Reading. Discussion. Two things the Great Books program revolves around. Without them, Great Books wouldn't be the same and likely wouldn't exist. As I was reading The Screwtape Letters, I began noticing connections between the content and the program (and, to some extent, my thesis). The great conversation doesn't stop upon graduation, it flows throughout our entire lives. The form may change but it still continues; it's no longer sitting in a classroom discussion but instead finding connections in our daily lives, often between literature and life.
Lewis discusses various ways that we can be led into sin and away from God in The Screwtape Letters. Many of the issues he mentions are still highly prevalent today. In one letter, Screwtape tells Wormwood about the progress they've made in disassociating the past from the present, mainly in terms of reading. By convincing modern readers to focus on anything but the truth behind a book, they've caused humanity to lose much focus on it. Instead, discussion shifts to points of view, the history surrounding the work, influences, etc. All of these topics are helpful for understanding the meaning behind the larger work, but if we simply discuss what the author means or believe that it was only useful ages ago and fail to discuss if it is right and true, then we have failed in our duty as readers and, ultimately, as Christians. As Christians, we are told to test the spirits to see if they are from God. We should give the same weight to what we read so as not to be lead astray by written false teachings. That's where Great Books excels. We take the time in class to interpret what the author is saying, but we have discussions about the truthfulness. Do we agree that the monks in Desert Fathers are living out their faith in accordance with Scripture? Why is Aristotle's golden mean true, even centuries later? Of course, the pursuit of truth shouldn't start and stop with discussion. If one fails to apply it to his life, then he's not much better off from when he didn't know. Knowledge lets us change our mindsets, habits, and lifestyle to align with the good and true. For example, we can't just read about virtue, we have to be virtuous. And that's why studying classics is so important; it reveals to us greater truths about the world while providing us with a deeper understanding that we can then use to make change.
"Don't stand out by reading old books--fit in. Read the new ones, or don't read at all, as that would be better that separating oneself from the crowd," Screwtape would say. Reading older books is frowned upon as weird, at the least. Yet by not reading the classics, we separate ourselves from truth and, potentially, from God (as many of these books focus on Him) which is exactly what the enemy wants. In our modern area, these types of books are typically read in certain classroom settings, such as college honors programs. In certain academic circles, there is pushback against such programs, with people viewing them as elitist or unnecessary. After reading Screwtape Proposes a Toast, this disdain made more sense. Screwtape talks about how spreading democracy, the kind where everyone thinks the rest of humanity should look the same and no one stand out, can lead to holding those intellectually gifted minds back so as not to offend anyone. When students are held back, education is dummied down. Honors programs are, in a way, a pushback against this. When environments are provided for people to pursue higher places of learning where they can further their intellect, it should be welcomed because they are letting students reach their full potential instead of limiting them to a typical classroom setup. I think that's especially true with Great Books since participation requires a greater level of thinking and interpreting than an entry level class that simply requires memorization.
That's why Great Books is invaluable. No, one doesn't have to read old books and discuss them in a classroom in order to have understanding. However, the fact that the program easily enables students to have those edifying experiences whilst steering them in pursuit of God is beautiful. So continue reading great books in order to learn and grow, and don't listen to the world when it pushes against it.
Comments
Post a Comment