“…the wisest and best of my unofficial teachers” — C.S. Lewis

I have just finished reading Owen Barfield’s Saving the Appearances: A Study in Idolatry. It is full of profound insight. ‘Thought-provoking’ is too mild a manner to describe some of the positions that Barfield presents us with. I suppose that the nearest thing to Barfield that I have read to date is René Girard. Both have unique perspectives, which promise to disclose many things about humanity’s past that were formerly veiled in mystery.

Barfield’s work is not without its dross (the same is the case with Girard). Neither seem to hold to very orthodox forms of Christianity on certain points and occasionally one wonders to what degree their positions are founded on forms of ‘degree Christology’, but they are essential reading nonetheless.

For those of you who have not yet encountered Barfield’s works, this article and selection of quotations is a very good place to start.