“One of the last American Congressmen to argue for a reduced role for the state retired in 2012. In his farewell address, Congressman Ron Paul stated, ‘Expect the rapidly expanding homeschooling movement to play a significant role in the revolutionary reforms needed to build a free society with Constitutional protections. We cannot expect a Federal government controlled school system to provide the intellectual ammunition to combat the dangerous growth of government that threatens our liberties'” (Kevin Swanson, Apostate: The Men Who Destroyed the Christian West, 115).

“Every day is an opportunity to listen and to learn–and to pass along what we learn that might be helpful to others” (Quentin Schultze, An Essential Guide to Public Speaking: Serving Your Audience with Faith, Skill, and Virtue, 46).

Reading Notes for Introduction and Chapters 1-5.

Reading Notes for Chapters 6-9.

Reading Notes for Chapters 10-13.

Reading Notes for Chapters 14-18.

Reading Notes for Chapter 19.

Reading Notes for Introduction and Chapters 1-5.

Reading Notes for Chapters 6-9.

Reading Notes for Chapters 10-13.

Reading Notes for Chapters 14-18.

Chapter 19 – Grace of Discipline

• The author talked about the “rich etymology” of the word “discipline” — that it includes both divestment (casting off) and investment (see page 223). The dynamic discipline of divestment-and-investment is a life-long practice as the Lord progressively sanctifies us.
• Christian Living from start to finish is a matter of grace – Sola gratia. “Salvation is by grace alone, and living the Christian life is by grace alone also. . . . As we tackle the disciplines of a godly man, we must remember it is a matter of grace from beginning to end” (p. 227).
• Thus, “there is no contradiction between grace and hard work” (p. 228).
• The author has been helpful and practical throughout the book with the constant refrain that “training in righteousness” is not a passive affair: godliness requires that we work hard, that we break a spiritual sweat, and this means we need to pro-actively assess our spiritual condition.
• One way the author recommends to assess our spiritual condition and to discipline ourselves without being legalistic (see quote below and the table): 

Review the seventeen disciplines studied in this book [divide them into separate lists–a list of those areas in which you are doing well (“+”) and another list of the areas where you need help (” – “)], then prioritize them in relation to your own life — the abilities and interests God has given you, the opportunities before you, your own level of spiritual understanding and maturity, your willingness to move forward (p. 229).

“A mind on wheels knows no rest; it is as a rolling thing before the tempest. Struggle against the desire for novelty, or it will lead you astray as the will-o’-wisp deceives the traveler. If you desire to be useful, if you long to honor God, if you wish to be happy, be established in the truth, and be not carried about by every wind of doctrine in these evil days, ‘be ye steadfast, unmovable’ (Spurgeon’s Sermon Illustrations, 78).

Right. And a will-o’-wisp is this.

At present I am reading J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1936 paper “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics.” (The volume I am reading is from 1972 by Folcroft Library Editions, Folcroft, PA. Oddly, the copyright page says “Limited 100 Copies”?!?)

Originally presented in 1936 for the Sir Israel Gollancz memorial lecture, the paper is replete with insight and Tolkienism-humor, e.g., from the second paragraph – “I have, of course, read The Beowulf, as have most (but not all) of those who have criticized it.” In this lean talk, Tolkien takes a bunch of ne’er-do-well Beowulf critics to task. Tolkien’s initial thrust and parry against the teaming Beowulf censurers is presented by way of allegory.

I would express the whole industry in yet another allegory. A man inherited a field in which was an accumulation of old stone, part of an older hall. Of the old stone some had already been used in building the house in which he actually lived, not far from the old house of his fathers. Of the rest he took some and built a tower. But his friends coming perceived at once (without troubling to climb the steps) that these stones had formerly belonged to a more ancient building. So they pushed the tower over, with no little labour, in order to look for hidden carvings and inscriptions, or to discover whence the man’s distant forefathers had obtained their building material. Some suspecting a deposit of coal under the soil began to dig for it, and forgot even the stones. They all said: ‘This tower is most interesting.’ But they also said (after pushing it over): ‘What a muddle it is in!’ And even the man’s own descendants, who might have been expected to consider what he had been about, were heard to murmur: ‘He is such an odd fellow! Imagine his using these old stones just to build a nonsensical tower! Why did he not restore the old house? He had no sense of proportion.’ But from the top of that tower the man had been able to look out upon the sea.

An allegory, indeed.

In any case, The Beowulf was an early and life-long love of Tolkien, and now his literary estate is releasing his own translation of Beowulf. Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary is comprised of a translation of Beowulf constructed from three Tolkien translation-manuscripts, and the commentary is derived from Tolkien’s lecture notes over Beowulf. Tolkien’s translation, however, does not aim to be alliterative-poetic, it is only a modern/plain-prose translation. Recently I have been thumbing through Howell Chickering’s dual-language translation, and very much looking forward to reading Tolkien’s now that it is available.

“A child needs to form an increasingly focused mental map of history and of the world in order to comprehend his place in space and time; physical maps aid this tremendously. In all his studies, use timelines of history, use maps and globes of the world, and use pictures (of art objects and architecture, etc.) from other places and times” (Wes Callihan, Preparing Younger Children for a Great Books Education, 13).

“You might imagine sports being developed on farms or in country towns, but pro football was popular in big towns from the start, its field following the contours of two things that define modern life: the city block and the TV screen” (Rich Cohen, Monsters: The 1985 Chicago Bears and the Wild Heart of Football, 295).

“An absolutely critical role of classical education is teaching a student the relevance of the past. Knowing God depends on knowing history—what God has done for His people as recorded in the Scriptures, and what He has done for them in the last two millenia. And knowing oneself also depends on knowing history–where we came from and why we are who we are. The twentieth century has decided that the past is irrelevant, and in an excess of mind-boggling arrogance it considers our age to be the definition of reality, truth, and value. Education must oppose this in the strongest possible manner” (Wes Callihan, Preparing Children for a Great Books Education, 12).

Three cheers for the division of labor.