Milton’s words in Areopagitica are fresh: “A man may be a heretic in the truth; and if he believes things only because his pastor says so, or the Assembly so determines, without knowing other reason, though his belief be true, yet the very truth he holds becomes his heresy.” Boom. Turn on the bright lights. Truth is never threatened by investigation.
I was given 'Booked' as a Christmas gift 10 years ago. I had just returned, shattered in health, from working in a difficult place and had difficult questions. I remember laying in utter physical exhaustion in my room and reading that opening chapter on Milton's Areopagiticus and the need to allow Truth to wrestle with falsehood. It was such an encouragement to keep seeking the Truth, which I did during the next two and a half years while I recovered enough strength to go back into the working world. Thank you, Karen.
By the way, I got 'The Evangelical Imagination' as a gift this year. I look forward to reading it.
I didn't go and read Milton's work at the time - too sick to figure out that I could download it on Gutenberg, I suppose. It was your words that convinced me that Truth was strong enough to wrestle with falsehood - I especially resonated with your account of the preacher who was against rock music, since that musical paper tiger had formed a prominent theme in my adolescence but the place I had just returned from had provided a strong counter narrative to those ridiculous claims that rock music had demonic origins.
I have now read the Areopagiticus. The part where he uses a reductio ad absurdum and envisions the necessity of banning not only books, but everything else that might be problematic reminded me of James Thurber's 'The Wonderful O', where greedy tyrants attempt to ban any use of the letter O and end up with incomprehensible language and absurd legal fictions. I wonder if Thurber read Milton.
I have always been a natural speed reader, but lately, I prefer to read a good book slowly to make it last longer and get as much as I can out of it. I have always read your books slowly, and as Milton said to Parliament, praise that is true isn't just courtesy and flattery.
Milton’s words in Areopagitica are fresh: “A man may be a heretic in the truth; and if he believes things only because his pastor says so, or the Assembly so determines, without knowing other reason, though his belief be true, yet the very truth he holds becomes his heresy.” Boom. Turn on the bright lights. Truth is never threatened by investigation.
So much wisdom we still need from Milton today!
Happy Epiphany Day!
I was given 'Booked' as a Christmas gift 10 years ago. I had just returned, shattered in health, from working in a difficult place and had difficult questions. I remember laying in utter physical exhaustion in my room and reading that opening chapter on Milton's Areopagiticus and the need to allow Truth to wrestle with falsehood. It was such an encouragement to keep seeking the Truth, which I did during the next two and a half years while I recovered enough strength to go back into the working world. Thank you, Karen.
By the way, I got 'The Evangelical Imagination' as a gift this year. I look forward to reading it.
Oh, wow! What an encouragement this is! Can’t wait to discuss it all with Milton in heaven! 😂
TEI is a slow read for most, FYI. I didn’t write it that way on purpose, haha! But can’t wait to know what you think!
Happy Epiphany Day!
I didn't go and read Milton's work at the time - too sick to figure out that I could download it on Gutenberg, I suppose. It was your words that convinced me that Truth was strong enough to wrestle with falsehood - I especially resonated with your account of the preacher who was against rock music, since that musical paper tiger had formed a prominent theme in my adolescence but the place I had just returned from had provided a strong counter narrative to those ridiculous claims that rock music had demonic origins.
I have now read the Areopagiticus. The part where he uses a reductio ad absurdum and envisions the necessity of banning not only books, but everything else that might be problematic reminded me of James Thurber's 'The Wonderful O', where greedy tyrants attempt to ban any use of the letter O and end up with incomprehensible language and absurd legal fictions. I wonder if Thurber read Milton.
I have always been a natural speed reader, but lately, I prefer to read a good book slowly to make it last longer and get as much as I can out of it. I have always read your books slowly, and as Milton said to Parliament, praise that is true isn't just courtesy and flattery.