SYLLABUS: PAUL FABER: SURGEON


Paul Faber: Surgeon (1778), is a sequel to Thomas Wingfold: Curate.  In both novels MacDonald focuses upon each character’s spiritual state in their relationship to God, and how they grow or deteriorate as they respond to the sacramental energies of life. In the former novel MacDonald created George Bascombe, who epitomized the naturalist/materialist spirit that was rising during the Victorian age.  In Paul Faber, he thoroughly delineates such attitudes and strives to show their utter inadequacy as compared to the truths of Christianity.

We will divide the novel into the following weekly segments and post a blog for each.  We warmly invite your responses and reactions to the novel.  Please feel free to express whatever is on your mind.  Much of the value of our reading together lies in our freely expressing our thoughts and interacting with one another.

June 20: Chapters 1 - 9
27: 10 - 16

July 4: 17 - 23
11: 24 - 29
18: 30 - 40
25: 41 - 47

August 1: 48 - end.

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