Archive for February, 2009
Thursday, February 26th, 2009
February 25, 2009
This week we had the first annual Shrove Race. We call it the Pancake Race. This race celebrated the last day before Lent which is called Fat Tuesday or Fasnacht Day here in
Lancaster
. On this day, people feasted on food (that was providentially going to spoil) like doughnuts or pancakes before the beginning of the Lenten Fast. The race started at the parish church in Olney
England
in the 1400s—the very church where John Newton (the writer of the hymn “Amazing Grace”) would later preach. Some of our secondary students dressed up in strange garb—the original racers were mimicking a housewife running through the streets in her gown and rollers—and ran across the back field flipping pancakes as they ran. Secondary parents and students then enjoyed a pancake breakfast. It was a load of fun and it is amazing how many pancakes a 9th grader can eat. There are moments when it is really fun to be Headmaster!
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Wednesday, February 25th, 2009
February 24, 2009
I finished this short book—
Berry
’s first essay published in 1968—this morning. For any fan of
Berry
or for anyone interest in race or anthropology, I would highly recommend reading it even though it is out of print. Find it. Purchase it used. It is worth it. All of
Berry
’s full blown anthropology is evident. His economic analysis which ends in some sort of radically community oriented version of capitalism is there. All the pieces are on the board and he is beginning to move them masterfully. His analysis of race and racism is striking, convicting and overwhelming. Most convicting, perhaps, is that he traces racism back to its roots. Here is a sample:
I believe then, and I believe more strongly now, that the root of our racial problem in
America
is not racism. The root is our inordinate desire to be superior—not to some inferior or subject people, though this desire leads to the subjections of people—but to our condition. We wish to rise above the sweat and bother of taking care of anything—of ourselves, of each other, or of our country. We did not enslave African blacks because they are black, but because their labor promised to free us from the obligation of stewardship, and because they were unable to prevent us from enslaving them. They were economically valuable and militarily weak.
Berry
, like Dante, points out the horrible sin of racism is even worse than we think. . . .
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Friday, February 20th, 2009
February 20, 2009
I just finished Mark Noll’s fine book and wanted to recommend it to any that are looking for some thought provoking reading. His historical analysis is eye-opening. As an evangelical, he is able to see both our strengths and our flaws with stunning clarity. I did not agree with the entire book but here are some opening thoughts . . . .
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Wednesday, February 18th, 2009
February 18, 2009
The recent (and excellent) Veritas Academy Madrigal Feast caused me to do some theological reflection—particularly on the jester! Here are my thoughts. Tell me what you think.
Jesters are sort of court comedians for Medieval Christian kings. They are not, however, just stand up comics. Jesters—as our skit pointed out—can say anything to the king. They are there to make fun of the king and to humble him. My bet is that something like this happens exclusively (I think of no non-Christian instances of this in history) and best in Christian countries. This sort of thing is deeply Trinitarian. Kings and rulers in the rest of the world have to project an image on power. They want to portray themselves as sort of a monolithic unity of power that is to be feared and obeyed. Not so with the best of Christian rulers. Just as each person of the Trinity does not hoard power desperately worrying that the other person or persons will push them out. Christian kings built in and hired people to remind them that they were to hold power loosely—that they were not all of that! We see this in Narnia. This is why the Calormenes are scandalized by the penchant of the Narnian rulers to walk their streets bare-faced and chatting. The Calormene rulers travel in great carried chairs with great pomp making their subjects bow and call them by endless titles. Not so with Christian lords. They have to come to grips with the fact that they are a functionary, a place holder for the real King. They serve their people just as Christ came to serve and die for His flock, just as Father, Son and Holy Ghost continually pour themselves out in love for the other and for creation—not for themselves.
Now to Iraq, the Jihadist allure . . . .
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Tuesday, February 17th, 2009
February 17, 2009
Recently, I was asked to consider why we start Omnibus in 7th grade. “Why not put it off until 9th?” some ask thinking that students are just not ready for the Great Books in 7th grade. We must not make too much of the Start in 7th and Start in 9th groups. We do have a ridiculous amount in common. Both groups are committed to classical education; both groups are committed to having students read the Great Books; both groups are committed to having students start in an odd numbered year of secondary school. This is just to say that we have all the genetic variation of the cheetah family (see http://www.cheetah.org/?nd=41 if you are curious).
We also should not make too much of our difference because there is not a right answer that fits every school or homeschool student. I am an advocate of the earlier start, but will happily admit that for some students a later start would not hurt and might even be preferable. There are also some students who enjoy the Great Books even before they come to 7th. These students usually have them read aloud to them by mom or dad. This is definitely the best case scenario, but it is too few and too far between in this generation to count too much on this good practice.
Finally, we should not make too much of our difference because we are all still learning. In the future will students do work that we think of as more advanced earlier? I think they will. If God allows this movement of his Spirit called classical education to grown and flourish, if He allows family and community life to grow, I think we will see more adults reading and enjoying the Great Books and thus more children being exposed to them earlier. This will make reading them easier because they will look forward to it more (because mom and dad think its cool) and because they know the story going in. Still, I could be wrong in this. There is much to learn.
With all of this water under the bridge revealing why we should not take this debate too seriously, I am ready to plunge in and tell you why I think starting in 7th grade is the right way to go. . . .
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Monday, February 16th, 2009
February 16, 2009
During some recent travel I got a chance to read a number of articles. Anthony Esolen’s article “The Lovely Dragon of Choice” is worth a read. Esolen is a Dante scholar (thus beloved by me) and a contributor to Touchstone Magazine. Try this out and tell me what you think:
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Friday, February 13th, 2009
February 13, 2009
Today, I woke up in a different country—a stimulated (or at least pre-stimulated country). For my part, I deny feeling any better. I am less confident about the future. Here are a few signs of the Apocalypse that I note today:
1. Bail Out Math, Sign 1: The Math Department went to work this morning breaking down the stimulus math in interesting ways. Here is the first sign: The total cost of the stimulus is equal to spending $20,000 an hour since the time of the completion of the Great Pyramids.
2. Bail Out Math, Sign 2: A Hillsdale professor noted that this stimulus bill is roughly equal in size to all currency presently in circulation in the economy.
3. Bail Out Math, Sign 3: The final number of the compromise is $789 billion. As a history wonk. I have noted how much $789 looks like 1789. Aristocrat should hold on to their hats this might get interesting.
The next sign . . . .
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Friday, February 13th, 2009
February 12, 2009
If you have a chance read the following article. It is on the recent financial debacle in our country. It is written by Jim Senef who is board member for Reformed Seminary and a business man in
Orlando
. In a time where I see people (and feel myself) despairing he seems to bring a very balanced—and long term—hopeful perspective. We could all use a dose of real hope these days (it is on page 9 of this link):
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Thursday, February 12th, 2009
February 12, 2009
I just watched the following three part interview of Ayn Rand by Mike Wallace. Of course,
Rand
is hardly a believer. She is materialist, objectivist, atheist philosopher. So, we don’t agree on everything. She, however, does believe in free markets, individual freedom, virtues and the US Constitution. This interview is fun to watch in light of the current economic crisis—which she forecasts. The most hilarious part in Mike Wallace’s bumbling (but abjectly sincere) defense of the welfare state on Christian grounds.
For those students and alumni who studied
Rand
at Veritas, seeing her in almost living color is a real treat (the interview is in three parts):
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Wednesday, February 11th, 2009
February 11, 2009
Big news concerning the ACCS Conference in
Atlanta
this year! Chuck Colson is going to be our featured speaker. He had become a big fan of classical Christian education. Read his thoughts from his Breakpoint Commentaries at this link:
http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=802
For friends considering Veritas this who might know of Chuck Colson from his work at Prison Fellowship and his books, this is a great link to have them read.
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