Clement of Alexandria: The Virtue of Liberal Learning

      Clement calls for his readers to meet Jesus as the “Word” and “Educator” that “forcibly” compels people from the “worldly way of life and educates them to the only true salvation: faith in God.”  The Educator is the one “who leads the way” to “improve the soul” not just in knowledge but to guide in virtue.  The Educator does not focus solely on knowledge, but leads his “children” toward a life of virtue.  The “Word” perfects his disciples “in a way that leads progressively to salvation” through persuasion, education, and lastly, through teaching.  The teaching of the Educator “educates” people in the “fear of God,” instructs in “the service of God” and provides “knowledge of truth” toward living the virtuous life which ensures salvation. 

     For Clement, “The education that God gives is the imparting of the truth that will guide us correctly to the contemplation of God, and a description of holy deeds that endure forever.”  God and Jesus, the Word, have been guiding his children as revealed in scripture, as God’s guidance to Jacob, Moses, and the Israelites reveals.  The Educator from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant teaches with love, but those under the old were “guided by fear,” while under the New the “Word has become flesh, [thus] fear has been turned into love” in Jesus. “Such, then, is the authority wielded by the Educator of children, awe-inspiring, consoling, leading to salvation.”

     Given the role of the Educator, what role does philosophy have to play in the people’s education?  Addressing the role of philosophy, Clement argues that it was “an essential guide to righteousness for the Greeks” and “at the present time, it is a useful guide towards reverence for God.”  He asserts, “For philosophy was to the Greek world what the Law was to the Hebrews, a tutor escorting them to Christ.  Philosophy is a preparatory process; it opens the road to the person who Christ brings to his final goal.”  For Clement, philosophy, though imperfect, leads people toward virtue if one is willing. 

     “God has created us sociable and righteous by nature,” Clement announces.   Therefore, when one pursues philosophy, “it makes it quicker and easier to track down virtue.”  For Clement, a level of righteousness can be found outside of divine dispensation.  “It follows that we may not say that righteousness appears simply by a divine dispensation.  We are to understand that the good of creation is rekindled by the commandment, when the soul learns by instruction to be willing to choose the highest.”

     Faith is best accompanied by reason as it will keep one from being led astray, so Clement argues, as opposed to those who would argue “it is not right to have anything to do with philosophy or dialectic,” even refusing to “engage in the consideration of the natural world at all.” In Clement’s perception, “The person who yearns to touch the fringes of God’s power must of necessity become a philosopher to have a proper conception about intellectual objects.”  As with other Christian thinkers through the ages, Scripture itself is perceived as rational and supporting the dialectic action.

     Clement sees the possible role that philosophy had in bringing the Greeks “to righteousness, though not to perfect righteousness.”  The “perfect righteousness” comes through the education of the Son.  He contends that philosophy “does not add more power to the truth; it reduces the power of the sophistic attack on it.”  Philosophy is a defense for the “treacherous assaults on truth,” and thus is a “savory accompaniment or dessert” to the gospel. 

     Clement uses the apostle Paul in Act 17 quoting from Aratus’ Phaenomena as a Christian affirmation of even pagan philosophy having some element of truth.  The degree to which philosophy has the capability of moving one toward apprehending truth depends on how well philosophy is practiced.  For Clement, there are indeed true philosophers and “caricatures of philosophers.”  True philosophers are those “whose joy is in the contemplation of truth.”  For Clement, “Philosophy operates through knowledge of the good in its own being, and through the truth, which are not identical with the Good, but more like paths to it.”  Drawing from none other than Socrates's thoughts, philosophy “contributes to the soul’s awakening.”  Philosophy can aide as it, “makes a contribution to grasping the truth – it is a search for the truth.”  However, the ultimate discovery of the one truth “depends on the Son.”  Clement emphasizes that “it is only this unreachable sovereign truth in which we are educated by God’s Son.” 

     Clement gives numerous insights into the way God may work in the world to draw people toward Himself as in the case of Greek philosophy.  Clement argues that philosophy is a search for truth and is a path ultimately leading toward the one truth from God.  Clement and the grand consensus of Christian thinkers affirm that Philosophy, in and of itself, is not complete without Jesus at the center as the “Educator” par excellence in leading to the truth and salvation.  For Clement, the academy has a mission if rightly directed, not by “caricatures of philosophers” but by those who take authentic joy “in the contemplation of truth.” 

Moving Past Purpose to Hear the Call

     A week ago I was told by a friend of mine who works in a Christian school about the summer reading lists for seniors. He admitted that the list was weak before he even shared it with me. After I read over it, I agreed with his assessment that it was weak. He was bothered by the insipid nature of most of the books, and in particular he was questioning the use of the still popular "Purpose Driven Life." I told him that there was indeed a great alternative. I asked if he was familiar with the writings of Os Guinness along the same line, but much more theologically, Biblically, and sociologically informed? He said he had not even heard of them, so I gladly shared the following titles with suggestions.
     For a small group of leaders, one should go through Entrepreneurs of Life as this work provides compelling primary source readings. The brief introductions to the readings move one toward the reading without distracting. There are also countless visual illustrations and sidebar quotes that assist in focus. This work uniquely explores the notion of entrepreneur in the context of calling. "An entrepreneur of life is one who responds to this call—who takes it on as a creative challenge, a venture of faith for the sake of good."  
     For either a small group, or that individual believer looking for a mental and spiritual challenge that is extremely rewarding, Os Guinness's The Call is that kind of devotional work that is filled with meat and absent of milk. This work is for those looking for a swim in the deeper end of the pool of thought. In addition to offering a glorious invitation to hear "the call," Guinness brilliantly exposes all the cultural and social counterfeits to "the call" that are so pervasive with the current crisis of vocation.  
     For the High school student, (with above average spiritual maturity and intelligence) there is a version of Guinness's insights entitled, Rising to the Call. This edition is specifically aimed at people at a juncture of their life trying to find that "reason for being" in life and work. A fine condensed version of the above mentioned books. 
     I cannot suggest strongly enough that if you are part of a Christian school, in particular a Classical Christian school, it would be a great intellectual and spiritual decision to place the appropriate Guinness book in the reading list of the appropriate audience. Boards, faculty, staff, students would all benefit from the reading of this work in the appropriate format. At whatever point you are in your life, unless you have already heard the call and answered, this book is well worth the effort.  

The Liberal Arts and the Christian Life: Why There Is Still Hope

     To speak of the decline of both the quality and presence of the Liberal Arts in the American academy is so clearly obvious that only the ignorant, apathetic, or contrarian would disagree. It seems about every year there are numerous books adding to the already mountain of works decrying the end of the Liberal Arts.

     While it may be true that the once esteemed place that the Liberal Arts held in the academy k-12 through graduate school has not seen darker days since the fall of the Roman empire, there are signs that some are still fighting the fight. Evidence for resistance fighters within Christian circles is found in the book Liberal Arts For the Christian Life edited by Jeffry C. Davis and Philip G. Ryken. This volume, while not entirely balanced in quality, is a fine example of Christians thinking Christianly about the Liberal Arts. More importantly, this book was assembled to honor Leland Ryken. 

    I have never concealed my indebtedness to Leland Ryken. His books on the Bible as Literature, the Arts, and Literature are all on my shelves and are throughly marked up as I have lifted quotes, and insights for lectures and sermons. While Dr. Ryken has written a few "scholarly" books, he has most often written or edited books that are accessible for any who might be interested in thinking about the Liberal Arts from a distinctly Christian worldview. Additionally, I was blessed several years ago when we invited Dr. Ryken to our campus as the annual Great Books Honors speaker and it was marvelous. 

     To finally put an embodied presence to his audio lectures I had heard, and all of his books I had read, I was able to meet Dr. Ryken several years ago. Dr. Ryken was gracious, kind, humble, encouraging, and professional. He is what is best understood in the terms of a "Christian gentleman." He is rare and as a leader in the battle for the Liberal Arts, he has served in an exemplary manner for decades and continues to equip others to join the ranks.

Seneca's On The Shortness of Life: Required Reading Before the Final Exam

     One does not have to jump into the Great Books by starting at the beginning. One does not have to start with the longest most difficult Philosophical work, or an 800 page literary masterpiece. It might be wise to begin with one of the shorter, richer selections. 
     A teaching found throughout the Great Books is the theme of a most insightful writing by Seneca. The idea is that life is short. However, Seneca takes a most unique perspective on this theme. "It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it. Life is long enough, and a sufficiently generous amount has been given to us for the highest achievements if it were all well invested."
     Seneca elaborates, "so it is: we are not given a short life but we make it short, and we are not ill–supplied but wasteful of it." There are a number of things Seneca suggests that add up to a terrible use of one's life, including, but not limited to, the slavish dedication to monetary pursuits, useless endeavors, sluggish and lazy behavior, idle preoccupations, constant distractions, being bogged down in expectancy, and engaged in indolent activities. One could only imagine what he would think of television and games.
     While some may read this essay and think that Seneca is reflecting on life and its brevity, the truth is Seneca is offering up a vision of a life well lived. Throughout the essay, Seneca calls the reader to engage in a life of leisure. Leisure does not mean simply lying around in a slothful manner, but rather an ongoing reflective contemplative notion of living the good life. 

     Throughout, Seneca also makes references to Liberal studies and the value of a liberal education and how this can lead one to wisdom by supplying a free mind.  Dealings with liberal studies allows one to become wise throughout one's leisurely endeavors. And this is the ultimate training for living a good, although, be it relatively short life (especially for the unwise). Similar to the modern existentialist, Seneca frequently distinguishes between a well lived life and a biologically long existence. 
     Of all of the relevant insights that Seneca offers in this essay, possibly the one most pertinent to the modern mind is Seneca's numerous reflections on time. He speaks wisely of our relationship to time: the past, present, and the hoped-for future. In more than one place, Seneca reminds us that time is a most precious gift and should be used wisely.
     The essay is replete with quotable quotes that one could post at one's work station, or on the refrigerator reminding one of the wisdom within this work. A particular quote that I have thought about a number of times over the last few days is this insight, "But learning how to live takes a whole life, and, which may surprise you more, it takes a whole life to learn how to die."

Why Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 Is a Great Book

     On numerous occasions, Mortimer Adler wrote about the criteria that was used to determine which books of all the books written in the West would be placed within The Great Books of the Western World.  Contrary to confusion and many misstatements I've read over the years, Adler says it was essentially three criteria and they are as follows:

1) Contemporary significance - Even though historically valuable, these works address “issues, problems, or facets of human life that are of major concern to us today as well as at the time in which they were written.”

Numerous critical reviews exist regarding Fahrenheit 451. One testament to its value is that it has been in print since 1953 and annually sells more than 50,000 copies. Many of the themes (and there are many) explored within the novel are timeless in their nature.
2) Rereadability - These are books “intended for the general reader that are worth reading carefully many times or studying over and over again...indefinitely rereadable for pleasure and profit.”
As I have confessed before in blogs and lectures, I have read Fahrenheit 451 over 30 times in the past several years. In truth, this work is rich in content and form and has enough thematic substance to sustain numerous readings and an enriching conversation. Most importantly is that all evidence points to the reality that this work is the most read, discussed, and researched work by Ray Bradbury, but it is the most universally misinterpreted.
3) Relevance- There is extensive relevance and something of significance to say about a large number of the 102 great ideas of the thinking and writing done by the authors chosen.
Of the 102 Great Ideas Adler explored, Fahrenheit 451 touches upon or explores in a meaningful manner the following: Beauty, Being, Cause, Chance, Change, Citizen, Courage, Custom and Convention, Desire, Duty, Emotion, Experience, Family, Fate, God, Good and Evil, Habit, Happiness, Honor, Judgment, Knowledge, Law, Life and Death, Love, Man, Memory and Imagination, Mind, Nature, Opinion, Opposition, Philosophy, Pleasure and Pain, Prudence, Punishment, Reasoning, Relation, Religion, Senses, Sign and Symbol, Sin, Soul, Temperance, Time, Truth, Virtue and Vice, Will, Wisdom, and World.
Additionally, Adler said that the list of Great Books needed to be regularly reevaluated. With this in mind, I hope that I have made the case for including this novel by Ray Bradbury and including it in the open and extended list Adler proposed.
As with other Bradbury writings, there is often an earlier life or version before the published date. While Fahrenheit 451 was published in 1953 (60 years ago and still in print), there were earlier kernel versions in short stories - "The Fireman," "Long After Midnight,", and the unpublished "Where Ignorant Armies Clash By Night."
     Fahrenheit 451 should be read as a companion story to "The Smile," "The Garbage Collector," "The Pedestrian," and "The Library." Readers can purchase the book, A Pleasure to Burn: Fahrenheit 451 Stories and see the rich thematic connections.  
     Certainly not to be read as a libertarian tract against censorship, but more as a cautionary tale of the way society can nurture anti-intellectualism, and daily inhumane behavior, this work should be removed from Jr High reading lists and moved to the Senior year of High school or possibly Freshman year of college. It would be essential to have a teacher who can read and see that the work is only in a minuscule way about censorship. Beyond being a masterfully crafted exploration of a dystopian society, the work examines numerous humane themes and offers a profound portrayal of the outcome of a society living the "unexamined life."

Being Civil in Mean Times

     We live in mean times. While many of us do not daily experience the kind of civic ugliness featured on the evening news, or common place in Op ed sections of national newspapers, if we simply look and listen, we catch the mean spirited discourse all too common. Forget that this is even an election year where both sides can be downright ugly. Uncivil discourse is pervasive and it is the kind of talk that would have gotten us a spanking or some serious time out as children. That makes me wonder....
     What prompted this blog was a recent social event where the religious convictions of a public figure solicited a "Support Day" by advocates and a "Kiss Day" by opponents. What is most troubling is that we are at a moment where a person's deeply held convictions solicit the response of "hate speech." Let me be more clear. We are in strange times when someone says, "I do not agree with ________" and the response is that "Not agreeing with _______ is HATE speech." Can you imagine where this may lead us? 
     One can well imagine neighbors talking across the fence and someone saying, "Well Bill, I think the City Council should restrict the amount of trash you can put on the curb." "How dare you, you are a HATE filled person to say that." So what are we to do in such an uncivil time? Our hope resides in the communities of character and our daily encouragement to be civil. 
     Os Guinness persuasively and passionately (not HATEFUL at all) in his The Case for Civility: And Why Our Future Depends On It, says that a large part of the problem of a collapse of civility in America is that the religious norms historically providing a foundation for civility has now become contested soil.  
     Judith Martin, in a now dated work (dated because it was first published in 1996 and dated because incivility is winning the day) Miss Manners' A Citizens Guide to Civility says that we need to reestablish the mores of etiquette if we are going to stand a chance.
     Related to this reestablishment of mores is the delightful, but also dated work (see note above), Say Please, Say Thank You: The Respect We Owe One Another where Donald McCullough examines the power and transformative nature of the daily habit of deference and consideration. Small gestures of humility would go a far distance toward establishing the good society. T.S. Eliot once observed that there is a thin veneer that keeps us all from being savages. One would hope that the habits of the heart, manifested in gracious gestures and kind words may strengthen that eroding veneer.
     For those committed to a higher, more transcendent code of conduct, we are reminded of a unique juxtaposition found in the apostle's letter to Titus, who at the time of receiving this letter was living at Crete. While Paul mentions the fact that "One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, 'Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons,'" we must also remember that Paul says later, in Titus 3:2 "show perfect courtesy toward all people." We can know for certain that in any Cretan moment, we are also called to be courtesy toward all, even the liars, beasts, and gluttons and may God save us all.

Why The Phantom Tollbooth is a Gateway to Great Books and Great Ideas

     This past summer, among the various books we read on our own and reported to one another, my wife and I read a "children's book" neither of us had read before. Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth. Of course, we had both seen it before and we had people at different times recommend it, but we went on through the Tollbooth together and it was a most enjoyable and edifying experience.
     We both laughed out loud as we traveled with Milo and Tock and met King Azaz.  We traveled with the Mathemagician and other guides to strange but enchanting lands such as Dictionoplois and Digitopolis, the Valley of Sounds, the Forrest of Sights, and the quest to restore Rhyme and Reason with the ultimate goal of the establishment of the Kingdom of Wisdom. 
     There are many memorable moments and lots of great quotes, but my wife and I agreed that our favorite is a conversation between Canby, Milo, and Humbug. On the edge of the Sea of Knowledge, the reader reads,
     "Isn't there even a boat?" asked Milo, anxious to get on with his trip.
     "Oh, no, " replied Canby, shaking his head. "The only way back is to swim, and that's a very long and a very hard way."
     "I don't like to get wet," moaned the unhappy bug, and he shuddered at the thought.
     "Neither do they, " said Canby sadly. "That's what keeps them here. But I wouldn't worry too much about it, for you can swim all day in the Sea of Knowledge and still come out completely day. Most people do."
     If one thought long and seriously about potential for learning in class or in life, the stark truth is that most people do swim in the sea of knowledge and leave the sea as dry as if they had never jumped in for a swim. Related to this truth is the reality that many swim for too long in the shallow end of the sea of knowledge, by staying close to the shore and not wading out out to the deeper waters.
     I have only one reservation with this work, and it is mild because I may be wrong, but there is a reference to The Terrible Trivium that is less than favorable. If indeed, Norton Juster is referring to "the trivium," which is central to Classical education, then he is simply, but terribly illformed. If he is merely using "trivium" as a synonym for trivial, then I apologize and retract my only mild reservation about this work.

My Summer Vacation in Green Town, Illinois

     Most of us had the childhood experience when returning to school after summer break having to write the mandatory, "What I Did This Summer" essay. Of the range of things we rarely wrote "slept a lot more," "nothing," or "stayed in trouble." We would often write about the summer vacations.
      Anyone who knows earthly geography, knows from the title of this blog that my summer vacation was spent in the sub-creation of Ray Bradbury. While this is true, it does not make the grandness of my vacation any less fantastic. Vacations should be about leisure, rest, laughter, reflection, and fine conversations. Additionally, one should return from vacation a better person.
     While I have read Dandelion Wine many times before this summer's read, I had never read this wonderful work with Summer Morning-Summer Night, and Farewell Summer. Enough good cannot be said of these summer works by Bradbury. It would be impossible to read these works together and not be thrown into memories of one's own summers past. Of all the reasons to read Ray Bradbury's stories, the distinctly human act of introspective reflection and reminiscence of years ago is a main motivation.
     The people we meet on the streets, in the shops, and in the homes of Green Town are easy to connect with despite the gap in historical setting. We understand these people because we can see ourselves in them. Our longings, fears, secrets, pains, and joys are here in these characters. Possibly one of the best reasons to read is not merely to escape, but to see our lives more clearly.
     Anyone who travels to Green Town will also be reminded of what really matters in this world, this gift of life. The various rituals, ceremonies, discoveries, illuminations, and the particulars of life to savor. Many of those who inhabit Green Town, also call us to live. They call us to better see this life that we are called to live. While there are elements reflecting a world that is not perfect, there is much there to enjoy.