Ascent to Love

Ascent to Love
Christian Books | Search Books & Music:

Ascent to Love: A Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy

Description of Ascent to Love:

As one of the supreme Christian epic poems, Dante's "Divine Comedy" provides not only far more personality and emotional depth than the pagan epics, it opens up all the issues on which Western history turns-truth, beauty, goodness, sin, sanctification, and triumph. For all that, C. S. Lewis loved the "Comedy" for its seemingly effortless poetry. In this guide, Peter J. Leithart uses a biblical angle to open up the "Comedy" for students, high school and up. He begins his discussion by examining the meaning and place of the courtly love tradition and then introduces us to the varied levels of meaning throughout the work. In the heart of the guide, Leithart walks us carefully through the craft and symbolism of each progressive stage-"Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso." Each section contains helpful study questions.

About Peter J. Leithart:

Peter Leithart (Ph. D. Cambridge) is a Fellow of Theology and Literature at New St. Andrews College, Moscow, Idaho. He is the author of "Brightest Heaven of Invention: A Christian Guide to Six Shakespeare Plays; Heroes of the City of Man: A Christian Guide to Ancient Literature;" and "A House for My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament." He and his wife Noel have nine children.

Description of Peter J. Leithart, author of Ascent to Love:

As one of the supreme Christian epic poems, Dante's Divine Comedy provides not only far more personality and emotional depth than the pagan epics, it opens up all the issues on which Western history turns-truth, beauty, goodness, sin, sanctification, and triumph. For all that, C.S. Lewis loved the Comedy for its seemingly effortless poetry. In this guide, Peter J. Leithart uses a biblical angle to open up the Comedy for students, high school and up. He begins his discussion by examining the meaning and place of the courtly love tradition and then introduces us to the varied levels of meaning throughout the work. In the heart of the guide, Leithart walks us carefully through the craft and symbolism of each progressive stage-Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. Each section contains helpful study questions.