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省思:從《尼格爾的葉子》中個人與教會關係的隱喻

因為 Every Good Endeavor 這本書 ( 註1 ) (written by Tim Keller ),才有機會接觸到《魔戒》作者托爾金(J. R. R. Tolkien)的短篇小說與散文。托爾金是個天主教徒,像他這種文學家,字裡行間不是碰巧置入的贅字,而是時兒明示,時兒比喻的表達,在他的 Leaf by Nigle ( 註2 ) (尼格爾的葉子)中,似乎嗅出他對教會與個人的觀察。 文中的主角是尼格爾(採用聯經出版的《 托爾金奇幻小說集 》的翻譯),原文名是 Nigle,Niggle 的意思是: to spend too much effort on minor details ( Merriam-Webster dictionary ) to worry someone slightly, usually for a long time ( Cambridge dictionary ) 我們可以相像主角是個容易猶豫不決,花太多時間在無謂的事上的個性。他的鄰居叫派瑞許 Mr. Parish,這是主角真正的近鄰,而 Parish 我們通常翻成教區,即一個天主教堂所照顧的範圍(更正教徒比較沒有廣範地使用這個概念),Parish 在字典的意思是: a (1) : the ecclesiastical unit of area committed to one pastor (2) : the residents of such an area.; b British : a subdivision of a county often coinciding with an original ecclesiastical parish and constituting the unit of local government ( Merriam-Webster dictionary ) in some Christian denominations, an area cared for by one priest with its own church, or (in England) the smallest unit of local government. ( Cambridge dictionary ) 我的解讀便派瑞許...