Why do Christians often study books filled with such pagan ideas as The Odyssey?

          We have been reading and analyzing “The Odyssey” in my English Literature and Composition class this year, proving that Classical Christians do indeed, often read these classics despite their unbiblical teachings. A lot is to be learned from these books about courage, manipulation, character, respect, temptation, journeys, hospitality and mankind in general among many other things. A deep study of these books then, would definitely be beneficial in the education of any person, but especially someone who is able to read them with the correct worldview.

          We can learn about how pagan cultures rely on their gods and also how these immortal beings were believed to help and punish the powerless people. This is helpful to us Christians so we can better understand the attitudes of the people living during this time. Also, these long, yet enjoyable poems can, their implications for mankind at the time put aside, be very useful in studying literary techniques.

          Classics rarely stop being used in teaching for the simple reason that they are so richly put together that dissection of them is always valuable in many different subjects of study.