logos redux

St. Peter famously observed that St. Paul’s writings contained many things “that are hard to understand.” Yet twenty centuries of Christians (ordinary people and clergy) have nevertheless assumed the right and responsibility of interpreting Paul for themselves, without Paul’s help. God expects us to act as though we, the audience, have access to Paul’s meaning, even though we are not Paul himself. The same is true of less authoritative figures, like politicians and public speakers…

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“I am convinced that most of the young men are taught against too narrow a backdrop, and [are still fighting the old battles of the Reformation]. But in reality this is no longer where we are, either in theory or in practice. Actually the battle is being fought against the backdrop of all the religions of the world which have apostatized from the true religion since the foundation of the world…”

Francis Schaeffer, letter dated sometime 1956-1958

“My political opinions lean more and more to Anarchy (philosophically understood, meaning abolition of control not whiskered men with bombs)—or to ‘unconstitutional Monarchy.’ I would arrest anybody who uses the word State (in any sense other than the inanimate realm of England and its inhabitants, a thing that has neither power, rights not mind); and after a chance of recantation, execute them if they remained obstinate! If we could get back to personal names, it would do a lot of good. Government is an abstract noun meaning the art and process of governing and it should be an offence to write it with a capital G or so as to refer to people. If people were in the habit of referring to ‘King George’s council, Winston and his gang,’ it would go a long way to clearing thought, and reducing the frightful landslide into Theyocacy. Anyway the proper study of Man is anything but Man; and the most improper job of any man, even saints… is bossing other men. Not one in a million is fit for it, and least of all those who seek the opportunity. The mediaevals were only too right in taking nolo episcopari as the best reason a man could give to others for making him a bishop.”

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, 63-64

Via Mark Horne, hornes.org/mark

“It seems to me all things became grist for the movement’s mill…And if things or people got in the way, they were to be blasted…We threw everything which came to hand…But we could have remembered that, wrong though they were, [those with whom we clashed] were brothers in Christ…But ‘the movement’ rolls on, and now differences arise between us. Quickly the pattern repeats itself; the habit is too well learned. The movement is in jeopardy! So everything is thrown again [at one another, as in battle]…And who is wounded? We are and our Lord…

I am sure ’separation’ is correct, but it is only one principle. There are others to be kept as well. The command to love should mean something…”

Francis Schaeffer, letter to “Jeffrey,” 8 November 1951

Here it is late Pentecost and I’ve made little progress. Ah, well.

Recently finished…
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, J.K. Rowling. Fun. I’m told they get even better. Can’t wait.
Hell on Trial: The Case for Eternal Punishment, Robert Peterson. I read this for my cyber-column. An adequate treatment of an awful subject. I’ll be writing on that subject soon. Interestingly, thinking about this has helped me see the intimate connections between the doctrine of divine wrath and the Problem of Evil (a subject I just finished writing about over at Examiner).

Reading…
Letters of Francis Schaeffer, ed. Lane Dennis.
Primeval Saints, James Jordan.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, J.K. Rowling.

“As soon as A observes something which seems to him to be wrong from which X is suffering, A talks it over with B, and A and B then propose to get a law passed to remedy the evil and help X. Their law always proposes to determine what C shall do for X…. What I want to do is look up C…. I call him the Forgotten Man…He is the man who is never thought of. He works, he votes—generally he prays—but he always pays.”

William Graham Sumner, The Forgotten Man

“The principles in the Bible include the idea that governing authorities are responsible to God for their actions…The government officials must work for justice, not for their own private gain or in order to favor some individuals or groups…Moreover, a subsidy for one particular kind of work [e.g., musicians, artists, inventors, and their distributors] favors this kind of work in comparison with others. It is favoritism toward some. The Bible forbids favoritism or partiality in the government because it is unjust: ‘You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, … Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, …’ (Deuteronomy 16:19-20)…Restrictions on copying amount to a subsidy for certain kinds of intellectual work. That involves partiality, and is unjust.”

Vern Poythress, “Copyrights and Copying: Why the Laws Should be Changed“