The eighth paragraph of David Dockery’s Faith and Learning discusses the New Criticism in Literary Christian Theory. The main feature of this perception of the literary text is that the reader should not look for the secret meaning of the writer (Dockery 281). Thus, the perception of the reader himself did not play a role because the meaning of the text was entirely consistent with what was written. The paragraph also discusses poststructuralism and deconstruction. Both phenomena are explained by the dynamism of literary theory, including within the framework of New Criticism. Poststructuralism and Reconstruction emphasized the aesthetic belonging of the text and did not consider the ethical aspects. These movements also reinforced the overconfidence of critics to understand the meaning of the text correctly. The author also describes the attitudes of Christians themselves toward the New Criticism. Many of them saw it as a congenital form of literary criticism. The main reason for this was that many saw the practices of New Criticism and the practices of biblical exegesis as interrelated.
In paragraph thirteen, the author discusses the relationship between Christianity and art. The author says that many Christian philosophers have always given the arts an important place in the life and learning of the Christian. Some of them also believed that creativity and imagination were a gift from God to men (Dockery 446). The text also emphasizes that the arts are necessary for people who want to strengthen their connection with God. Art played an essential role in the history of Christianity because it gave a visual representation of the lord’s teachings. The author also calls the craving for art the hallmark of Christians. At all times, parochial schools have had a place for art instruction. To this day, it holds an important place in the hearts of Christians around the world and serves to demonstrate the diversity of faith.