FEELING, FORM AND FULFILM ENT: THE STEW ARDSHIP OF THE CHRISTIAN POET

A fter h a v in g s tud ied u n d e r Prof. C a lv in Seerveld at th e In s t i tu te for C h r is t i a n S tudies , T o ro n to , C a n a d a , the P h .D . deg ree was confe r red on Miss K u sch k e by th e U nive rs i ty o f the VVitwatersr a n d in J u n e , 1981 w ith a thesis en t i t led The representation o f the Christian ethos in the poetry o f Werner Bergengruen: an integrated approach.


The c o m m issio n o f the poet
This adm inistering commission of the poet is very clearly stated in the title line: 'DU gábst das W o rt'.T h e double accentuation of the first pronoun 'D u ', in conjunction w ith the past tense verb 'gabst', im m ediately lays unm istakable em phasis on the gift-like quality of the word, an d the source from whence it springs.T h e time difference between the first statem ent ('Du gabst das W o rd ') an d the rest of the sonnet, places an additional responsibility on the role of m an in the present an d in the future.T h e frequent use of infinitives ('zu tren n en ': 'zu en tb ren n en ') and participles ('griindend; zeichnend') in the octave, suggests the continual responsibility required.T h e commission to the Christian poet is the com m unication of the W ord of T ruth .Such proclam ations distinctly imply an act of stewardship; the adm inistration of a gift.This action of adm inistering to others that for which one has received jurisdiction, is clearly conveyed in line I' 'w ér m ág es noch verw áiten'.H ere the explanatory interrogative ('wer m ag noch') has strong situational overtones of the T h ird R eich misuse of the ministering respon sibility of the word.
By implication (from the creative qualities of the word in lines 5-8) the poet ('w er') is designated the task of clear ju d g em en t (line 2) and the renew al of the m ind in the sense of R om ans 12, 2 (lines 3 and 4).Such a person, vested with adm inistrative power, is the representative of a superior w ho entrusts a certain co m m an d to him.At the sam e time, such a position of trust entails a d u ty ... usually in the form of m inistering service to others.Schneider sees this as an ad-m inistering one ('verw alten') which also calls for the norm ative judgem ent of distinguishing between truth and deception (line 2); and similar to the disciples of old, the kindling of the heart of m an in spiritual worship (lines 3 and 4).V ery specifically, the poet ministers to others as a servant of God.In this, he is delegated by G od to m inistering guardianship ... pointing out evil so that everyone might recognize it in its m any guises ('Das Bose zeichnend, dass alle es kennen j and m ore individually, bringing shalom to those divided an d disillusioned by hate ('U nd die befrieden, die der Hass gespalten').These lines are also a subtle reference to the reign of evil and hate du rin g the 12 T h ird Reich years, but m ore particularly, at the outbreak of the w ar in 1938, w hen the sonnet was written.

M an 's stew ard sh ip
A ccording to the Scriptures, m a n 's stewardship is threefold.M an is the servant of God, sum m oned to representative service/or G od.This role of authorized ofTice-bearer and its high responsibility, finds expression in the despairing question of concern: ''w tvm a g t% x\oc\\verwalten .M a n is called to obedience but also to account for the adm inistration of his duties; and should m an disobey the call and misuse or neglect his authority by acting irresponsibly, he does not m irror his creator and such disobedience results in: 'Es stirbt das W ort, ...

Es sterben, denen w ar das Wort,
A m bittern A bend ungeniitzter Zeit.Es stirbt das Volk hin, das sein W ork verw irkt'.T h e third leg of m a n 's triadic stewardship is based on Psalm 115, 16: 'T h e highest heaven belongs to the Lord, but the earth he has given to m a n '.
This 'givenne?s' is an invekm ent of trust to exercise dom inion over the whole world 'subdu'-it, m ake the world serviceable, turn all creation into a footstool that doubles its native praise of the L o rd ' (Seerveld, 1980:27).T he twofold metrical variation o fthe second stanza (line 1): 'D och wird der Geist riiir durch das W ort gestálten', gives a conclusive answer to the rhetorical question of stanza I.This strongly accented 'D och' at the beginning of the line em phatically asserts the single ('n u r') im portance of the word, and in conjunction with the adverbial use of 'n u r', convincingly emphasizes the form ative role of the creative word (literally: created in a particular form; to bring into existence; to articulate).

The fo rm atio n al role o f the w ord
T hus the word is stressed as 'form -ational' o fth e consciousness oi m an an d in a w ider connotation, of sense, m eaning and content.T h e w ord also lays the foundation ('g ru n d e n d ') of order; thus organizes everything how and where it is intended to be.Specifically, the role of nam ing creation ('die O rd n u n g griindend, ... b en en n e n ') as the poet's commission, is underlined in the auxiliary verb 'd a rf b en en n en '.This baptizing role of the w ord is extended to the lingual description of evil, by which the dem onic dimension will be distinguishable to m ankind.Additionally, this opening-up recognition of evil will assist m an in the a ttain m en t of peace an d wholeness.
T h e positive mission of the w ord is repeated in an eight-fold predicate ('verwalten; trennen; Seelen rein halten; Geist gestalten; O rd n u n g griindend; benennen; das Bose zeichnen; befrieden').It is significant that stanza one accentuates the 'L ig h t' of the w ord that heightens the abiliy of true ju d g em e n t (line 2), keeps the soul pure, but also is able to inspire m a n to passionate enthusiasm ('e n tb re n n e n ').Stanza two on the other hand, expresses the analytic quality of the conscious m ind, by which things are nam ed, evil is signified an d o rder is founded.
Being a sonnet, the structure of the poem ideally underpins the ordering, creative function ('g ru n d e n ') of the word.T h e octave, which presents the God-given w ord an d its responsibilities and power, is divided into two quartets; the first of which explicates the role of the adm inistrator of the W ord and the second stresses the responsibility of the word as such.T he octave thus form ulates the positive contribution of poetic art and the sextet structurally portrays the negative results of disobedience to, an d neglect of the lingual word as a reflection of the W ord of God.Such disregard of a poetic commission will result in a threefold symbolic death... of the word, the nation an d the poet, expressed in a climatic repetition of the verb 'sterben': 'Es stirbt ... Es sterben ... Es stirbt h in '.T he verbs too, m aintain this positive-negative design in th a t the octave only makes use of positive w ord-concepts: 'verwalten, L ich t von T ru g zu trennen, W ort gestalten, O rd n u n ^g riin d e n d , d&rfbenennen, ddiilio itzeich n en d , dxtbefrieden...', w h \ \ t the verbs in the sextet reflect the d eath an d decay locked up in a disregarded commission: 'Es stirbt das W ort; der Wipfel dorrt; es sterben, denen heilig w ar das W ort; es stirbt das Volk hin, das sein W ort verw irkt'.
T h e two and three syllabic verbs ('verw alten, entbrennen, trennen, gestalten'), all situated at the end of the octave lines, all have feminine endings with a refrain-like -en musicality and suggest the living continuity of the process of creativity.T h e sextet on the other hand, always ends on a stressed and m ainly single-syllabic w ord ('dorrt, birgt, Zeit, verw irkt') reminiscent of stunted grow th and the finality of death.T hus thesonnet/orm is a concretization of the principle of order and creativeness (expressed in the verbs) inherent in th e w ord comm ission poetically positized in the poem.

C on cretization o f the en tire m an
Because of the analytical aspect in m a n 's structure and therefore his logical pow er of distinction, m a n can be held responsible for his actions and decisions.It is from the analytical aspect th at the law of G od carries a norm ative character (Troost, 1970:35) an d produces in m an the how reaction to norm ative situations an d judgem ents.This how seems to me, the ability to respond to a calling; it is the subject's answer to the law of the cosmos (Troost, 1970:36)

A esthetic resp o n sib ility
T h e C hristian m an d ate also has an aesthetic dimension.V an der Lee (1960:48) m aintains that our time is determ ined by the form an d shape we give to the pow er entrusted to us.This being so, the C hristian poet has a trem endous responsibility to use this w eapon of tru th to the glory of G od and in service of mankind: 'Du gabst das W ort; wer m ag es noch verwalten, M it Schwertesscharfe Licht von T ru g zu trennen, U nd gleich den grossen Sprechern zu entbrennen, Die einst der M enschen Seelen rein gehalten?"(1954:50).
T he deadly earnestness of the adm inistration of the w ord is to be found in Thus, for the C hristian poet, the work of art is a 'm ust', an expression of love, a verification of the T ruth: a m anifestation in life and work.BIBLIOGRA PHY 1. S o u rc e s K L E P P E R .J .1956.Q u o te d in: S c h n e id e r, D e r B iid u n g s a u ftra g des c h ris tiic h e n D ic h tc rs.Z u ric h .Im \ e rla g d c r .Arche..M .ARTI.K .1964.D ie S p r a c h c in d e r m o d e rn e n L i te r a tu r u n d d ie \'c r k u n d ig u n g .Re/oritialio.13:546-561.R O O K .\I.A .\KE R .H R .1975.M o d e r n a n a n d th e d e a th o f a c u ltu re .L o n d o n .In te r-v a rsitv press.R O O K M .^.A K E R .H R .1978.A rt n e ed s n o ju s tific a tio n .L e ic e ste r.In te r-v a rsity press.S C H .N E ID E R .R. 1956.D e r B iid u n g s a u ftra g d es c h ris tiic h e n D ic h te rs.Z u ric h .Im X'e rla g d c r .Arche.S C H R O T E N B O E R .P. 1976.M a n in G o d 's w o rld .T o r o n to , W ed g e p u b lis h in g F o u n d a tio n .S E E R \'E L D .C .1975.T h e C h ris tia n a n d th e a rts.In: F o r the time being.S o .3:14-17.S E E R \'E L D .C. 1977.A C h ris tia n c ritiq u e o f a r t a n d lite ra tu re .H a m ilto n , O n ta rio , G u a rd ia n press.S E E R \'E L D .C .1980.R a in b o w s fo r a fa lle n w o rld .T o r o n to , T u p p e n c e press.T R O O S T ..A. 1970.In le id in g in d e W ijsb eg e e rte .S y ste m a tiek .A m s te rd a m .X'rije U n iv e rsite it.\'.A N D E R L E E ..A. 1960.T h e C h ris tia n p o e t a n d his w ork.Free I'n iie rs ilr Qiiarlerly 7:38-50.\ '.A .\D E R L E E K .H . 1931.K u n s t e n v e ra n tw o o rd e lijk h e id .Free f 'niversih Qjiarlerly 9:165-182, . This answ er given through the way m a n lives existentially, S chrotenboer (1976:8) calls 'im aging his M ak er'.H e points out that m an, m ade in the im age of God, is thus an office-bearer as well as an im age of God, In both does he represent God.It is only in the whole m an, in his many-faceted life-expression, that he is a true reflection.In this sonnet the first two stanzas enclose the whole man.T he w ord speaks to body, soul and m ind an d thus the created w ord is the im aging result of the W ord of God.In this sense, m an experiences the im age of the T ru th in creational symbols, absorbs them into life and re-directs them again through the objectification of the lingual word: Schneider, 1956:21) can he be instrum ental in showing others the way of faith in daily life and threshold situations.It is as if the poet is co-responsible for, an d concerned in discovering the m eaning of life.W ra p p ed up in this question of identity is the assessment of m an's place an d his mission in his tim e an d situation: Es streiten G o tt un d S atan in den Seelen U nd in den V olkern, die von U nlust schaum en, W enn sie ihr D am o n in die W eiche stosst.D och miissen einige sich G ott befehlen U nd einsam w an d ern zu den hellern R au m en , Bis sie erlost sind un d ihr Volk erlost' (1954:67).
'Die W ahrheit will sich uns im W iderschein G e.orm ter Bilder streitend offenbaren; D ringt ihr ein Leben nach in schweren Jah ren , So werden auch des Lebens Bilder rein' (1954:56).It is only w hen the poet 'lives' his integrated life, in which w ord an d faith existentially cohere, that he has pow er to proclaim the T ru th which takes hold of m an ano makes him a new creature; 'So breitet ,ich die M aóht gesandten Lichtes In Bildern ; us; das W ort wird sie ergreifen, W enn W ort und Weisheit tief im Leben griinden' (1954:56).O nly w hen life and actions have become re-vitalized by 'm eaning' through a personal 'H ereinbrechen des U nbedingten in die Bedingtheit, in die Zeit' (and in the sonnet 'M it M achtigen dieser E rd e ' (1954:54) he specilirs the following of 'reinerm D range Z u D ichtern, as diaconate service: D er M enschen N ot mit eignen Leiden heilen' (1954:54).C hristianity is a religion of consolation an d solace an d yet it is seldom an instant com fort an d solution.T h u s C hristian poetry will point out 'M a n 's im a n in g w ounds in this life' (A.v.d.Lee, 1960:48), will criticise and protest where necessary, try to re-direct erra n t m a n an d substantiate in his work the apocalyptic spirit of the ag e' (v.d.Lee, 1960:48).A nd as there is no division of life and work for the C hristian conscience, its undeniable mission claims visible concretization to the whole world; w hatever the cost.This, Schneider knew an d bitterly experienced in a nationw ide rejection after the end of W orld W a r IL In 'Allein dn B etern' (1954:86) Schneider warns: D enn T a te r w erden nie den H im m el zwingen: W as sie vereinen, wird sich w ieder spalten.W as sie erneuern, iiber N acht veralten, U nd was sie stiften.N ot u nd U nheil bringen.Jetzt ist die Zeit, d a sich das Heil verbirgt, L'nd M ensch en h o ch m u t a u f dem M arkte feiert'.O n the other han d , C hristian poetry has a m inistering service, a 'diaconate w isdom ' (Seerveld, 1975:17) w hich will n o tju st condem n and point out evil and sin.but give the individual courage, help him to see the hand of God behind the incom prehensible an d assist him in fighting through to undivided oneness and a m astering of this dism em bered world.A nd it is here that love needs to play such a decisive and reconciling role.Poetically Schneider expresses this evergreen quality of love in a sonnet with a similar title; 'D och griint die Liebe unverandert, fort, A nd elsewhere, Schneider succintly sum m arizes the im portance of love thus: 'W o Liebe nicht m eh r spiirbar ist, kann von christlicher D ichtung nicht m eh r gesprochen w erden...' (1956:16).C hristian poetry cannot save m an as M ath ew A rnold suggests but it can console", can stir m a n 's conscience, can m ake m a n aw are of his need to return to the Lord, can show the way to Shalom an d above all, can witness the renew al in Christ in every aspect of his Being (Rookm aker, 1975:229).In a sonnet w ith the very apt title 'H eim kehr' Schneider expresses just such a newness of life in he consolation of the church and the W ord of God: 'Friih sinkt ein Bild in un'sre Seele nieder, N ach dem w t trachten, bis w ir's neu gefunden, U nd in die F rem de glanzt ein neuer Stern; So suche ich die dunkeln Berge wieder U nd nach der Arbeit ungezahlten Stunden Den Trost der Glocken un d das W'ort des H e rrn ' (1954:43).
hether en d u rin g inspiration will an d m ust result from the work of a C hristian artist, is a m a tte r to be contended.M a n is called to a cultivating task and should use his special gifts, an d w hether poet or statesm an, he has the responsibility to be a good servant of the K in g d o m of G od an d do w hat his time, place an d situation require of him: 'Dies ist m ein Schicksal, dass von deinem E nde M ein M u n d die leidzerstorten W orte spricht, Dass mir die Seele bebt vom U n terg an g ' (1954:129).A nd in another sonnet 'D er Prophet.V II' Schneider stresses the poetic commission of being a voice of God: 'Ich w ar n u r Stim m e, u nd ich muss verwehn, Der ich im A b g ru n d deiner Schwersten T age Dies arm e W ort erlitt, das m ir geboten' (1954:131).T he artist need not be concerned ab o u t the operative influence of his poetic witness: 'der C hrist weiss nicht, w ohin er geht u n d b rau ch t das nicht zu wissen;' (Schneider, 1956:21).All he needs do is obey and act in faith, because: D u bist ein Bote, und du sollst vertrauen U nd das Geschick nicht fragen, das dir droht; Dein H erz ist miide, u nd dein W ort ist tot, U nd doch sollst du das Siegeszeichen schauen' (1954:169).A dm ittedly, it is a n atu ral desire to see th e results of his labour, b ut they are, and should be considered the fruits of the spirit (R ookm aaker, 1978:34) and beyond the concern an d scope of the artist.T o require the poet to be 'w aardeskeppend' (V an der Leek, 1931:173) is thus holding the poet responsible for the reception an d the efficacy of his poetry.It is the transmission of know ledge an d inform ation that is of prim ary im portance; it is the ethos that m atters an d this Christian-spiritedness is only evident in the 'Gestalthaften u nd G estaltgew ordenen' (Schneider 1956:8).Yet poetry is not only service to G od an d m a n but also the care for, an d the cultivation of this Reality th at is G o d 's creation.O n e way of doing this is by renew ing art, through a new ly-revived Gospel in a newly invigorated Reality by means of, am ongst others, a newly m eaningful language.K u rt M arti, 1964:558) calls it 'neu, den alten geheimnisvollen N am en Gottes anrufen'.) of C hristianity and therefore it is so im portant to articulate this W ord of Christ with a new freshness and pow er so that it will become a piece of life infused with the Spirit of Christ.It will be an expression of tem poral an d historical existence in the light of the K ingdom of G od (Schneider, 1956:47).'Sing to (the Lord) a new song' (Psalm 33,3) is the sum m ons to C hristian poetry, a newness which will neutralize the old, often harmlessly anaem ic religious verse, and vivify creation, life and the experience of every age and every situation into a new distillation of the scriptural message.For Rookm aaker (1975:250) 'G od has called us to bear witness to H im at a critical point in history.It is not only exciting and interesting to be a C hristian now, it is a great privilege and responsibility.It is vital', and for Schneider, the poetic proclam ation of the W ord enkindles the darkness of a time and a In the sonnet 'D u einzig L ich t' Schneider expresses the im aging character of the C hristian poet: Lass mit dem W ort, das schaudernd Dich verkiindet, U nd mit den Bildern, die D ich widerscheinen, In Dich m ein Leben sinken, D u m ein L eben' (1954:185).This then is the all-overarching mission ... to praise G od and serve H im through his creation.It is worship away from the subject, directed at and towards the L ord of all creation: 'M ir geht die S tim m e wie m ein Selbst verloren.■\ls stillster Beter will ich aufw arts dringen L'nd unter S tu m m en m einen Schopfer preisen' (1954:51).As each person is G o d 's messenger to others, it is im perative that the message should rem ain biblically sound.It is a constant reference to G o d 's W ord and creation through w hich the poet is led, trying to discover G o d 's will and obeying it.'.Alles Schreiben ist A ntw ort a u f Gottes dringliche A nrede...' Klepper.1956:27). W