Done!

The American Covenant

On April 26, 1607, the ships Godspeed, Susan Constant, and Discovery first landed on the Cape Henry shores (now known as Virginia Beach). The expedition of English colonists, including Captain John Smith, was determined to establish the first permanent English settlement in America. During their first three days in the New World however, the settlers struggled mightily with sickness and were attacked by the Native Americans living in the area. There was talk of simply returning to England.

On April 29, Reverend Robert Hunt decided that their mistake was in not covenanting, praying over, and dedicating the land and their future journey to God first. He convinced the weary colonists to join him ashore where a cross was planted. Hunt then solemnly declared, "We do hereby dedicate this Land, and ourselves, to reach the People within these shores with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to raise up Godly generations after us, and with these generations take the Kingdom of God to all the earth. May this Covenant of Dedication remain to all generations, as long as this earth remains, and may this Land, along with England, be Evangelist to the World. May all who see this Cross, remember what we have done here, and may those who come here to inhabit join us in this Covenant and in this most noble work that the Holy Scriptures may be fulfilled."

He then read from Psalm 22, "All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to The Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee. For the Kingdom is The Lord’s and He is the Governor among the nations."

He concluded, praying, "Almighty and Merciful God, let us never stray from the Commission to which Thou has Called us—to bring the inhabitants of this Land to the knowledge of Thy Kingdom. Help us to be bearers of Thy Truth to those who so sorely need to receive it. Hasten the day, Oh God, when the knowledge of Thy Son shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. And even if we should fall short in Thy Calling, Thou shalt stir up our children after us and bestow upon them this blessed Land. Let us add our mite to the Treasury of Heaven. Use us, Oh God, weak instruments as we are, for the building up of Thy Kingdom which shall be gathered form all corners of the earth. Let it be said that God has made His ways known upon earth and His saving help among all nations. In the Name of our Holy Savior, Amen."

Homo Quixotienses

In a fascinating essay in the Philosophy Now journal, Stefán Snaevarr wonders about the connections between the stories we tell and read and love and the lives we live. Are we shaped, as was Don Quixote, by the romances we tell and retell; are we in other words, Homo Quixotienses, the narrative self? Or are we rather more like Sartre’s protagonist, Antonin Roquentin, whose life did not form any narrative unity? Are we thus rather Homo Roquentinenses? Snaevarr's resulting inquiry into what he calls "Narrativism," however fraught with non-Christian assumptions, nevertheless sheds a light on profoundly our stories help to determine our world and life views.

Tolkien Review

Although Elizabeth Hand invariably mistakes the themes of Biblical Providence for Helenistic Fate, her review of J.R.R. Tolkien's newly published novel, The Children of Hurin for the Washington Post is otherwise surprisingly good.

RC and GG

On this day in 1558, the first two new candidates for the ministry since the beginning of the Reformation in Scotland were ordained by John Knox at Gileskirk in Edinburgh. Both Robert Campbell Sproul and James George Grant were members of prominent Highland families and would ultimately carry the message of the Gospel deep into the northern Gaelic lands near Inverness.

Country Music Marathon

Just five days to go before the Country Music Marathon is staged once again here in Nashville. I have trained for months for this, I am feeling strong and healthy, and have almost no injury worries. In addition, I actually have a team of students and church members to run with over the scenic 26.2 mile course from Vanderbilt University, through Music Row, along the Cumberland River, into East Nashville, and finally through the Shelby Bottoms to the downtown Titans Stadium. I can hardly wait. This year I am running in an effort to raise much needed funds for new fresh water wells in the desperately poor Darfur region of Sudan. If you would like to follow my progress, check out my training blog site. To contribute to the Darfur relief effort, send your offerings, gifts, or pledges to our King's Meadow office.

Reuchlin and the Reformation

Johann Reuchlin was one of the great scholastic precursors to the Reformation. He was a linguist who wrote the first Latin dictionary to be published in Germany and a standard Greek grammar. But Hebrew was his dearest love. He ferreted out the rules of Israel's ancient language by study of Hebrew texts and conversed with every rabbi who appeared within his range. His authority became widely recognized.

Alas, his reputation was nearly the cause of his ruin. A converted Jew and a Dominican inquisitor obtained from Emperor Maximilian an order to burn all Hebrew works except the Old Testament, charging they were full of errors and blasphemies. Before the edict could be carried out, the Emperor had second thoughts and consulted the greatest Hebraist of the age: Reuchlin.

Reuchlin urged preservation of the Jewish books as aides to study, and as examples of errors against which champions of faith joust. To destroy the books would give ammunition to church enemies. The emperor revoked his order.

The Dominicans were furious. Selecting passages from Reuchlin's writings, they tried to prove him a heretic. The inquisition summoned him and ordered his writings burnt. Sympathetic scholars appealed to Leo X. The Pope referred the matter to the Bishop of Spires, whose tribunal heard the issue. On this day in 1514, the tribunal declared Reuchlin not guilty.

But the Dominicans were not so easily deterred. They instigated the faculties at Cologne, Erfurt, Louvain, Mainz and Paris to condemn Reuchlin's writings. Thus armed, they approached Leo X once again. Leo demurred. He appointed yet another commission. It backed Reuchlin. Still Leo hesitated. At last he decided to suspend all judgment. This in itself was a victory for Reuchlin. The cause of the embattled scholar became the cause of the innovators. Reuchlin's nephew, Philip Melancthon, rejoiced as did the renowned Greek scholar, Desiderius Erasmus.

In 1517 Luther posted his 95 Theses. "Thanks be to God," said the weary Reuchlin when he heard the news. "At last they have found a man who will give them so much to do that they will be compelled to let my old age end in peace."

Thanks to Reuchlin, a host of essential Hebrew texts were preserved. His studies formed the basis for most of the better translations of the Old Testament--including Luther’s. And his influence assured Melancthon a position among the learned and a vital place in the Reformation.

Islamic Imperialism

Several correspondents have recently asked me about the history and character of Islamic imperialism, conquest, and terror across the centuries. In my lectures on Islam, I often refer to the fact that no nation has ever willingly converted to Islam. Every scrap of land, every person, every tribe, and every country currently under Muslim dominion was forcibly conquered and brought into submission--which prfobably should not surprise us since "submission" is actually the meaning of the word "Islam." This is a fact, however, often denied by modern historiography--citing the isolated and unusual instances of Malaysia and Indonesia which were conquered, but by Muslim pirates rather than by Muslim armies.

These two thoroughly documented books, one focusing on Muhammad's life and teachings and the other focusing on the history of the movement following his demise, help to give the plain historical facts new currency. Both books put an effective end to the notions that Islam is a noble religion of peace and that there ever has been an Islamic "golden age." Karsh, a professor of Mediterranean Studies at King's College in London and Craig Winn, a dotcom entrepreneur and widely published author, have assembled a massive amount of research--sure fodder for future academic inquiry.

What I'm Reading

Plutarch

The first installment of Plutarch’s famous Lives was published on this day in the year 118. He came to his vocation rather late in life--during the reigns of Trajan and Hadrian. This period at beginning of the second century was a momentous time in the history of western civilization for any number of reasons.

Greece, of course, had lost by this time the last vestiges of her independence. Her population had fallen precipitously since the days of her glory--the riches of Rome and the Asian provinces had not only attracted her most able administrators but also her most capable laborers. Thus, materially, culturally, and politically Plutarch’s homeland was is decline. Though he could do little to arrest this trend, he felt obliged to put it into perspective--and that he did quite ingeniously in the Lives.

At the same time, the Roman Empire was in its most stable and vibrant stage. The economy was prosperous. The military was invincible. And the culture was vibrant. Education, the arts, and the sciences were all flourishing. Despite the decrepit paganism of the day, there was a degree of personal freedom unprecedented in all of history.

But the most significant feature of the age was the sudden emergence of Christianity as a major societal force. Although Plutarch does not deal with Christianity directly, it is clear that he was attempting to revive interest in the very best of ancient paganism. In the face of the moral challenge that Christian evangelism posed to the ancien regime he wanted to reignite the moral vitality of classicism. Thus, we see in the Lives the last great gasping apologetic for Greco-Roman civilization on the threshold of an ascendant Christendom.

When later writers, thinkers, and social activists would appeal to the classical age for reforms in their own time, they would picture its ideals as seen through Plutarch’s rose colored glasses. This is why the American founders could remain so enamored with the ancients--despite their unhesitating commitment to Christian truth, their comprehension of the pagan essence of Greece and Rome was myopically obscured by Plutarch.