One hundred thirteen years ago today, Clive Staples Lewis entered the world in Belfast Ireland. For much of his early life, Lewis was an atheist, so it would've appeared that his life would make little difference in church history. Through a friendship with J. R. R. Tolkein (author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy), he converted to Christianity.
All Christians could learn something from reading C. S. Lewis. An ignorant Christian he was not. He served as a professor at both Oxford and Cambridge in the UK. His writings appealed to both children and adults. Recently, some of his series The Chronicles of Narnia appeared on the big screen and had some popularity. His most famous work is probably Mere Christianity, which Christianity Today named the best book of the twentieth century. Mere Christianity is an apologetic work that tries to strip Christianity to the bare essentials.
Lewis was an orthodox Anglican, but he attempted to emphasize a bare bones Christian faith that all true Christians would agree with. He is famous for the trilemma regarding Jesus. Lewis argued that it is not enough to just view Jesus as a good teacher. If he claimed to be God and he was not, that made him a horrible liar at worst, or a crazed lunatic at best, in the view of Lewis. His conclusion was that Christ must be a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord he claimed to be. While I would not necessarily endorse all of Lewis' views, He made a very logical argument for the Christian faith.
Today, some colleges and seminaries hold classes directly related to the writings of C. S. Lewis. His writings cannot be ignored in the field of apologetics, and have influenced people on both sides of the Atlantic. For that reason, I say, happy birthday, Mr. Lewis.
29 November 2011
26 November 2011
Top Book Suggestions for Christmas Gifts
It's now less than a month until Christmas. While I'm not a huge fan of the all of the commercialism that is tied to the holiday, I confess I still celebrate with the family and give gifts (well, actually, my wife picks out all of the gifts, except for what I get her). In light of this, here's a list of some of the most interesting books that I've read in the last year or so while in grad school. Some are related to church history, some to some other field of history, and some to culture in general. All can be purchased at Amazon.com through the wonderful link at the top of this blog.
1. Emily Cockayne, Hubbub: Filth, Noise, and Stench in England, 1600-1770. This book is a bit gross, but it is probably still my favorite that I've read since starting my doctoral program--probably because it's gross. It discusses the life of common folk in early modern England in a, well, sort of gross manner. Not related to church history.
2. D.A. Carson, Christ and Culture Revisisted. Carson critiques Richard Neibuhr's Christ and Culture and looks at the relationship between Christians and society. He discusses postmodernism and church/state relations. If you can get through the first chapter, the rest of the book is a much easier (less deep) read. I've been reading it along with some professors who were nice enough to ask me to join their reading group.
3. Timothy Keller, Generous Justice. Critique of the much of Christian society from an evangelical insider. Causes some serious thinking regarding prevalent evangelical thought on society and economics.
4. Mark Valeri, Heavenly Merchandize: How Religion Shaped Commerce in Puritan America. This book looks at the change in Puritan attitudes to merchants from the Great Migration of the 1630s to the Great Awakening. They started out pseudo-socialists and basically ended up rabid capitalists. Find out why.
5. Harry Stout, Upon the Altar of the Nation: A Moral History of the Civil War. This book looks in some ways at religious and moral thought during the Civil War, but ties it to thoughts prior to the war. This book influenced my own thinking, and I utilized some of the thinking (with credit given, of course) in some of my recent work.
These are just a few recommendations. Even if you're not going to buy these, you can still utilize the link to Amazon to buy anything that they have for Christmas gifts or at any time of the year.
1. Emily Cockayne, Hubbub: Filth, Noise, and Stench in England, 1600-1770. This book is a bit gross, but it is probably still my favorite that I've read since starting my doctoral program--probably because it's gross. It discusses the life of common folk in early modern England in a, well, sort of gross manner. Not related to church history.
2. D.A. Carson, Christ and Culture Revisisted. Carson critiques Richard Neibuhr's Christ and Culture and looks at the relationship between Christians and society. He discusses postmodernism and church/state relations. If you can get through the first chapter, the rest of the book is a much easier (less deep) read. I've been reading it along with some professors who were nice enough to ask me to join their reading group.
3. Timothy Keller, Generous Justice. Critique of the much of Christian society from an evangelical insider. Causes some serious thinking regarding prevalent evangelical thought on society and economics.
4. Mark Valeri, Heavenly Merchandize: How Religion Shaped Commerce in Puritan America. This book looks at the change in Puritan attitudes to merchants from the Great Migration of the 1630s to the Great Awakening. They started out pseudo-socialists and basically ended up rabid capitalists. Find out why.
5. Harry Stout, Upon the Altar of the Nation: A Moral History of the Civil War. This book looks in some ways at religious and moral thought during the Civil War, but ties it to thoughts prior to the war. This book influenced my own thinking, and I utilized some of the thinking (with credit given, of course) in some of my recent work.
These are just a few recommendations. Even if you're not going to buy these, you can still utilize the link to Amazon to buy anything that they have for Christmas gifts or at any time of the year.
24 November 2011
Happy Thanksgiving
Hello on this wonderful Thanksgiving Day. Today is supposed to be beautiful in North Dakota. Yesterday was a balmy 58 degrees and today is also supposed to be above 50, which is really, really warm for this time of year. Last year we had snow all week and it was about 15-20 for a high temperature (it was that cold just last Saturday...made for a painful walk from the parking lot to the indoor football stadium). Therefore, the weather today is definitely something to be thankful for. I'm also very thankful for another year with my wife and daughters.
Here's a link to an article on the first Thanksgiving in 1621. There was a feast, but there was no football game. On another note, I don't think that the Pilgrims or the Indians camped out for days to be the first into the local Wal-Mart on Thanksgiving evening. While I don't have a problem with people having the freedom to shop whenever they so desire, I do think that the ever shorter period of time taken for giving thanks and spending time with family indicate what is most important in our society. Time for thanks gets pushed aside for commercialism tied to Christmas (which is another disconcerting sign of the times and American materialism, IMHO).
To get some feedback on feelings toward the start of Black Thursday on Thanksgiving Eve, I am interested to see who will be going to any stores opening before midnight tonight (Thanksgiving). You can either comment or fill out the poll on the sidebar. God bless and have a great Thanksgiving regardless.
Here's a link to an article on the first Thanksgiving in 1621. There was a feast, but there was no football game. On another note, I don't think that the Pilgrims or the Indians camped out for days to be the first into the local Wal-Mart on Thanksgiving evening. While I don't have a problem with people having the freedom to shop whenever they so desire, I do think that the ever shorter period of time taken for giving thanks and spending time with family indicate what is most important in our society. Time for thanks gets pushed aside for commercialism tied to Christmas (which is another disconcerting sign of the times and American materialism, IMHO).
To get some feedback on feelings toward the start of Black Thursday on Thanksgiving Eve, I am interested to see who will be going to any stores opening before midnight tonight (Thanksgiving). You can either comment or fill out the poll on the sidebar. God bless and have a great Thanksgiving regardless.
21 November 2011
On This Date, the Pilgrims Reached America
It is very fitting, with Thanksgiving falling later this week, that the first settlers in colonial New England anchored just off the coast of Massachusetts. The complete story of the Pilgrims often gets lost as the first Thanksgiving seems to dominate the popular understanding of the group. The Pilgrims were a small group of Separatists from Scrooby, England.
Some people (including one so prominent as T. O. Lloyd, among the best historians of the British Empire) call the Separatists Puritans. The Puritans were quite content to stay in the Church of England with certain reservations. The Pilgrims, on the other hand, were not quite so complicit. They decided to break with the church, which was quite the no-no in a very intolerant age in which the civil and religious hierarchies demanded strict conformity. To escape persecution, these Separatists moved to the Dutch city of Leiden. The Netherlands was the most tolerant religious nation in the seventeenth century. However, the sinfulness of the Dutch (as well as their lack of Englishness, which influenced the Pilgrim children) led the Separatists from Scrooby to consider another option--Virginia. The Pilgrims' stay in Leiden is commemorated in a museum, however.
In September 1620, after having returned to England, the Pilgrims began their journey. Their journey was delayed a couple of times because one of the ships that was to bring them over had (apparently debatable) issues over seaworthiness. All of the Pilgrims then crowded upon the Mayflower and embarked on their journey. Leaving in September was not a good idea, as the journey took several weeks. A storm blew the ship off-course, and the small group failed to reach Virginia. Instead, they wound up outside the land that their charter defined, hence the famous Mayflower Compact. They probably didn't land a Plymouth Rock itself, but they nevertheless reached the New World on November 21, 1620. William Bradford was very important, and his diary provides important information on the Plymouth Colony, which lasted until the early 1690s, at which point Massachusetts absorbed Plymouth.
In spite of their popularity because of Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims are much less important than the Puritans who followed them in 1630. The number of Pilgrims was nowhere near as large as that of the Puritans. The Puritans would greatly impact the society of New England with their idea of the godly society, while they basically absorbed the Pilgrims. Nonetheless, November 21, 1620, is a pretty important date in American history. I would argue, however, that it does not establish religious freedom in America. Just because a group wanted freedom for itself does not mean it wants it for everyone else. Hence, they left the libertarian Netherlands. Their journey does indicate the importance of religious belief and how it can impact the decisions and behavior of people, and the beliefs of the Pilgrims and Puritans led them to leave home for their "City upon a Hill."
Some people (including one so prominent as T. O. Lloyd, among the best historians of the British Empire) call the Separatists Puritans. The Puritans were quite content to stay in the Church of England with certain reservations. The Pilgrims, on the other hand, were not quite so complicit. They decided to break with the church, which was quite the no-no in a very intolerant age in which the civil and religious hierarchies demanded strict conformity. To escape persecution, these Separatists moved to the Dutch city of Leiden. The Netherlands was the most tolerant religious nation in the seventeenth century. However, the sinfulness of the Dutch (as well as their lack of Englishness, which influenced the Pilgrim children) led the Separatists from Scrooby to consider another option--Virginia. The Pilgrims' stay in Leiden is commemorated in a museum, however.
In September 1620, after having returned to England, the Pilgrims began their journey. Their journey was delayed a couple of times because one of the ships that was to bring them over had (apparently debatable) issues over seaworthiness. All of the Pilgrims then crowded upon the Mayflower and embarked on their journey. Leaving in September was not a good idea, as the journey took several weeks. A storm blew the ship off-course, and the small group failed to reach Virginia. Instead, they wound up outside the land that their charter defined, hence the famous Mayflower Compact. They probably didn't land a Plymouth Rock itself, but they nevertheless reached the New World on November 21, 1620. William Bradford was very important, and his diary provides important information on the Plymouth Colony, which lasted until the early 1690s, at which point Massachusetts absorbed Plymouth.
In spite of their popularity because of Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims are much less important than the Puritans who followed them in 1630. The number of Pilgrims was nowhere near as large as that of the Puritans. The Puritans would greatly impact the society of New England with their idea of the godly society, while they basically absorbed the Pilgrims. Nonetheless, November 21, 1620, is a pretty important date in American history. I would argue, however, that it does not establish religious freedom in America. Just because a group wanted freedom for itself does not mean it wants it for everyone else. Hence, they left the libertarian Netherlands. Their journey does indicate the importance of religious belief and how it can impact the decisions and behavior of people, and the beliefs of the Pilgrims and Puritans led them to leave home for their "City upon a Hill."
16 November 2011
Winding up a Semester
Well...it seems as though my third semester as a doctoral student just started. When it did, there were leaves on the trees and the daytime high temp was around 90. Yesterday, we got our first measurable snow and the high temp today was somewhere in the mid-20s. Even though the snow was only around an inch, its still around. Only 4 weeks left in this semester.
From time to time I submit a post to the Christian Blog Carnival. This week's host is Harry Neufeld at Jevlir Caravansary. My recent post on Weber's thesis on the Protestant work ethic was included. Included on this was a post that questioned if there was room for Christian business leaders in today's cut-throat climte. I found the article interesting in light of all of the complaints about poor ethics in business today.
Another academic blog that I look at frequently is the Religion in American History blog. This blog recently had a three-part series by an academic who worked at a Christian company for the summer that tied in some ways to the Weber thesis. Another writer on this collaborative blog included a response to the initial series. These have been some of the more interesting non-school related things that I've seen lately. I'm still plodding away on a Puritan historiography, research for an upcoming public history publication on a historic North Dakota church building, and independent readings on general world history.
From time to time I submit a post to the Christian Blog Carnival. This week's host is Harry Neufeld at Jevlir Caravansary. My recent post on Weber's thesis on the Protestant work ethic was included. Included on this was a post that questioned if there was room for Christian business leaders in today's cut-throat climte. I found the article interesting in light of all of the complaints about poor ethics in business today.
Another academic blog that I look at frequently is the Religion in American History blog. This blog recently had a three-part series by an academic who worked at a Christian company for the summer that tied in some ways to the Weber thesis. Another writer on this collaborative blog included a response to the initial series. These have been some of the more interesting non-school related things that I've seen lately. I'm still plodding away on a Puritan historiography, research for an upcoming public history publication on a historic North Dakota church building, and independent readings on general world history.
10 November 2011
Where Did Americans Get Their Work Ethic?
Here is a section from a historiographical paper that I'm writing on the Puritans. I'll probably post the entire paper here later if it doesn't get reamed terribly. I reviewed the book referred to below last year for a class on the Anglo-Atlantic World. While the so-called Weber thesis has its detractors, it is still quite popular in the popular consciousness of American society, even in a more pluralistic age. I can remember some undergrad professors at West Virginia Tech in the mid-1990s talking about the "Judeo-Christian ethic" or the "Protestant ethic." Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism greatly contributed to this belief.
Many writers have attempted to depict the Puritans as a sort of proto-capitalists. Authors such as Max Weber and R. H. Tawney popularized this motif. Weber, a nineteenth-century sociologist, attempted to explain the rise of capitalism. He argued that a “Protestant ethic” was the impetus that allowed for the development of capitalism. This opposed Karl Marx’s view that class struggle led to the rise of capitalism. Weber defined the “spirit of capitalism” as “the earning of more and more money, combined with the avoidance of all spontaneous enjoyment of life.” (53)
According to Weber, the Protestant idea of a calling in life (to a certain occupation or station) was crucial to the development of modern capitalism. He contrasted the worldview of European Catholics with that of Protestant ascetic sects, such as the Calvinists, Pietists, Methodists, and Baptists. Weber argued that medieval and early modern Catholics worked to live. They did enough to provide for themselves and the society in which they lived, with little concern for working harder. He then looked at the Calvinists, with their emphasis on predestination and the corresponding concern for an assurance of their salvation. While good works would not save them, the Calvinists believed that good works were a sign of one’s election and that they would bring the desired assurance of God’s favor. The Calvinists and other ascetic groups worked hard because of their belief that God had called them to a certain occupation. According to Weber, instead of working to live, the Calvinists lived to work so that they could obtain assurance of their salvation. Work in itself was done for the glory of God, and to fail to do one’s best was viewed as a sign of reprobation.
Since the earning of money was a side benefit of work, the earning of money could then be viewed as a noble goal if done for the glory of God, rather than being done simply for the enrichment of the worker. Weber’s main point was that this ethic was responsible for the rise of capitalism. This Calvinist work ethic definitely applied to the Puritans. However, Weber’s thesis did not take into account the fact that Venice, Genoa, and other Italian city-states were the originators of much that makes up modern capitalism. These early Italian merchants did not shy away from making money, and they were not Protestant, but Catholic. In addition, Weber did not really address the use of colonial possessions and new technology in the rise of capitalism, so there is much room for debate on his famous thesis.
Many writers have attempted to depict the Puritans as a sort of proto-capitalists. Authors such as Max Weber and R. H. Tawney popularized this motif. Weber, a nineteenth-century sociologist, attempted to explain the rise of capitalism. He argued that a “Protestant ethic” was the impetus that allowed for the development of capitalism. This opposed Karl Marx’s view that class struggle led to the rise of capitalism. Weber defined the “spirit of capitalism” as “the earning of more and more money, combined with the avoidance of all spontaneous enjoyment of life.” (53)
According to Weber, the Protestant idea of a calling in life (to a certain occupation or station) was crucial to the development of modern capitalism. He contrasted the worldview of European Catholics with that of Protestant ascetic sects, such as the Calvinists, Pietists, Methodists, and Baptists. Weber argued that medieval and early modern Catholics worked to live. They did enough to provide for themselves and the society in which they lived, with little concern for working harder. He then looked at the Calvinists, with their emphasis on predestination and the corresponding concern for an assurance of their salvation. While good works would not save them, the Calvinists believed that good works were a sign of one’s election and that they would bring the desired assurance of God’s favor. The Calvinists and other ascetic groups worked hard because of their belief that God had called them to a certain occupation. According to Weber, instead of working to live, the Calvinists lived to work so that they could obtain assurance of their salvation. Work in itself was done for the glory of God, and to fail to do one’s best was viewed as a sign of reprobation.
Since the earning of money was a side benefit of work, the earning of money could then be viewed as a noble goal if done for the glory of God, rather than being done simply for the enrichment of the worker. Weber’s main point was that this ethic was responsible for the rise of capitalism. This Calvinist work ethic definitely applied to the Puritans. However, Weber’s thesis did not take into account the fact that Venice, Genoa, and other Italian city-states were the originators of much that makes up modern capitalism. These early Italian merchants did not shy away from making money, and they were not Protestant, but Catholic. In addition, Weber did not really address the use of colonial possessions and new technology in the rise of capitalism, so there is much room for debate on his famous thesis.
09 November 2011
The Church in the Wildwood
This summer, I had the opportunity (quite by accident) to visit the Little Brown Church in the Vale. This church was made famous by the song on the "Church in the Wildwood." I happened to drive by it on my way back from a trip home with the family to West Virginia. We decided to take the kids to the St. Louis Gateway Arch and driving through rural Iowa was the shortest route from St. Louis to North Dakota.
The Little Brown Church in the Vale showed up on the map as a landmark of interest. Being the church nut that I am, I had to stop and see the church since it was only a couple of miles off of the highway. This Congregational church sits just outside of Nashua, Iowa, and dates to the 1860s. It is easily accessible from US Highway 218. While not an imposing structure like some of the churches in the Czech Republic that I've posted on this site, it was nonetheless pretty cool to see a historic country church. The church is still in use, and hosts many weddings on an annualized basis. The church also holds baptism on Sunday afternoons. The church is memorialized by the song, and is a link to the pioneer days. Often, one of the earliest structures built in new towns was a church (or churches). Many of these churches no longer stand, but they were an important part of pioneer life. It's impossible to tell the story of American history (or the history of just about any nation) without mentioning the history of religion. In America, that religion is Christianity. The early settlers had beliefs that influenced the way that they lived. Below are photos of the the Little Brown Church in the Vale:
The Little Brown Church in the Vale showed up on the map as a landmark of interest. Being the church nut that I am, I had to stop and see the church since it was only a couple of miles off of the highway. This Congregational church sits just outside of Nashua, Iowa, and dates to the 1860s. It is easily accessible from US Highway 218. While not an imposing structure like some of the churches in the Czech Republic that I've posted on this site, it was nonetheless pretty cool to see a historic country church. The church is still in use, and hosts many weddings on an annualized basis. The church also holds baptism on Sunday afternoons. The church is memorialized by the song, and is a link to the pioneer days. Often, one of the earliest structures built in new towns was a church (or churches). Many of these churches no longer stand, but they were an important part of pioneer life. It's impossible to tell the story of American history (or the history of just about any nation) without mentioning the history of religion. In America, that religion is Christianity. The early settlers had beliefs that influenced the way that they lived. Below are photos of the the Little Brown Church in the Vale:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)