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May / June 2014
Faith & Villainy
R eformer. Professor.
Translator. Pastor. Author.
Hymnwriter. Defender of the
faith. Heretic. Outlaw.
Martin Luther had a lot of
vocations, wore a lot of hats, still
gets slapped with a lot of labels
even today. In all the hubbub of
his achievements – like
pounding those 95 questions on
the Wittenburg church door,
defying the Papacy at the Diet of
Worms, translating the entire
Bible from Greek and Hebrew
into German -- two of Luther’s
vocations get forgotten by many,
pushed aside or ignored as
insignificant. But to Martin
Luther himself, his roles as
husband and father were not
trivial, not unimportant or
forgettable. In fact, they were an
integral part of his efforts to
reform the church and bring it
back in line with Scripture.
When Martin Luther and
Katherine von Bora married, he
was forty-two and she was
twenty-six. He was a former
monk, and she was a former nun,
so for them, marrying meant
recanting the vows of celibacy
they had made when entering
monastic life -- vows Luther had
come to believe were contrary to
Scripture. Although he taught
that mandatory celibacy was not
God pleasing, Luther had
thought he himself would never
marry because he was simply too
he was correct. Luther and his
allies helped the other young
women return to their homes or
find jobs or husbands, but
Katherine fell in love with a
young man who then jilted her.
The famous artist Lucas Cranach
the Elder and his wife Barbara
welcomed her into their home,
but Katie was heartbroken and
lonely.
Martin and Katie were not “in
love” when they married. Katie
needed a home, she was
intelligent, hard-working, and
above all a devout Christian.
Martin needed someone to take
care of his physical needs while
he concentrated on writing,
teaching, and studying God’s
Word – he said once that before
he married, he hadn’t changed
busy for marriage and family.
After all, he was teaching at the
University of Wittenburg,
constantly studying the Bible,
and writing a staggering number
of theological articles,
pamphlets, and so on. But he
changed his mind when he
realized that if he married, he
would demonstrate to his
followers that he truly believed
matrimony was a holy estate. By
practicing what he’d been
preaching, he would also make
his break with the Roman
Catholic Church obvious and
permanent.
Two years earlier, Katherine von
Bora and several other nuns had
run away from their convent,
having learned of Martin
Luther’s teachings and believing
Rachel Kovaciny
2
but I can understand Luther the
husband and father. And I can
learn from Martin and Katie how
to use my marriage and
parenthood to proclaim God’s
good news to the world, to show
that I love because He first loved
me.
Works Consulted
Kitty, My Rib: Katherine Luther
by E. Jane Mall. Concordia
Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo.
1959.
Martin Luther: The Great
Reformer by Edwin P. Booth.
Barbour Publishing, Inc.,
Uhrichsville, OH. 1995.
Martin Luther: Hero of Faith by
Frederick Nohl. Concordia
Publishing House, St. Louis, MO.
1962.
his bed sheets for a year because
he never had time or
remembered to do it. Marriage
for them was a sensible, practical
step.
A marriage between two people
who were not romantically in
love? Today we gasp. Unheard
of! Absurd! How could they
possibly be happy? And yet,
happy they were, by all accounts.
They grew to love each other very
much, the Lord blessed them
with six children, and together
they created a hospitable
environment where friends,
family, and strangers were
welcomed and nurtured.
I will never be a reformer like
Martin Luther. Things that I
teach or write or profess will
never rattle the world’s most
powerful organization. But I am
a Christian spouse and parent. I
can admire Luther the Reformer,
Martin Luther 2 Everett Swanson 4 Tsar Nicholas II 6 William Wilberforce 8 Margaret Beaufort 10 Gandhi 12 Pillars of the Earth 14 The Knight Templar 16 Pope Alexander VI 18
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I magine the poorest family
you know. Maybe it’s a
relative down on his luck, barely
scraping by with his wife and two
kids. Maybe it’s the lady who lives
down the street, at risk of
foreclosure who has to buy those
generic Barbie dolls for her little
girl’s birthday. Maybe your sister
needs food stamps to get her
through the week, your brother
uses Medicaid, or your friend had
to move back in with her parents
because she can’t make it on her
own. There’s homeless shelters in
every American metropolis, soup
kitchens to fill growling stomachs
and churches willing to pay
someone’s rent for a month or
two if they can’t scrape enough
together to put food on the table
and pay the mortgage. There’s
always someone to offer a helping
hand, lift up the downtrodden,
and offer them hope.
Now imagine what the Reverend
Everett Swanson saw during an
evangelistic tour to Korean troops
in 1952. Already mortified by the
sight of hundreds of orphans
living on the street, nothing could
prepare him for the trucks that
gathered in the morning to haul
away the frozen bodies of the kids
who hadn’t survived the night,
unwanted, unloved children with
no one to protect them. His heart
broke and that’s the day when
Compassion International was
word or talk but indeed and in
truth.” Rev. Swanson truly loved
in truth and in deed.
The small non-profit organization
called Compassion International
has grown exponentially over the
years and is now in the top 20 list
of charities that Forbes Magazine
determines every year. It began as
a ministry to orphans but soon
expanded to assist families in the
most extreme circumstances of
poverty. Within the last ten years,
Compassion introduced a new
program called the Child Survival
Program. Pregnant women or
mothers with children under the
age of 3 can come to the project
and receive medical treatment,
vocational training, training on
fighting germs, and learn how to
raise their children with love and
compassion. This new program
comes alongside the Child
Development Sponsorship
Program, filling the gap and
reaching the children before they
are old enough to join child
sponsorship. The Leadership
Development Program, soon to
evolve to reach more of the CDSP
graduates, trains the promising
CDSP graduates, giving them a
college education from sponsors
able to afford the fees every
month. These precious graduates
return to their countries as
doctors, lawyers, politicians…
anything that will help stem the
born. Rev. Swanson returned
home to America and fund-raised
to help the little Korean orphans.
In 1954, one-on-one sponsorship
became available. Now American
families and individuals could pay
a pre-decided amount of money a
month to sponsor a single child,
corresponding with that child and
family to offer a message of hope.
One man saw a need and could
have turned a blind eye, expecting
someone else to step in and help.
Instead, Rev. Swanson did as
1 John 3: 17-18 instructs, “But if
anyone has the world’s goods and
sees his brother in need, yet
closes his heart against him, how
does God’s love abide in him?
Little children, let us not love in
Carissa Horton
4
self-sufficient in its fight against
extreme poverty, and if it can
succeed, so too can Rwanda,
Uganda, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, the
Philippines, and all the rest of the
26 countries in Compassion’s
sponsorship program. One man’s
vision caught fire. If Rev.
Swanson could see what his first
steps have created, he would sit
down… hard, and praise God for
His goodness. If anything, Rev.
Swanson was the first child
advocate of Compassion, the very
first sponsor. He wouldn’t ask
anyone to do something he
wouldn’t do himself, just as I
would never ask someone to do
what I have never done myself.
America helps its downtrodden,
as it should. But these countries
have no one to help them if we do
not. Compassion wants to change
the face of the world by releasing
children from poverty in Jesus’
name. Would you consider
joining them?
www.compassion.com ♥
garbage dumps with swollen
bellies and thin limbs due to
starvation. These children might
have never had vaccinations,
might have contracted AIDS from
drinking bad water, and might get
only one meal a day, if they’re
lucky. Compassion reaches as
many children as it possibly can,
but the only way to reach more
children is to have more
sponsors, more child advocates.
Even if someone can’t afford to
sponsor a child at $38 a month,
there are funds that can be given
to; funds to provide mosquito
nets, vaccinations, medical care,
food, and even water filters.
You know the best part? Korea no
longer needs Compassion to
sponsor its children. They can
take care of their own now, and
they do. Instead, Korea partners
with Compassion in a global
network of countries without
extreme poverty whose goal is to
eradicate extreme poverty. Korea
is proof that a nation can become
rising tide of poverty. Many of
them even sponsor children
themselves.
Compassion stands firm on its
values as a Christian
organization, its tagline reading
“Releasing children from poverty
in Jesus’ name.” Never once has
the organization deviated from
that calling. Employees are called
child advocates, and volunteers
around America participate in
something known as Compassion
Sunday, a time when the
volunteers present the work of
Compassion to their churches and
offer child packets for individual
sponsorship. Reverend Everett
Swanson started with a small
orphanage in Korea, a trickle as it
were, and now Compassion serves
almost 1.5 million children and
their families around the world, a
veritable river. Compassion does
more than just feed bellies and
educate. Compassion works with
the local churches in 26 third-
world countries, reaching out
with the love of Jesus to these
hurting little ones who have,
perhaps, never had someone
outside their immediate family
tell them they are loved, let alone
that they are loved by God, the
creator of the Universe, who calls
them by name.
That amount of children, 1.5
million, sounds huge. In fact, it’s
not even 1% of the 400 million
children living in extreme poverty
today. Even at America’s lowest
point, its poverty line is far, far
above the extreme poverty line.
These are children scrounging in
5
I have a firm, an absolute
conviction that the fate of
Russia---that my own fate and
that of my family---is in the
hands of God who has placed me
where I am. Whatever may
happen to me, I shall bow to His
will with the consciousness of
never having had any thought
other than that of serving the
country which He has entrusted
to me.”- Tsar Nicholas II.
Tsar Nicholas Romanov II is best
remembered as the last tsar of the
Russian Empire. He was the one
who led his country in the Great
War, commanded the troops, was
forced to abdicate the throne for
himself and his son, and along
with his family was exiled to
Siberia where he, his wife and five
children were executed by the
Bolsheviks. For decades there
were rumors that he or one of his
family members escaped the
firing squad and lived the
remainder of their days in hiding.
He is criticized for being a weak
ruler; a monarch who lived in
luxury while his people starved,
and the instigator of many
tragedies.
All of that is true. He was a weak
ruler who made poor choices and
toured his many palaces
throughout the year. He
inadvertently caused Bloody
and anything and anyone
opposing him was opposing God.
This conviction was as steadfast
as his personal Christian faith—
they often went hand in hand.
The monarchy and the Russian
Orthodox Church were tightly
tethered together.
Unbeknownst to the public,
Nicholas’ son, Aleksey, the heir to
the dynasty, was a hemophiliac. A
small cut, a bump, or a fall could
lead to severe bleeding. Naturally
Nicholas and his wife Alexandra
prayed for their son’s healing and
to them the answer came in the
Sunday (the attack on a
peaceful protest) and
persecuted the Jews,
permitting numerous
pogroms.
Nicholas was also a
Christian. He was a
devout member of the
Russian Orthodox
Church; the official
church of his
Motherland. His faith
was a vital part of who
he was. Daily prayers
were said, as well as the
reading of the Holy
Scriptures. He and his
family attended a
private church service
regularly. While he was
a believer in Christ,
there was a dark side to his faith.
His grandfather, Alexander II,
was assassinated and the blame
laid at the feet of the Jewish
people. They were traditionally
despised, but for Nicholas it was
personal. He believed the Jews
ought to be punished for their
crimes, and for killing Christ. The
age-old superstition tainted many
of his decisions.
In Nicholas’ eyes, the eyes of the
royal family, and even the eyes of
many of the Russian people, he
ruled by Divine Right. It was
God’s Will that he was monarch
Veronica Leigh
6
Yurovsky, announced to Nicholas,
his family and loyal servants that
they were to be executed. Within
minutes, after the gunfire was
over, the blood had been spilled
and the dust settled, Nicholas and
the others lay dead. They were
buried in a mass grave and were
not discovered for many decades.
After they were exhumed, given a
proper funeral and laid to rest,
the Russian Orthodox Church
beatified them as saints.
Though a good Christian, a loving
husband and doting father, his
legacy will possibly always be
tainted by the poor decisions he
made and the hatred he hid in his
heart. He was both a saint and
sinner, a Christian and a villain. ♥
Life in Siberia was difficult for the
Romanov family, under the
watchful eyes of Bolshevik
guards. Alexandra and Aleksey
were often ill, but all seven
managed to band together. The
family relied on their Christian
faith for hope and believed that
the White Army (the ones loyal to
the Tsar and the monarchy)
would rescue them. In April of
1918, the family was moved once
more, this time to Ekaterinburg,
where life was far darker for
them. In the late hours of July
16th or early hours of the 17th,
the family was awakened and led
to the cellar of the house on the
pretense that it was much too
dangerous for them to be upstairs
because there was fighting in the
streets. The leader of the guards,
form of a mystic monk
named Grigory Rasputin.
One of the times Aleksey
hurt himself, Rasputin was
sent for and through his
mysticism, he brought the
boy relief. From that point
on, Rasputin remained
close to the family. So
much so that his constant
presence gave rise to gossip
and propaganda, such as
that he was having an affair
with Alexandra and the
daughters. Nicholas did
what he could to squelch
that kind of talk through
threats and arrests. The
truth had a way of making
itself known, though;
Rasputin was not a moral
man. He had affairs, took drugs
and drank to excess. By the time
Nicholas began to question the
monk’s presence, it was too late.
Rather than follow his own
conscience, he let himself be
swayed by Alexandra’s devotion
to their wayward friend.
While Nicholas lead the troops
during the war, Alexandra relied
heavily on the monk’s advice.
This caused further trouble for
the country. Near the end of 1916,
two Romanov cousins
assassinated Rasputin. Before his
death, Rasputin threatened that if
he were to die, the monarchy
would fall. A few months later
Nicholas abdicated the throne
and he and his family were sent
into exile.
7
M ost people know the classic hymn Amazing
Grace, even if they’re not Christians, and the story behind it as well. Author John Newton’s journey from atheistic slave ship owner to Christian abolition supporter is a wonderful tale of redemption and forgiveness. However, the film Amazing Grace isn’t about Newton’s life, even though he does play a supporting role. Instead, it is about William Wilberforce, a lesser-known abolitionist whose role was crucial in eventually stamping out slavery in England in the 1800’s.
While William Wilberforce’s life story isn’t quite as filled with drama and spiritual warfare as John Newton’s, the “amazing grace” that Newton wrote about is just as evident in his life. He was a member of Parliament and owned a large estate, was wealthy, a fantastic orator, persuasive, determined, passionate, occupied with the pursuit of reform, well acquainted with high-ranking officials—essentially in a very powerful position for a man so young. However, in the early scenes we see of Wilberforce portrayed as a man filled with conviction and compassion instead of simply ambition. He is kind to his servants, feeds the
formally presented to Wilberforce, he is hesitant and uncertain. It takes much prayer, thought, and consulting with John Newton for him to finally accept the proposal and take the bill to the floor.
As expected, Parliament doesn’t take to the proposed bill well. In fact, the entire thing is so disastrous that Wilberforce and his friends end up campaigning for years. The slave trade has a major hand in the back pockets of the opposition, keeping them from even considering the bill that Wilberforce campaigns so actively for. Eventually, all of the abolitionists show their true fortitude, endurance, and faith
poor freely and generously, is outspoken about his Christian beliefs and always makes room in his schedule for some one-on-one time with God.
All of these characteristics and circumstances tell Wilberforce’s abolitionist friends that he is the man for the job of opening up the subject of a bill to abolish the slave trade in England to Parliament. It takes time and effort on the part of Thomas Clarkson, former slave Olaudah Equiano, and Charles Middleton particularly, to present multiple arguments and testimonials to persuade him. After the formal dinner party in which the subject is
Hannah Price
8
education, religion and working conditions.
At the very end of the movie, Lord Charles Fox pays Wilberforce a great compliment that essentially sums him up in a nutshell: “When people speak of great men, they think of men like Napoleon—men of violence. Rarely do they think of peaceful men. But contrast the reception they will receive when they return home from their battles. Napoleon will arrive in pomp and in power, a man who’s achieved the very summit of earthly ambition. And yet his dreams will be haunted by the oppressions of war. William Wilberforce, however, will return to his family, lay his head on his pillow and remember: the slave trade is no more.” ♥
favorite scenes shows him shortly after his conversion, going down into his garden early in the morning and praying, marveling at the beauty of God’s creation. When his manservant finds him wandering around getting wet in the morning dew and investigating spider webs, he reminds his master of his daily appointments and duties, and asks if Wilberforce has “found God.” Wilberforce replies, “I think He found me. You have any idea how inconvenient that is? How idiotic it will sound? I have a political career glittering ahead of me, and in my heart I want spider’s webs.”
Wilberforce follows his conviction with a purpose-driven life, choosing to use his high position to champion reform in many areas, calling for positive changes in morals,
that God ordained their cause by never giving up, even after decades of failure. As the head of the movement, Wilberforce gives up more than he bargained for the cause—his youth and his health. However, recognizable good does come from the campaign. Many British citizens rally to the abolitionists’ side and sign their petition. Wilberforce also meets his future wife through his abolitionist friends. Awareness and support is raised by demonstration and peaceful protests. Little by little, inch-by-inch, Wilberforce and his allies gain ground in the British Empire, even in high places with William Pitt, an old friend of Wilberforce’s who became the youngest Prime Minister in English history.
The journey takes Wilberforce twenty-six years but he finally succeeds in his quest when the Slave Trade Act of 1807 passes in Parliament. Although he didn’t live to see the complete abolition of slavery (which came to pass in with the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833), he died knowing that the world had changed and that others would pick up where he left off.
As far as great Christian leaders and influences go, William Wilberforce is a stirring example of dedication and faith. His passion for God was so great that it came before anything else, including his job in Parliament. One of my
9
W hen I watched the miniseries
The White Queen last year,
Lady Margaret Beaufort appealed
to me. She’s interesting—strong,
intelligent, deeply devoted to her
son and faith, but also unpitying
and willing to go to great lengths
to get what she wants. It made me
curious to explore the life of the
Mother of the Tudor dynasty and
see how well her portrayal fits
with the facts about her life.
Margaret Beaufort was born in
1441 or 1443 (the sources are
unclear about this) as the only
child of the Duke of Somerset.
She was a great-great-
granddaughter of King Edward
III through his illegitimate
grandson. Margaret’s father died
when she was still a toddler and
before she was 3 years of age, she
was married to the son of her
ward! Luckily, Margaret could
remain living with her mother
and this, her first marriage, was
dissolved a few years later.
King Henry VI chose her as bride
for his half-brother Edmund
Tudor. They married when she
was 12. Less than a year later, she
was pregnant and a widow. The
Wars of the Roses had just begun
and Edmund, a Lancastrian, was
taken prisoner by the opposing
Yorkist faction. He died in prison
a few months later; in January
1457, Margaret gave birth to their
son and only child, Henry Tudor.
Within the year, she married
and a period of relative quiet in
England (and in her life) ended.
Richard III rose to the throne and
Margaret carried the train of his
wife’s gown during the coronation
ceremony. At the same time, she
was in contact with Elizabeth
Woodville and involved in the
uprising against Richard. She
intended for Henry to come from
France and, with support from
English noblemen, fight and
depose Richard. The plan failed
and Margaret was stripped of all
her titles and possessions. Only
her marriage to Stanley saved her
from a worse fate.
Only two years later another
chance arose and this time Henry
was successful. At the Battle of
Bosworth, Richard III died and
Henry was crowned Henry VII.
again, this time to Sir
Henry Stafford, son of
one of the most
important Lancastrian
nobles in England. The
15th century wasn’t an
easy time for women on
their own and Margaret
wanted to avoid having
another husband
forced upon her.
In 1461, the Yorkists
won a series of battles
and Edward IV was
King of England. He
gave the wardship of
Henry to one of his
supporters and Henry lived in
Wales, where Margaret only got
to visit him occasionally. In 1471,
drastic changes occurred. The
deposed King Henry VI and his
son died, which made Henry the
main claimant of the throne from
the Lancastrian side. Edward IV
made life dangerous for Henry in
England and he fled to France.
Margaret’s husband Stafford died
from battle wounds.
Margaret married again, this time
to a Yorkist nobleman, Thomas
Stanley. This brought her to the
court of Edward IV and Elizabeth
Woodville, where she quickly rose
in favour. She was godmother to
the pair’s youngest daughter
Bridget. Margaret started
negotiations with Edward IV for
her son to be able to return to
England. In 1483 the King died
Tryntsje Cuperus
10
tells her in a vision that her son is
destined to be King and she lets
nothing stop her in her desire to
make it happen. The White Queen
isn’t alone in implicating her in
the murder of the Princes in the
Tower, the sons of Edward IV.
Many other sources, popular and
scientific alike, have mentioned
her as a possible suspect, yet is
this in accordance with the other
information we have about her?
Could the devout, pious Margaret,
concerned with justice and
involved in many charities, really
resort to murdering children to
get her son to the throne?
Over 500 years later, we will
never know for sure but it doesn’t
seem likely. The White Queen no
doubt used some poetic licence to
spice up the story. What is clear,
however, is that the real Margaret
Beaufort was a remarkable and
strong woman in an era not kind
to her sex. ♥
lived alone though keeping a good
relationship with her husband.
Margaret spent hours in prayer
and reading religious works. She
was the benefactress of multiple
religious orders and charities. She
also founded two colleges at
Cambridge University and was an
early patron of the printing press,
using it to print religious articles
and her own translation of a
French theological book, The
Imitation of Christ.
In the sermon he preached at her
funeral, Bishop Fisher compared
Margaret to Martha from the
Gospels, a woman of virtuous
activity. He wrote: “Though she
chose me as her director, to hear
her confessions and to guide her
life, yet I gladly confess that I
learnt more from her great virtue
than I could ever teach her.”
In The White Queen, Margaret is
a deeply religious woman but
bordering on the obsessive. God
The victory was in part thanks to
Stanley and his men not fighting
for Richard. Margaret was now
the King’s mother and the most
powerful woman in England.
Despite being married, she had a
legal and social independence few
other women had. Margaret and
her son were close; she advised
him in many matters of state. In
her clothing and protocol, she
had a similar status to Elizabeth,
the Queen. On her seal, Margaret
added a coronet of roses and
fleurs-de-lys to show her status.
Margaret outlived her only son
and attended the coronation of
her grandson Henry VIII in 1509.
Only a few months later she died.
Margaret Beaufort, Countess of
Richmond and Derby, Mother of
the Tudor dynasty and ancestor
of all the later Kings and Queens
of England is buried in
Westminster Abbey.
These dry facts about Margaret’s
life are mostly shown correct in
The White Queen. Doing justice
to the character of a woman who
lived over 500 years ago is
another matter. Most of what we
know about Margaret’s character
is through her confessor, Bishop
John Fisher. He wrote extensively
about Margaret in his memoires.
Other contemporaries and later
sources show Margaret as an
intelligent, deeply pious woman.
All surviving portraits show her in
a pose of religious contemplation
and wearing a nun-like dress.
This is not strange as later in life
Margaret lived very much like a
nun. In 1499, while still married,
she took a vow of chastity and
11
O ne of the central freedoms that we enjoy in American
society is freedom of speech. Our experience of this is so fundamental that many of us may take it for granted in daily life. We may easily forget that there are numerous examples throughout history in all parts of the world of people who spoke out to fight for that freedom when they were denied. Striving to put an end to prejudice and persecution can result in lasting change and an enduring respect for the people who do it. Often, it is people with particularly strong religious views who make such a struggle their life’s work and leave social impact behind.
In India in the early 20th century, there was one such man: Mohandas Gandhi. As a real man and a great soul, Gandhi survived through the social and political reform he achieved in life. His childhood was nothing extraordinary at that time, in that part of the world. Born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, India, Gandhi’s father was a chief minister and his mother was a homemaker as almost all women were then. Gandhi’s
life. While travelling to Pretoria, he was thrown off the train for being in a first-class compartment. He began to work to improve the conditions for Indians in South Africa, establishing the Natal Indian
Congress and publicizing the treatment of the Indian community there. He led a mass protest in Johannesburg in 1906 against the ordinance forcing Indians to register. They vowed to defy the ordinance and suffer the consequences, beginning Gandhi’s lifelong adherence to a nonviolent and non-cooperative form of protest. In 1913, the South African government finally compromised after the terrible imprisonment (and worse) of striking Indian mine workers tarnished the image of the country.
Gandhi returned to his home country but did not become actively involved in Indian politics until 1919, when the British Raj pushed through the Rowlatt Bills (allowing authorities to imprison those suspected of sedition without trial). Only then did he embark on another “satyagraha,” or
school records indicate he was a good but not great student, and he was married at age 13. Gandhi passed the exam to enter the University of Bombay in 1887 and studied at Samaldas College in Bhavnagar
until September 1888, when he sailed to London to enter the Inner Temple law college. He returned to India in 1891 and then began a year’s contract with an Indian firm in Natal, South Africa in 1893.
At this time in his life, Gandhi’s social consciousness flared into
Rachel Sexton
12
way helps to emphasize Gandhi’s work.
Mohandas Gandhi was both a very real man and a great soul, and he came to be called the Mahatma because he ceaselessly fought for the improvement of the lives of his countrymen. He did so in a way that affected hearts and minds like no other form of resistance will do. His nonviolent methods of change influenced future reformers like Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement here in the United States. A legacy like that is what a strong religious foundation can prompt in a person who is driven to act for social progress. Gandhi’s lasting impact will continue to be extraordinary within the scope of history. ♥
quite faithful to the narrative of his adult life, beginning with his ejection from the train to Pretoria. The scale of production is indicated by the fact that 300,000 extras took part in the funeral procession scene. The running time is over three hours yet the audience never notices the length as they become acquainted with an icon. British actor Ben Kingsley (who is actually of Indian heritage) takes on the role of Gandhi, and the physical transformation is astonishing. The performance is exceptional and earned him the Best Actor Oscar (the film also won Best Picture). The costumes, locations, and especially the music by Indian musician Ravi Shankar create an authentic atmosphere rarely achieved on screen. Seeing major events dramatized in this successful
nonviolent, form of protest. Others followed his lead, resulting in the British killing almost 400 Indians gathered at a meeting in Amritsar, among other things. Soon, his methods took hold of the country in the fight for Indian independence. This was achieved in 1947, following several stays in prison for Gandhi, as well as fasts in protest of various issues. His efforts earned him admirers but also detractors among the extremists, and sadly, he was assassinated January 30, 1948.
Religion was a substantial driving force for Gandhi’s beliefs. He grew up in a Hindu family which worshipped with overtones of both Vaishnavism (worship of the god Vishnu) and Jainism. Gandhi’s mother was especially devout. The strictures of nonviolence, fasting, and acceptance of all faiths which Gandhi followed are all influences of Jainism. Gandhi studied all religions and was particularly disappointed by the fact that the Muslims of the subcontinent could not live peaceably with the Hindus and the land had to be divided into India and Pakistan along religious lines. His work and life earned him the title of Mahatma, or “Great Soul.”
In 1982, director Richard Attenborough released an epic biopic about Gandhi that is
13
“A proud monk is a bad monk.”
Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the
Earth is set in the medieval
period amidst dynastic wars and
social upheaval, when religion
played a crucial role in everyday
life and society. As seen in both
the book and miniseries, the
Christian faith and the Church
hierarchy were not always used in
good ways; some of its members
used it for material or political
gain while others served their
communities with all their hearts.
The characters of Prior Philip and
Bishop Waleran espouse the
different ways religion and the
Church were used, either for
personal gain or for the good of
the community.
At the start of the miniseries, the
young monk Philip is elected
prior (or leader of the group) by
his fellow brothers, working with
lay persons and the nobility to
rebuild their community and
cathedral after disaster strikes.
Philip is a devout man who tries
to live as truthfully as he can to
the teachings of the Bible and in
service of God and others. He is
also deeply honest; he never
considers taking a skull from the
crypt to replace the saint’s bones
that were lost in the fire that
destroyed the first cathedral until
someone suggests that it is the
only way to ensure that a new
cathedral can be commissioned
his own goals at the expense of
other people, as he does with
Philip concerning the prior’s
dispute with the Hamleighs over
access to the market and the
stone quarry. The stone quarry
became a particular source of
contention because the priory
needed the stones in order to
construct the new cathedral. The
Hamleighs did not support the
construction of a new cathedral
while Waleran merely wanted the
stones for his own castle. Bishop
Waleran also actively conspired
to secure Stephen’s claim to the
English Throne, covering up his
actions by abusing his role as
Ellen’s confessor to silence the
remaining survivor of the ship
Lianne M. Bernardo
by the bishop. Over time, he
learns more about the way
politics works amongst those in
power but continues to operate
on his own moral code, standing
up for what he believes in and
refusing to go along with the
scheming of others.
Bishop Waleran, on the other
hand, is introduced at the start of
the story already in a position of
authority within the Church. He
manoeuvres through the Royal
court with ease, his alliances
constantly shifting based on
whoever has the most power at
that moment or whoever he can
benefit the most from. He doesn’t
hesitate to lie in order to promote
14
bishop’s utilitarian approach of
his office for their own ends, such
as Lady Regan Hamleigh and her
son William, who are able to
garner an absolution from him
before William set out to forcibly
close the quarry.
Prior Philip and Bishop Waleran
represent the different ways the
Christian faith was upheld and
ignored during the Middle Ages.
While Prior Philip uses his
position to lead the construction
of the new cathedral, Bishop
Waleran’s exploitation of his
office ultimately leads to the
exposure of his crimes. While
both men struggle with their
weaknesses and the obstacles
standing in the way of achieving
their goals, Waleran’s use of the
church is ultimately to raise
himself up while Philip’s faith
brings the community together in
praise of God. ♥
interpretation to place the blame
on Philip when one of the vaulted
ceilings of the cathedral collapses,
ousting Philip as leader of the
priory in the process. While he
recites his prayers, kneels before
miracles and relics, and conducts
an extreme form of self-
flagellation, his actions towards
other people shows that he does
not care about their welfare or the
projects aimed for the betterment
of the community.
Additionally, Bishop Waleran
uses the faith of others to carry
out his plans, either unbeknownst
to them or against their will. He
uses Brother Remigius to spy on
Prior Philip and his activities,
using the monk’s previous
indiscretions as leverage to keep
him in line. He also manipulates
the weaknesses and frustrations
of others, such as King Stephen,
to direct their anger towards his
enemies. Others also use the
carrying the previous king’s heir.
For Prior Philip, faith in God is a
source of strength and guidance
and is central in everything he
does, ahead of his obedience to
the Church’s hierarchy. He relies
on it when facing many of his
challenges: from confronting
William Hamleigh about the
stone quarry, to struggling to
make the Kingsbridge market a
reality, and going undercover
with King Stephen to rival
Empress Maude’s camp. Even
when he believes that he failed
the cathedral project, he accepts
his failure and subsequent
humiliation under Waleran and
Brother Remigius. He doesn’t
turn his back on his faith but
rather goes deep into prayer,
reflecting on his actions and
searching for understanding and
direction. When he emerges from
his contemplation, he is stronger
and surer of himself and the
reasons behind his decisions.
While Bishop Waleran also has
faith in God, he uses it and his
position in the Church as a shield
to protect himself from the
violent side of court politics, as he
reveals to Lady Regan Hamleigh
when they are stranded on
Maude’s side of the conflict.
When Prior Philip directly goes
against his plans and defies his
authority, he takes it as a sign of
disobedience and pride; he uses
the Church and a choice
interpretation of their values to
support his authority, going as far
as to proclaim, “I swear by all that
is holy, you will not build your
church!” He also uses this
15
T here is a line in Indiana Jones
and the Last Crusade that
makes the meaning of penitence
crystal clear: “The penitent man
is humble [and] kneels before
God.” This simple sentence is the
life of crusader Arn Magnusson in
Arn: The Knight Templar.
Arn’s life isn’t his own; he is both
a Jonah and a Joshua figure, a
person who wants to run from
God yet will serve Him to the end.
Born in Sweden during the 12th
century to a wealthy Folkung
family, his life is intertwined with
the politics of Västra Götaland,
the region he is from. An accident
as a boy leaves him near death.
His mother pleads with God to
save her child and pledges him to
a monastery of Cistercian monks
should he live. Arn does live, but
is very unhappy about the prior
arrangement. This is the time
when he is like Jonah and wants
to run, but does not. Instead, he
accepts his new life and tutelage
by a former Knight Templar,
Brother Guilbert, who teaches
him how to wield a sword and
bow. Grown into a gentle yet
capable man, Arn is sent back
home upon coming of age.
As a child, he witnessed the
murder of the old King Erik by
Karl Sverkersson. As an adult, he
helps an old friend and heir to the
throne, Knut Erkisson, to kill the
usurper. It seems the right and
to the church: Cecilia will go to
the Convent and Arn is sent to the
Abbey where Brother Guilbert
lives. Once there, it is decided
that Arn’s capabilities should be
put to use elsewhere in serving as
a Knight Templar in the Holy
Land. The new King Knut has
promised Arn that Cecilia will be
his to wed in return for his
support, but cannot keep his end
of the bargain when war with the
Sverkers and disloyal clans claims
his attention.
In this dark hour, when friends
and family have abandoned him,
the theme of the story is laid bare
as the young man bitterly asks
Brother Guilbert: “When I killed
two men I walked free. But for
loving I am punished! How can
holy thing to do. At the same
time, Arn falls in love with Cecilia
Algotsdotter, whose life is
overshadowed by the fact that her
father has money for only one
dowry and two daughters, Cecilia
and Katarina. The daughter who
fails to attract a suitor will be sent
to a convent for life. Katarina
discovers her sister’s relationship
and accidental pregnancy by Arn
and tells Mother Rikissa, the
Sverker related Prioress of the
local convent. One thing leads to
another within the church and
both are excommunicated before
Arn is able to marry Cecilia,
which he wanted to do, and right
the wrong he did by sleeping with
her outside of marriage. Instead,
they are both sentenced to half a
lifetime (twenty years) of service
Caitlin Horton
16
child to a new home, one of peace
and prosperity.
While Arn: The Knight Templar
may sound more like Game of
Thrones at times with all the
“ruler warfare,” please believe
this assurance that there is no
comparison. Its message has
stronger, cleaner morals and
gives plenty of spiritual food for
thought. It is not a perfect story,
but then, humans don’t live in a
perfect world and it is through
seeing the suffering of others that
we sometimes are more able to
rise out of our own misery and
say “I will be penitent and confess
to God. I won’t live in self-pity,
instead I will be strong in my
faith and leave no room for
excuses.” ♥
God, who we don’t expect to
defend Himself? After all, Jesus
hung on a cross and permitted
Himself to die. He didn’t rain fire
and brimstone down on the
Roman emperor and his entire
domain, didn’t cause Caiaphas to
have a heart attack by saying a
word, and didn’t curse the earth
so no vegetation would grow over
his blood being spilled. Instead,
He asked God to forgive mankind,
because we didn’t realize what we
were doing. He was humble
before God, as Arn the penitent is
1100 years later. Arn isn’t the sort
of man who plots revenge on
those who wrong him so badly,
including King Knut, who lives a
bountiful life, marries a beautiful
woman also named Cecilia, and
has sons of his own. Instead, Arn
believes God will lead him back to
his love and take her and their
that be the will of God?”
The monk pauses
before revealing the
truth. “What you are
speaking of has nothing
to do with God. These
are the plots and
schemes of men.”
This is why Arn is able
to carry his faith in God
through his time in the
Holy Land, where the
heat, hostile region, and
the power play within
the Crusaders threaten
his survival. He wants
to live for God and
believes his Savior will
let him right the wrong
done to Cecilia, so he
therefore lives as upright a life as
possible. He protects the weak,
including the Muslim Bedouin in
his assigned region, learns the
local language and customs, and
maintains a strong personal faith
in God. He is penitent in his sins,
though he doesn’t speak of them
with those around him. He prays
before going into battle, placing
his sword in front him and
kneeling so the hilt forms a cross.
The penitent man is humble, and
kneels before God.
Most importantly, Arn addresses
how it is always easy to view a
trial and tribulation in the terms
of “why is God punishing me?”
when God is not the one to blame.
Whenever war, famine, disease,
death, and unfortunate events
arise, humans have this drive to
blame SOMEONE, so why not
17
S cripture says we will know
the state of a man’s soul by
the fruit he produces. Sadly,
Christendom has had its fair
share of “bad fruit” over the centuries—monks who used the
cloth to disguise their evil
intentions, priests who abused
children, and the violence of the
dark ages, where the church
manipulated people for its cause.
None of these people showed any
genuine evidence of following the
actual teachings of the One who
inspired Christianity.
Perhaps one of the most obvious
instances of “bad fruit” is Pope
Alexander VI, or Rodrigo Borgia,
stories of whom inspired the
events of The Godfather. Many
of the accusations against the
Borgias are unsubstantiated and
spread by their enemies, which
casts them into doubt, but it is
known that Borgia was a brilliant
strategist and knew how to hold
onto and amass even greater
power than belonged to the
Papacy when he took office. The
one thing we know for certain is
that Rodrigo claimed piety in
spite of numerous mistresses and
several illegitimate children. Like
so many men, his sin was one of
sexual weakness. This isn’t that
unusual, for it was a growing
trend in Catholicism for priests
to say one thing from the pulpit
(or in Rodrigo’s case, the Roman
he is righteous, when it is evident
to everyone around him that he
isn’t. There is nothing righteous
in his actions.
Rodrigo is the most interesting
character for that very reason;
none of his children disguise
their awful behavior through a
delusion of righteousness. Cruel
as Rodrigo can be, he is horrified
at their actions. In a sense, he
reminds me of King David, who
also fell prey to sexual sin and…
worse, the sin of not attending to
his children. David’s sons abused
one another and their sister, as
Rodrigo’s do. He wept bitterly
over their misdeeds, which were
his fault as a father who did not
instill in them the faith that kept
Conclave) and live an entirely
different life outside it.
Showtime decided to capitalize
in the infamy of the Borgia
reputation in a three-season
series about the family exploits.
In it, Rodrigo entertains himself
with sexual dalliances and plots
to maintain power, while his
three children follow his immoral
example by dispatching their
adversaries under a veil of self-
serving and utterly false piety
that doesn’t disguise the nature
of their fruit. Throughout the
series, Rodrigo earnestly believes
his actions are morally right. He
takes his role as Pope seriously,
even though he bought it! He has
fooled himself into thinking that
Charity Bishop
18
papacy was immune to Christ;
but the people needed Him.
Rather than stand in judgment of
Rodrigo Borgia, we can use him
as a reminder to never become so
familiar with faith as to devalue
its significance. He shows what
happens when faith becomes a
tradition rather than genuine.
The true believer shows good
fruit. They don’t look down on
others in sin, because their own
sins makes them undeserving of
the mercy of their savior. Like
David, they make mistakes, but
also turn to God for forgiveness.
David knew something Rodrigo
never took to heart: we can’t be
sinless on our own. Our actions aren’t what make us holy—only
Christ’s redemptive blood does
that. Any good fruit in our life is
due to His influence, not our own
goodness or piety. ♥
Rodrigo Borgia’s life predates the
Reformation, but it’s interesting
to contrast him with Luther. One
knew he was a sinner. Martin
spent much time on his knees,
begging for salvation, an act that
never crossed Rodrigo’s mind.
It’s easier to embrace a savior if
you really need one. The person
whose sins are great is far more
grateful to have them forgiven
than the one who doesn’t think
he does sin. Rodrigo notices the
sins in others, but not himself.
He’s the kind of “righteous man”
that Jesus disliked the most: his
self-righteousness prevents him
from truly finding the Kingdom
of God. Rodrigo needs no savior
because he is his own savior.
Had Rodrigo lived long enough
to experience the Reformation,
he’d have shared the opinion of
the clergy at the time and seen
Martin Luther as a heretic. The
him strong. Rodrigo expects his
children to be righteous but gives
them no example of it. One of his
sons kills the other and on the
night after his son’s death,
Rodrigo’s daughter dances with
joy. He is appalled by their
behavior. His beautiful white
papal robes drenched in dirt from
digging his son’s grave with his
own hands, his angry
condemnation of their actions
stuns them into silence. In that
moment, he isn’t a tyrant but a
father mourning the loss of a
child that only he loved. His own
nepotism and debauchery, his
own sin, cost him his son.
David was a man after God’s own
heart due to his repentance. He
made many mistakes, but always
looked to God for forgiveness and
accepted the consequences of his
sins. To be repentant, you must
first be able to believe and admit
that you were wrong, and that
you are a sinner. Only Christ can
absolve sin, not the Church or the
Pope. Sadly, Rodrigo is
unrepentant. He has no genuine
relationship with God, and truly
believes that his role as Pope
ordains his actions and makes
them sinless. Rodrigo pays lip
service to a faith that has no real
impact on his actions. He lives in
self-deception under the belief
that he is righteous. Rather than
genuinely embracing Christianity,
Rodrigo uses it to gain power. He
sets an example that his children
take to the next level. His shock is
genuine, because he earnestly
doesn’t think of himself as evil.
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July / Aug: The Georgian Period
Taken: John Rolfe, The Patriot, Abigail Adams, The Scarlet Letter, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Garrow’s Law,
Marquis de Lafayette, Patrick Henry, William Blake.
Sept/Oct: Underrated Tales Taken: Firelight, Brideshead Revisited, The Making of a Lady, John Carter, The
Longest Journey, The Sinking of the Laconia, My Brilliant Career, The Painted
Veil, A Tree With Deep Roots, LMM’s Emily Books, Combat, Onegin, North and South.
Halloween: Monsters & Madness Taken: Sleepy Hollow,
Frankenstein, Evil Creatures in Middle-earth, The Monster Squad, King
Kong, Morgana, Angel, Loki, Penny Dreadful,
Rumplestiltsken.
Nov/Dec: A Family Affair
Taken: The House of Eliot, Little Dorrit, Game
of Thrones, Little Women, Anne & Margot Frank,
Pride & Prejudice, While You Were Sleeping, Emma,
Sherlock & Mycroft.