The Transformative Power of Story

Our modern culture places a high value on non-fiction, deeming it to be the “reality,” while largely minimizing or dismissing the rich source of meaning that can be found in fiction, myth, and parable. Through a psycho-spiritual lens, we will explore how the human psyche can experience significant growth through deep interaction with certain forms of fiction which reflect symbolic and archetypal realities; through a literary lens, we will explore the many activities that fall under the one term “reading” and their effects on the mind and spirit, emphasizing, in particular, the role of the fiction novel on individuals and culture. Can a return to the primacy of fiction and its revelation of the transcendent return the culture to wholeness?