Recently I (Mr. Hoch) read a speech by C.S. Lewis entitled, “Learning in War-Time,” which he delivered in the fall of 1939, shortly after WWII began. In it Lewis addressed the question of how students and teachers could move forward with formal education when the world was facing such violence and uncertainty. Or more simply put, is it right to focus on continuing education while so many people are dying? While I do not wish to draw too strong of a parallel between the COVID-19 pandemic and WWII, I believe that Lewis’ characteristically brilliant answer has a great deal to offer us in our current situation. As such, I wanted to share a couple of the key points with you.
There’s never an ideal time for learning
The first part of Lewis’ response is that there is never an ideal time for learning. Life in a fallen world is filled with pain and suffering, trials and travails — any of which could serve as an excuse for postponing the search for wisdom and understanding. If the human race decided to wait for all strife to end before it began the quest for truth, goodness, and beauty, that pursuit would never begin:
“Human life has always been lived on the edge of a precipice … If men had postponed the search for knowledge and beauty until they were secure, the search would never have begun. We are mistaken when we compare war with “normal life.” Life has never been normal. Even those periods which we think most tranquil, like the nineteenth century, turn out, on closer inspection, to be full of cries, alarms, difficulties, emergencies. Plausible reasons have never been lacking for putting off all merely cultural activities until some imminent danger has been averted or some crying injustice put right. But humanity long ago chose to neglect those plausible reasons. They wanted knowledge and beauty now, and would not wait for the suitable moment that would never come.”
I find this to be a helpful reminder right now. We often wear chronological blinders. We’re so focused on our present situation (often rightly so, out of necessity) that we begin to think that our present day is more challenging that all others. This is where a historical perspective, like the one that Lewis offers, is helpful. It puts a proper framework around our current challenges and forces us to acknowledge that history is replete with trials and tribulations. That’s not intended to diminish our current context, but to allow us to see that we’re not alone, historically speaking.
Learning is a Vocation
The second part of Lewis’ response is that students and teachers have a unique vocation. They are called to learning in order to advance humanity’s quest for knowledge, wisdom, and beauty. This is the task to which they’ve been called, in the same way that others have been called to be doctors, lawyers, homemakers, businesspeople, etc.
In faithfully fulfilling the vocation of a student (or teacher), they bring honor and glory to the living God in at least two ways. First, they glorify God by doing their best in what they’re called to do. Second, they bring glory to God by advancing humanity’s quest for truth, goodness, and beauty. Because each of those virtues is a reflection of the character of God, to the extent that they are known and loved, God is known and loved. By advancing our understanding and appreciation for truth, goodness, and beauty we are increasing our understanding and appreciation for God. Viewed this way, education is not an erudite or mundane task, but a glorious calling to explore, know, and love the transcendent.
“A man's upbringing, his talents, his circumstances, are usually a tolerable index of his vocation. If our parents have sent us to Oxford, if our country allows us to remain there, this is … evidence that the life which we … can best lead to the glory of God at present is the learned life … the pursuit of knowledge and beauty, in a sense, for their own sake, but in a sense which does not exclude their being for God's sake. An appetite for these things exists in the human mind, and God makes no appetite in vain. We can therefore pursue knowledge as such, and beauty, as such, in the sure confidence that by so doing we are either advancing to the vision of God ourselves or indirectly helping others to do so.”
With this in mind, Lewis then concludes that it is right and appropriate to continue the task of education in times of great difficulty. To put it in 2020 terms: education is an essential service, not just to the teachers and students, but to us all.
Lewis for today
Lewis’ clear-headed thinking regarding the nature of life in a fallen world and education’s place within that broken order is relevant for today. It is important for us to consider our present circumstances in the broader scope of human history. While the challenges and the uncertainty that we face is unprecedented in our own lifetimes, it is not unprecedented in human history. Lewis reminds us that life south of Heaven is filled with trials. Previous generations have faced significant upheaval, disruption, pain, fear, and doubt. They have made it through, and so will we.
Furthermore, Lewis reminds us that formal education is a high calling, and that it is both a joy and an honor to be a part of that vocation. Growing in wisdom and virtue is an essential part of life at every stage. It’s one of the ways that we discover the meaning, purpose, and value of being on this earth. Learning isn’t supplemental to life — the way that a summer-enrichment camp might be — rather it is vital. Through the process of learning and growing in wisdom and virtue we become more complete human beings.
Viewed this way, formal education isn’t a drudgery or something that we do just to check it off a list. Right now, school should be a crucial part of our lives. In the face of COVID-19 education isn't a tedious requirement or a pleasant distraction, but rather an important part of human flourishing even in the midst of great disruption. In the face of such dire circumstances the world needs to be reminded of truth, goodness, and beauty more than ever, and education (properly conceived) is vital to that remembering. Our goal at Redeemer Classical School has always been to increase truth, goodness, and beauty in the world. That seems all the more important and appropriate right now.