Introduction
My dear friends, we’re getting close to the end! In the very first post I gave you a list of the points I wanted to cover throughout our discussion, and today we’re going to hit on one of the last two: why it can be wise to include pagan (or secular) literature in our reading lists.
There’s an inclination that we all have to protect our children. Generally speaking, fathers tend to bear the responsibility for the physical safety and well-being of the family. Mothers are often the ones who shield the little ones from the day-to-day dangers; there might not be anyone trying to break into the house, but there are kids trying to escape and run across the road, or who are doing their best to fall out of trees, or who want to eat potato chips and watch cartoons all day. There’s danger whenever you turn on the television. There’s even danger when you pack all the kiddos in the minivan to head to the public library (this one is a rather new threat, as titles such as Jacob’s New Dress and My Princess Boy have started appearing alongside The Very Hungry Caterpillar. That, and Drag Queen Story Time is now actually a thing).
The way we protect our children changes as the children grow. We’ve already discussed several ways that we can train our children to recognize and reject falsehood. We can’t, however, reject everything that isn’t explicitly Christian. Nor should we want to.
We are all made by God and in the image of God. Though many of us rebel by rejecting God’s authority over us, God has created us in such a way that no one can truly deny His existence (Romans 1:18-20). We see evidence of this all over the place, but I want to zoom in and focus specifically on literature.
An Example of Unintentional Imitation
Not much is known about Homer, the man credited with writing The Iliad and The Odyssey. He’s believed to have lived sometime in the 9th or 8th century BC (between 900 – 701 BC), long before the likes of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. To put that into Biblical context, King David reigned from 1035-970, and Solomon reigned from 970-931. The Biblical books of Obadiah, Joel, Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, & Zephaniah would have been written within those years. Homer was Greek, and believed to have spent much of his time in Ionia (now Turkey). Beyond that, not much else is certain. If indeed he is the author of those two famous poems, then he’s had an immeasurable influence on western culture that continues through today.
It was probably through their impact on Classical Greek culture itself that the Iliad and the Odyssey most subtly affected Western standards and ideas. The Greeks regarded the great epics as something more than works of literature; they knew much of them by heart, and they valued them not only as a symbol of Hellenic unity and heroism but also as an ancient source of moral and even practical instruction.
– Geoffrey S. Kirk,
Regius Professor Emeritus of Greek, University of Cambridge
Greek philosophers were continually searching for truth, and yet never finding it. If the Greeks valued Homer’s poetry as a source of moral and practical instruction, what was Homer using as a standard for what was good and right and worthy of imitation?
In The Odyssey, Homer tells the story of Odysseus struggling to return home after the sacking of Troy. He’s been gone from Ithaca for twenty years, and his estate is being ransacked by suitors who, believing Odysseus to be long dead, desire Penelope’s hand in marriage. In response to this, Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, leaves Ithaca in search of news of his father. He travels first to Pylos and is warmly welcomed by King Nestor. Nestor recalls the events of Troy and the manner in which all the men left at the battle’s end. He has no news of Odysseus with which to encourage Telemachus, so he advises him to travel to Sparta in the morning and speak with King Menelaus. In the meantime, Nestor provides Telemachus with rich foods, a warm and comfortable bed for the night, and chariots, swift horses, and provisions to make the journey to Sparta the next morning.
Once Telemachus arrives in Sparta, he receives another warm welcome, a bath, and feast – and all before his hosts know who he is! Once he reveals to Menelaus who he is and why he has come, the king tells him everything he knows about the fate of his father. Menelaus then invites Telemachus to stay as his guest for 10 or 12 days, upon which time he’ll be sent home with rich gifts of chariots, horses, and gold.
Odysseus, despite all his trials, is also the recipient of rich hospitality as he journeys homeward. When he arrives on the shores of Alcinoos, King of the Phaeacians, he appears as a beggar but is welcomed, treated as an honored guest, and promised that the swiftest ship will carry him home. The king and queen ask to hear Odysseus’ story, and give him a comfortable bed for the night. Before sending him off the next morning, King Alcinoos announces, “ Phaeacians! This stranger was wrecked on our island and came to me seeking help. We will take him home, but first, let’s show him that we excel not only in shipbuilding but also in sports, games, dancing . . . and celebrating!” The kingdom enjoys a day of feasting, playing, and celebrating, then they load the ship with provisions and heap it high with lavish gifts and send Odysseus on his way. The next morning, our hero awakes on the shore of Ithaca with a treasure trove of gifts beside him.
Throughout the entire book, we’re shown clear examples of what’s good and right and virtuous, as well as what’s considered evil and wicked. Virtues such as loyalty, obedience, hospitality, chastity (for women), persistence, respect for one’s elders, and submission to authority are all help up as good and worthy of imitation. What are held up as vices? Thievery, slander, adultery (in some cases), murder, deception, inhospitality to anyone (including, and especially, beggars), hypocrisy, and disrespect of one’s elders.
Where do these standards come from? In a philosophy devoid of absolute truth, or in search of a truth not yet known, how would Homer have any basis for arguing that certain behaviors were morally good or morally bad? This is the same conundrum we face today in a morally relativistic society – By what standard? By whose standard?
I argue that, according to Romans 1:18-20, we are preprogrammed by God Himself to know what is morally good and what is morally evil.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:18-20 NASB)
This is part of what delights me about classical literature. There are some books that have been written by those with some sort of Christian foundation; stories like Beowulf, and Dante’s Divine Comedy. But there are others, like Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, that have been written by those with no claim to Judeo-Christian heritage at all. And yet we see these authors holding up as virtues characteristics like loyalty, hospitality, chastity, and respect as noble and honorable and worthy of imitation. Why do they know that these are good things? Because the One who created Homer created him in His likeness, and that which is known about God is evident in him.
I don’t know about you, but that excites me! We can see Scripture proven even in pagan literature. It’s apparent in secular literature too, but I admit that I’m not as familiar with modern titles. Use your discretion here, and teach your children to use discretion here as well. Look for these authors to imitate God and His patterns as they tell their own stories, even when they aren’t doing so intentionally.
The Effort of Digging for Treasure
Classic literature is a treasure trove of wisdom that has stood the test of time; it’s lasted because its truths still ring true today. In his book Lit! A Christian Guide to Reading Books, Tony Reinke says, “ They may be old books, but they are fresh words. Old books bring us fresh controversy, fresh voices, and fresh arguments.” Indeed! C. S. Lewis says it this way . . .
The only palliative is to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds, and this can be done only by reading old books. Not, of course, that there is any magic about the past. People were no cleverer then than they are now; they made as many mistakes as we. But not the same mistakes. They will not flatter us in the errors we are already committing; and their own errors, being now open and palpable, will not endanger us. Two heads are better than one, not because either is infallible, but because they are unlikely to go wrong in the same direction.
(“Introduction,” in St. Athanasius, On the Incarnation)
Will new titles published today stand the test of time like those books already considered classics? I suspect many will not. With titles like The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish (seriously, not making that one up), there’s little doubt that their content lacks the profundity of Homer, Virgil, and Dante.
One of the common complaints against classical literature is that it is difficult to read. It can be wordy, there are words we’re not familiar with, and it’s difficult to follow along. Yes, that’s true. However, reading classical literature is like working a weak muscle; the more you practice, the stronger it becomes.
You might find a guide useful as you’re working through a new book, like Sparknotes (not from a Christian worldview, but still helpful), or a Canon Press Worldview Guide. When reading The Odyssey with my children, I found a graphic novel adapted by Gareth Hinds that helped them follow along. Though you don’t want to rely on such tools entirely, they can be helpful in the beginning as you or your children delve into some of the great classics; they can take the edge off of any frustration that might come from jumping into the deep end and learning to swim
If a book is easy and fits nicely into all your language conventions and thought forms, then you probably will not grow much from reading it. It may be entertaining, but not enlarging to your understanding. It’s the hard books that count. Raking is easy, but all you get is leaves; digging is hard, but you might find diamonds.
– John Piper, God’s Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards
In Conclusion
Teaching your children to love (or at least, to respect) classic literature goes a long way in refining their literary palettes. Much of our society and civilization today has its roots in classical thinking; from the Greek & Roman philosophers, through the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Puritan writers, the French Revolution . . . There are no new ideas that can’t be traced backward through the centuries. Having one eye on classic literature helps us correctly interpret modern literature, and developing a taste for it is definitely worth our effort.
