I want to write about peace, which means not only writing about its absence but about the fact that a good number of people deny that it is a possible, or even a desirable, condition of human life. That may seem puzzling given the traditional Christian grounding of our culture. Surely Christianity speaks constantly of peace, especially in the Christmas season that we are now beginning to approach. Christ is, after all, the Prince of Peace, and isn’t the Christmas message peace on earth? The first thing that happens in Milton’s great
The "meek-eyed Peace" in the Nativity Ode is Venus with her myrtle wand dividing the clouds and turtle wing. During the shortest days is the ideal opportunity with the help of Eros to wrestle us out of the fascinations thrown up by the lesser suns of fakery. A price must be paid to the prince of peace.
A very nice pre-holiday posting. You are right to emphasize the element of good will as a necessary precondition for peace. Thinking back to our teacher NF, I recall the kinds of nits he would pick. While Luke’s gospel has the general wish “on earth peace,” Matthew’s has Jesus tell his disciples to wish peace only on worthy house and then tell them, in the same talk, “Think not that I come to send peace on earth. I came not to send peace, but a sword.” NF might note that Luke writes for a Roman audience, who may still recall the Jewish wars, and places the nativity in a Roman context, “when Cyrenius was governor of Syria (i.e., after 4 CE). Meanwhile, Matthew writes for an Aramaic audience (Syriac, Milton would say), probably in Damascus, and dates the nativity to the days when Herod the Great was the client governor of Judea (i.e., before 4 BCE, though some suggest the date of 1 CE). This might come during the last Tuesday class meeting before the Christmas holidays.
Thank you, Tom. I always love your responses, not only for their thoughtfulness but because they are informed in the best way with your truly impressive erudition. Yes, the difference between Luke and Matthew is thoroughgoing. Matthew is ferocious in other ways as well--most of the stuff about hell is in him. Luke is my favorite because I'm a bleeding heart. I think universal peace isn't necessarily naive--MLK is less naive than he's at times made out to be. Peace can go along with a pragmatic realism, as it did with King. But anyway, I'm glad the newsletter was meaningful to you. And I'm glad we stay in touch.
After reading this and having followed your Expanding Eyes podcast, I've been recalling my fascination with the myth of Proteus of late. It seems to me that if we hold on long enough, through all the twisted forms of this life, some higher truth will be revealed. Thank you for continuing to inspire me and so many others. Peace.
So good to hear from you, Samantha! I truly sorry I haven't written back responding to your last letter. Poor excuse, but I've been teaching five courses this semester, plus newsletter and podcast, plus the huge fall leaf blowing job. Today was last day of classes, so the end is in sight. Thank you for the kind words. It's kindred spirits like you that I write for. I'd rather have that than 2000 followers on Substack. Yeah, nice adaptation of the Proteus myth! I quite agree--"Let the trials come," as Odysseus says. And he got home. I'll write over break, if not sooner. Peace to you as well.
The "meek-eyed Peace" in the Nativity Ode is Venus with her myrtle wand dividing the clouds and turtle wing. During the shortest days is the ideal opportunity with the help of Eros to wrestle us out of the fascinations thrown up by the lesser suns of fakery. A price must be paid to the prince of peace.
A very nice pre-holiday posting. You are right to emphasize the element of good will as a necessary precondition for peace. Thinking back to our teacher NF, I recall the kinds of nits he would pick. While Luke’s gospel has the general wish “on earth peace,” Matthew’s has Jesus tell his disciples to wish peace only on worthy house and then tell them, in the same talk, “Think not that I come to send peace on earth. I came not to send peace, but a sword.” NF might note that Luke writes for a Roman audience, who may still recall the Jewish wars, and places the nativity in a Roman context, “when Cyrenius was governor of Syria (i.e., after 4 CE). Meanwhile, Matthew writes for an Aramaic audience (Syriac, Milton would say), probably in Damascus, and dates the nativity to the days when Herod the Great was the client governor of Judea (i.e., before 4 BCE, though some suggest the date of 1 CE). This might come during the last Tuesday class meeting before the Christmas holidays.
Thank you, Tom. I always love your responses, not only for their thoughtfulness but because they are informed in the best way with your truly impressive erudition. Yes, the difference between Luke and Matthew is thoroughgoing. Matthew is ferocious in other ways as well--most of the stuff about hell is in him. Luke is my favorite because I'm a bleeding heart. I think universal peace isn't necessarily naive--MLK is less naive than he's at times made out to be. Peace can go along with a pragmatic realism, as it did with King. But anyway, I'm glad the newsletter was meaningful to you. And I'm glad we stay in touch.
After reading this and having followed your Expanding Eyes podcast, I've been recalling my fascination with the myth of Proteus of late. It seems to me that if we hold on long enough, through all the twisted forms of this life, some higher truth will be revealed. Thank you for continuing to inspire me and so many others. Peace.
So good to hear from you, Samantha! I truly sorry I haven't written back responding to your last letter. Poor excuse, but I've been teaching five courses this semester, plus newsletter and podcast, plus the huge fall leaf blowing job. Today was last day of classes, so the end is in sight. Thank you for the kind words. It's kindred spirits like you that I write for. I'd rather have that than 2000 followers on Substack. Yeah, nice adaptation of the Proteus myth! I quite agree--"Let the trials come," as Odysseus says. And he got home. I'll write over break, if not sooner. Peace to you as well.