No kidding. Great literature isn?t political propaganda; its complexity and insights draw people of all religious and political stripes. The cited passage from The Brothers Karamazov?a parable about Christ?s return?is a perfect example. Both Christians and non-Christians have found unforgettable truths in this story. But Dostoevsky was a believing Christian who wrote powerful Christian themes, and he would have been startled today to see how much they are being enjoyed by modern secular liberals.

Much of the greatest literature is full of such Christian themes. If these ?progressive humanists? were to meet some of their favorite authors in real life, they would even notice that several of those authors had worldviews very similar to Laura Bush?s.

As I?ve said before, there?s so much to learn from great literature?if we?re willing to keep our own biases and prejudices out of the way. But reading isn?t always beneficial. Wearing ideological blinders when we read?and trying to force fellow readers to march in lockstep?can produce twisted ideas and a diminished ability to see, as Ms. Turner?s column illustrates.

For further reading and information:

Today?s BreakPoint offer: Invitation to the Classics introduces the reader to the masterworks of Western culture. From Homer to Chaucer, Dickens to C. S. Lewis, each author receives a chapter that includes a biographical sketch followed by a thorough summary of the classic(s) he or she penned.

Julia Turner, ?Laura Bush?Why liberals shouldn?t like her,? Slate, 31 August 2004.

Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, 1879. Read the book online here. (The ?Grand Inquisitor? chapter is here.) Anne Freemantle?s 1956 essay ?Introduction to Fyodor Dostoevsky: The Grand Inquisitor? provides a biographical sketch of the author and a thoughtful analysis of the ?Grand Inquisitor? passage. Mars Hill Audio gives more details here.

C. S. Lewis, An Experiment in Criticism (Cambridge University Press, 1992 edition).

Michael Dirda, ?As I Live and Read,? Washington Post, 25 July 2004, B01.

?The Importance of Reading Earnest,? Wall Street Journal, 9 July 2004.

Joseph Epstein, ?Is Reading Really at Risk?? Weekly Standard, 7 August 2004. (Available to subscribers only.)

Vigen Guroian, Tending the Heart of Virtue (Oxford University Press, 1998).

See BreakPoint?s 2004 Christmas Book List, Part 1. Other lists will also be available on the BreakPoint website.