The Shining Barrier: From Pagan Fortress to Sacred Sanctuary - Part 3: Practical Boundaries
Published on November 28, 2025 by Paul Blake
This is Part 3 of a 3-part series exploring Sheldon Vanauken's "A Severe Mercy" and what it teaches us about protecting love in all our relationships.
Coming Soon
This article is currently being written and will be published on November 28, 2025.
In this final installment, we'll explore:
- Practical principles for building your own "Shining Barrier" in modern relationships
- What to keep from Van and Davy's original vision and what to discard
- How to create boundaries that protect without imprisoning
- Specific practices for married couples, families, and friendships
- The difference between healthy barriers and isolating walls
- How to maintain sacred space for your relationships in a demanding world
Subscribe to be notified when this article is published, or check back on November 28th!
Series Navigation
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Part 1: The Pagan Barrier - Understanding the Original Fortress Already published: Understand the original Shining Barrier and its fatal flaws
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Part 2: Transformation - From Fear to Faith (Coming November 21, 2025) How Christ transformed Van and Davy's pagan fortress
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Part 3: Practical Boundaries - Building Your Own Shining Barrier (You are here - Coming November 28, 2025)
Check back soon for the complete article, or return to the theology blog to read other posts while you wait.