ978Ȭ1Ȭ4051Ȭ1975Ȭ7ȱ(pbk.:ȱalk.ȱ paper)ȱ ȱ AȱcatalogueȱrecordȱforȱthisȱtitleȱisȱavailableȱfromȱtheȱBritishȱLibrary.ȱ ȱ Setȱinȱ10/12.5ptȱGalliardȱ byȱGraphicraftȱLtd,ȱHongȱKongȱ PrintedȱandȱboundȱinȱSingaporeȱ byȱCOSȱPrintersȱPteȱLtdȱ ȱ Theȱpublisher’sȱpolicyȱisȱtoȱuseȱpermanentȱpaperȱfromȱmillsȱthatȱoperateȱaȱsustainableȱforestryȱ policy,ȱandȱwhichȱhasȱbeenȱmanufacturedȱfromȱpulpȱprocessedȱusingȱacidȬfreeȱandȱelementaryȱ chlorineȬfreeȱpractices.ȱFurthermore,ȱtheȱpublisherȱensuresȱthatȱtheȱtextȱpaperȱandȱcoverȱboardȱ usedȱhaveȱmetȱacceptableȱenvironmentalȱaccreditationȱstandards. ȱ Forȱfurtherȱinformationȱonȱ BlackwellȱPublishing,ȱvisitȱourȱwebsite:ȱ www.blackwellpublishing.comȱ ȱ
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1* I had forgotten what real darkness was like. At first it was frightening. I have a flashlight, and I was afraid I might not be able to find the little path which would lead me back to my door. I could see, literally, nothing. I could see only blackness, illuminated now and then by flashes of lightning to the far south, so far away there was no accompanying sound of thunder. I thought how terrifying that light must be to people who have never experienced it muted by the lights of cities and towns. A primeval light. And the silence. I think of my remark to my friend before I set out last week that “there is nothing there.” No sound of traffic (the nearest road with cars is over ten miles away), or airplanes or trains or music or voices. It is silent, and yet there is sound everywhere. I suppose I must call it natural sound, and it is frightening. I am frightened by the rustling of the wind in the leaves of the palm trees. That is a heavy sound, quite unli