“It is the dogma that is the drama”
I love the way artists help us think and see differently. Often they help us to see what we might be tempted to take for granted in fresh ways. Dorothy Sayers (1893 – 1957) was a British author who wrote detective stories, novels, plays, essays and also translated classic literature into English. She was a Christian and her father was a pastor. In one of her published letters/essays she wrote these words:
“It is the dogma that is the drama—not beautiful phrases, nor comforting sentiments, nor vague aspirations to loving-kindness and uplift, nor the promise of something nice after death—but the terrifying assertion that the same God who made the world, lived in the world and passed through the grave and gate of death.
Show that to the heathen, and they may not believe it; but at least they may realize that here is something that man might be glad to believe.” —Dorothy Sayers, Letters to a Diminished Church (Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group, 2004), 21
I appreciate her pointing out the fact that with Christian faith, the facts of the gospel in themselves are far more dramatic than the so-called dramatic elements of the story! For instance, the story of Mary and Joseph, the angelic announcements, no room in the end, the flight to Egypt and the wise men who come later, these are dramatic elements in the story but the deeper drama is in the doctrine that GOD BECAME INCARNATE IN CHRIST FOR OUR REDEMPTION! The gospel is the news, the awesome reality that God became one of us! His incarnation, life, experiences, struggles, temptations,obedience and love, his sacrificial death for our sins, triumphant resurrection and ascension, his promise to receive all who receive him and to continue present with us, and to come again for us, there is nothing more dramatic than these doctrines and this story which the New Testament calls the glorious gospel!
The famous Christian scholar Jaroslav Pelikan (1923-2006), was quoted as saying these words toward the very end of his life. “If Christ is risen, nothing else matters. And if Christ is not risen— nothing else matters.” Of course there is a play on words here. Think about it because the same applies to the whole of the gospel. It is something I am glad to believe.
Larry is the senior pastor at 
Isn’t it interesting how God gave us stories out of which we may draw the rich doctrines of the Christian faith. Only to find that these doctrines impact each of our lives producing new stories of drama to be told. I never tire of hearing the stories of the saints who tell me how they came to believe, and then at different milestones in their journey how a new doctrine came to light and began to change their perspective. In a day when we focus so much on story, it’s interesting to see your post on the drama of dogma! Sort of ironic! I still love a good story, but I’m also glad to know that Christ is risen. When I think about the implications of that one fact, it really is all that matters.