Mythic Proportions

I am one of those people who place a high value on the notion of "myth." Whereas some think the word primarily refers to something that is "untrue" or "false," I happen to know that the notion of myth has a much richer meaning in human culture. In serious discussions of myth, issues of truth or falsity rarely arise. Instead, myths are stories which draw our attention to questions of human existence. Myths are stories that talk about creation and chaos, righteousness and sin, life and death, love and hate, and salvation and judgment. Myths are stories that try to get behind or beneath the obvious events of life to uncover themes to which mere history or science cannot speak.

When reading a myth, it is never enough to approach it as entertainment or simply as an interesting tale from the past. Neither is it enough to treat myths as flat restatements of past historical events. Rather, readers should expect more. Mythical stories are best understood as vehicles for transporting us beyond our usual way of looking at things. The most useful myths are those that challenge our understandings or ourselves and our place in the world. The best myths point us in spiritual directions and nudge us to look in the direction of divinity.

Because Christianity is a tradition that relies upon stories to mediate images of God, the world, and humanity to the modern mind, I believe that myth has an important role to play in our exercise of faith. When we read the stories of the Bible, sometimes we are dealing with myths. When I make such an assertion, I am saying nothing about the "historical" nature or "factual" aspect of the stories, themselves. For me, what is important is the usefulness of the stories in helping me to grow spiritually. It doesn't matter to me if the story is obviously fantastical or suggests a hint of history. What matters is whether or not the story challenges me to reconsider who I am and where I am going with my life.

I am thankful for the mythic elements of Christianity. As far as I am concerned, a faith without myth is small and impoverished. As Christians seeking a faith of "mythic proportions," our stories help us to grow beyond ourselves and our small, private perspectives. And in the process, they help us stretch out toward the Spirit of God.