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The Arrogance of the Modern: Historical Theology Held in Contempt

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Recently, syndicated columnist Clarence Page was critical of the selection of the "100 Best English language novels" that had just been issued by ten panelists convened by Random House. In particular, he was concerned over the fact that only six books written in the past 25 years were included. Also, he was concerned that only six books were written by non-whites.

When one realizes that books have been written for thousands of years, the fact that six of "the best 100" novels of all time were written since 1973 is quite astonishing. Further, although non-whites clearly dominate the world scene, few of them have written "English language novels."

Page further noted that the ten panelists who selected the list were all white men, except for one white woman. Included on the panel were such recognized authorities as Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., Gore Vidal, William Styron, Daniel Boorstin, and Christopher Cerf. Page observed that these men have! an average age of 69.

Apparently, this panel suffered from an extreme case of being too old. Obviously, they are biased toward archaic literature created before the advent of Postmodernism and its attendant rule that the value of a piece of literature is to be based on the race, gender and class of its author. These are the only things that count. If you are a white, upper class male, you obviously have nothing to say to this generation. Especially, if you have only one year left in your "three score and ten." Obviously, Socrates, Plato, and other writers from ages past suffered from a severe lack of the appropriate genes, to mention nothing about the racism, sexism and class-ism of their societies.

Into the breach comes a very well documented volume by David W. Hall, with the title, "The Arrogance of the Modern: Historical Theology Held in Contempt." Early on in the book, Hall decries the tendency for researchers and theoreticians to cite only recent! writings as backup of their work. He cites the concept tha! t civilization is a democracy extending far back into time; the "votes" of citizens of old, represented by their writings, are just as important as those written just yesterday.

To cap off his argument, Hall quotes a comment from Lord Acton, in which he said, "Just as the loss of memory in an individual is a psychiatric defect calling for a medical treatment, so too any community which has no social memory is suffering from an illness." Those who do not learn from history, as you will recall, are doomed to repeat it. And, I might add, history has far more of what the Clarence Pages of this generation despise than the present. But, the Balkanization brought on by Postmodern criticism may well be our "unlearned lesson" that finally does us all in.

This volume is a closely-argued, well organized thesis. It is not easy reading but, with the complexity of the subject, I think it is as well written a volume as I have seen. You will not go wrong by ! reading it!

Many people have forgotten the wisdom of our parents, or else they hold the past in contempt. This primer for the use of church history to diagnose modern issues is needed and beneficial. It is an introduction to the likes of C. S. Lewis, St. Augustine, Robert Dabney, G. K. Chesterton, Groen Van Prinsterer, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and others.