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Sunday, December 9, 2007Always Winter But Never Christmas
December 2007 Commencement Address
Students, as we come to the end of the year 2007 and join together today for your commencement, your college graduation, I want to talk about ideas. That’s what this day is all about isn’t it? It is a celebration of ideas, a celebration of education and all that it means – all the challenges - all the joy - all the opportunities that come with ideas.
Ideas like those found in the
But I forgot one didn’t I? Did you notice? It was the most powerful idea of them all. I want to talk about the power of a singular idea, an idea that stands alone, and idea that changed the world, an idea that continues to change your neighborhood, your family, your marriage, your mind, your soul. It is the idea of Christ: The Primacy of Jesus Christ. It is the idea of Christmas.
Christmas: “The most wonderful time of the year.” When I think of all that that this story represents – The first Noel, the Herald Angels singing, Peace on Earth, Glory to God in the Highest, the New Born King, Emanuel, God with us - I can’t help but share one of my favorite stories from C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. This is one that many of you already know. It is a scene from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which was made into a feature film last year to much acclaim and promotional hype. It is the story of Father Christmas, Lucy, her siblings, and Mr. and Mrs. Beaver as they stand fearful and confused in the cold, frozen tundra of White Witch’s kingdom.
Let me refresh your memory.
If you recall, the children entered the magic of Narnia through the portal of the professor’s wardrobe and as they did they found themselves in a winter wonderland of sorts. It is white and cold. The trees have been dusted with frost. The lamppost glows somberly in a windless forest blanketed with snow. At first glance this all seems beautiful but there is something missing. This land is nearly lifeless and the few creatures the children do encounter (the fauns, the beavers, etc.) seem fearful, suspicious and nearly paranoid. There is no joy.
By way of explanation the beavers tell the children that Narnia is under the spell of an evil Witch. Everything is pale. Everything is cold. Every moment is governed by fear rather than hope. Every day is as if it is “always winter but never Christmas.” This is the dreadful description of life under the Witch’s rule. There is no hope to wish for and there is no peace to pursue. This is simply a land of despair and defeat.
But this isn’t the end of the story. You see, in the midst of Mr. Beaver’s description of the evil spell the children hear sleigh bells ringing in the distance. At first they are sure this is the sound of the Witch’s return and they hide.
But it isn’t her at all. No, the driver of the sleigh is a great, glad, giant of a man all dressed in red with a white beard flowing down over the breast of his ample robe. It is Father Christmas!
“I have broken through at last” he says. “She has kept me out for a long time but her magic is weakening.”
Lucy shivers with excitement. “He” is here! And he not only brings presents but he also brings peace and joy. He not only brings hot tea with cream and sugar but he also offers the comfort of love and the warmth of compassion. He brings music and he brings a message: “Aslan is on the move!” he cries. “A Merry Christmas! Long live the true King!”
Over 2,000 years ago the world was suffering through a cold dark winter. Civil unrest was rampant in the
Today, as you watch CNN or read today’s paper you may at times feel the same chill in your bones. You may feel fearful. You may shiver as you try to shelter yourself from the freezing winds of nightly news.
But in the face of such cold winds perhaps we would do well to remember the news of long ago when light shined on the hills of
“I have broken through at last” cries Christmas. “She has kept me out for a long time but her magic is weakening. This is a time of love not hatred, giving not getting, goodness not greed. Remember that light always diminishes darkness, warmth always melts what is cold, and the Son is always stronger than winter. Aslan is on the move. For unto you is born this day in the city of
Hilaire Belloc says it well: “Do not, I beseech you, be troubled about the increase of forces already in dissolution. You have mistaken the hour of the night. It is already morning.”
For lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
The time of singing has come.
(Song of Solomon 2:11-12)
So students, today at your commencement, as you graduate from“A Merry Christmas! – Long live the True King!
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Friday, December 7, 2007Defending Pullman? Let the man speak for himself.
I was involved in an email exchange over the past couple days regarding the Golden Compass whereby one defender of Phillip Pullman (a person who claims to have read all three books of the trilogy His Dark Materials) said the following: “Pullman is anti-organized religion but I do not see him as anti-God or anti-Christian and his comments seem to have no agenda . . . I really liked the books . . . I never read them as being anything more that a ‘quest’”
Well, rather than challenging this with my own words let me cite a better source:
Here is
"Underlying the trilogy there is a myth of creation and rebellion …. [This myth] depicts a struggle: the old forces of control and ritual and authority, the forces which have been embodied throughout human history in such phenomena as the Inquisition, the witch-trials, the burning of heretics, and which are still strong today in the regions of the world where religious zealots of any faith have power, are on one side; and the forces that fight against them [are on the other]. . . So, for instance, the book depicts the Temptation and Fall not as the source of all woe and misery, as in traditional Christian teaching, but as the beginning of true human freedom – something to be celebrated, not lamented. And the Tempter is not an evil being like Satan, prompted by malice and envy, but a figure who might stand for Wisdom."
Not anti-church, anti-God, and anti-Christian? No agenda? In one succinct paragraph
So I say again - let
No agenda? I don’t know about you but
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Monday, November 26, 2007A Train to Somewhere
This past weekend I was watching the movie Polar Express with my wife and several friends. As you likely know, this film is a digitally animated 3D production that stars Tom Hanks as the conductor of a train (the Polar Express) that takes its passengers on a magical Christmas Eve trip to the North Pole. All along the way the children on the journey must decide if they “believe” in Christmas. One boy in particular has his doubts. The train ride represents his struggle. Is Christmas real or is it just make-believe?
At the end of the movie, the little boy is trying desperately to determine what to think of his adventure. What should he believe? What is true and what is false? The conductor (Tom Hanks) then turns to the boy and says, “The one thing about trains: It doesn’t matter where you’re going. What matters is deciding to get on”.
As I watched this movie, I thought of today’s academy. More specifically, I thought of the paradigm called “post-modern constructivism” that prevails on most of today’s campuses. This model asserts that reality is simply made up (i.e. constructed) by individuals in conversation with one another. There is no Truth with a capital “T” but only personal “truths” that are created uniquely by each individual as the culminating synthesis of tolerance and dialogue. It is the journey that matters, not the destination. The constructivist’s goal is to build a personal belief system, not to seek and discover immutable facts. There is no such thing as a final answer. It really doesn’t matter what worldview you choose as long as you choose one. To travel is better than to arrive. Just “get on” a train – any train.
Historically there has been a better way. Yes, education does involve dialogue and a discussion and, of course, we do build knowledge on the foundation of experiences. But a classical liberal arts education (one that is validated by nearly 1,500 years of tradition) is more than just the process of choosing from a smorgasbord of personal values and various worldviews.
A truly liberal education is one that indeed liberates. It liberates mankind from the consequences of those things that are wrong and frees us to live within the beauty of those things that are right. Education that is grounded in the pursuit of Truth as opposed the constructions of man will ultimately free you and me from the oppression of lies. Education at its best serves as a light to those who are in the dark. It is a map to those who are lost. It is a law to those who want order. When we are driven by the hunger for answers rather than the protection of opinions we are not afraid to put all ideas on the table because we have confidence that in the end we can embrace what is true and right and discard what is false and wrong. Confident in the existence of Truth we recognize that we should find the right “train” that is going in the “right” direction.
In the 1990s there was another movie: A historical drama that also featured a train ride. This train, however, was not leading to the magical snow filled skies of the North Pole but, instead, to the mysterious and ash laden winter of places such as Auschwitz and Dachau. The movie was Stephen Spielberg’s Schindler’s List and in this film we see it does, indeed, matter which train one chooses to get on. The obvious fallacy of post-modern constructivism comes alive before our eyes. Who can watch fellow human beings herded as cattle into box cars bound for the furnaces of the Nazi prison camps and argue that it doesn’t matter where the train is going? Who would dare tell the Jews that the joy is in the journey and that the destination is of little consequence? It is apparent that some “trains” lead to good and some “trains” lead to evil. It is painfully obvious that we all want to avoid getting on the wrong train. Hopefully our hearts cry out with Oscar Schindler’s as he weeps for those who have been forced to get on the wrong train headed to the wrong place.
As an educator I am passionate about learning and I am passionate about ideas. Ideas have tremendous potential and power. Ideas are always directional: They have consequences. Education, thus, is not stagnant and it definitely does represent a journey that will take us somewhere. With our ideas we are going in one of two directions: Either toward the forgiveness and freedom that only God’s revelation can offer or toward the bondage that always and inevitably results from man’s “constructions.” In this context, education represents the path we have chosen for eternity.
Perhaps the Psalmist says it best: “Teach me your ways O Lord and I will learn . . . to walk in your Truth.” Our ways always result in slavery, treachery, and oppression. God’s ways lead to liberation and freedom: “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free”. Ideas matter. When we get on the right train and go in the right direction, we can celebrate and sing, “Free at last. Free at last. Thank God almighty, I am free at last!”
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Friday, November 9, 2007Why I am a liberal: And other Conservative Ideas
This past spring I was watching television and along came a news report. Here is the context. Dr. Ward Churchill the professor from the University of Colorado, whom I cited in a previous article because of his intellectual nihilism, had just gone before a group of his faculty peers for a professional evaluation. The result of this review was that Churchill's colleagues found him guilty of repeated instances of plagiarism, fabrications, false claims, improper citations, and unethical scholarship. Professor Churchill was not available for comment but his attorney, David Lane, responded to these allegations by saying: “There are two sides to every story. Everybody has their own truth.”
Now I would like to use this scenario to suggest something that may be rather shocking (especially for those of you who know me): I believe I am more of a true liberal than Ward Churchill.
Here's why I believe my liberal credentials will stand up well against those of the professor:
I am a liberal because I believe that the best education is one that indeed liberates. It liberates us from the consequences of those things that are wrong and frees us to live within the beauty of those things that are right. A liberal arts education is driven by the hunger for answers rather than the protection of opinions. It is not subject to the ebb and flow of personal agendas or political fads. It is not afraid to put all ideas on the table because there is confidence that in the end the student will embrace what is true and discard what is false.
I am a liberal because I believe in freedom: Freedom of thought and expression; freedom of life and liberty; freedom to pursue happiness. I recognize the law of opposites: If it weren't for darkness we wouldn't know light; if it weren't for evil we wouldn't understand good; if there is no truth then nothing is a lie; and but for the shadow of slavery we see no freedom. I am energized by the unapologetic pursuit of truth. Wherever it leads I am confident in the words, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”
I am a liberal because I believe in integration. Truth cannot be segregated into false dichotomies of objective materialism vs. subjective narratives. Truth is an integrated whole. The liberally educated person recognizes that we can not and should not separate personal life from private life, the head from the heart, fact from faith, or belief from behavior. Truth is not relegated to simply what you can taste, touch, smell, and see. It doesn't end with the materialist's claim that two plus two is four. Truth is much bigger than simple tactile conclusions. There are ideas that are tested by time, defended by reason, validated by experience, and confirmed by revelation. We are in fact endowed by our Creator with an objective moral understanding. We do know that rape is wrong, that the Holocaust was bad, and that hatred and racism are to be reviled. Even though we cannot produce these truths in a test tube we hold them to be self-evident laws that no human being can deny.
I am a liberal because I recognize that when we exchange the truth of God for a lie that we build a house of cards that will fall to mankind's inevitable temper tantrum of seeking control and power. To deny what is right and true and embrace what is wrong and false is to fall prey to the rule of the gang or the tyranny of one.
I am a liberal because I believe that unless the measuring rod is independent of the things measured, we can do no measuring (C.S. Lewis) and that truth is bigger than me or you or your opinion or mine. Os Guinness says it this way: “All truth . . . is true everywhere, for everyone, under all conditions. Truth... is not simply ‘true for us'; it is true for any who seek in order to find, because truth is true even if nobody believes it and falsehood is false even if everybody believes it. That is why truth does not yield to opinion, fashion, numbers, office, or sincerity - it is simply true and that is the end of it. It is one of the Permanent Things.”
I am a liberal because I believe in justice and that justice is the bedrock of liberty. I believe liberty is the antithesis of slavery and slavery is the natural outcome of lies: Lies about who we are as people, lies about what is right and what is wrong; Lies about man and lies about God.
Napoleon once quipped that “history is nothing but a fable agreed upon” and Europe flowed with the blood of world conquest. Ward Churchill claimed that “there is no truth.” He is now found guilty of lies endemic in his own research. David Lane says, “Everybody has their own truth” but he then turns to the courts to administer justice that assumes a foundation of honesty and truthfulness.
Here is the question: Is Churchill really free or is he now a slave to his own constructs and fabrications where he now is bound to defend the indefensible? Is David Lane free to pursue all ideas relative to the Churchill story or is he captive to one view and one view only, i.e. that of his client's?
And finally, who is really free? Which worldview honors liberty, and justice? Which paradigm is open to a critical exchange of ideas? Who's do you trust most to honor liberty, and justice? The answer to these questions tells you “why I am a liberal.”
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Wednesday, November 7, 2007Thanksgiving and Praise
Conservatives believe there are certain truths that should be left untouched. Like a good wine some ideas simply get better with age: They have stood the test of time and have been defended by the measure of reason. They have been confirmed by revelation and validated by experience. Yes, indeed, some ideas have been so rigorously vetted and are so well stated that they should simply be honored, left unedited, and approached with humility - even in the present age as they were in that of the past.
Today please indulge me as I suggest that we have one of those ideas before us. As we prepare to celebrate our next holiday we might do well to return with a somber spirit to the original words that led to the last Thursday in November being recognized as a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise.”
Here are those words:
“The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.
In the midst of a war . . . which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict . . .
Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and union.”
Abraham Lincoln, October 3, 1863
Yes – some ideas simply stand alone; strong, secure and enduring: “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father; humble penitence for our disobedience; fervently imploring . . . the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation; offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings . . .”
Some ideas need no rebuttal. No debate is appropriate. No response seems right other than one coming from a humble and contrite heart full of “Thanksgiving and praise.”
