Culture Counts, Faith, and Feeling in a World Besieged, Roger Scruton

    "Roger Scruton has written an aggressive, provocative, and persuasive counterattack against the nihilism of modern intellectuals who would repudiate the high culture of America and the West," writes Robert H. Bork.

    What is culture? There is abundant discussion these days about "respecting the culture of others." This mantra is especially used in Western nations today thanks to the multicultural movement. This is often quoted as if the West does not already have a brilliant and vibrant culture. Sadly, a large portion of this discussion is quite shallow and politically motivated. Scruton brings simplicity and clarity to understanding the nature and role of culture and why Western Culture, specifically, is worth every effort to learn and treasure. 

    Roger Scruton has written some forty books challenging the corrosive philosophy of Liberalism. Scruton in winsome and simple ways demonstrates the richness and value of learning and transmitting the essential components of Western Culture. In chapter one he answers the difficult question of what exactly is culture. Scruton writes, "...It is very hard to set spatial or temporal boundaries on Western civilization. It grew from the fusion of Christianity with the law and government of Rome, became conscious of itself in the high Middle Ages, passed through a period of skepticism and Enlightenment, and was simultaneously spread around the globe by trading and colonial interests of its more adventurous members. And throughout its most flourishing periods, Western civilization has produced a culture that happily absorbs and adapts the cultures of other places, other faiths, and other times. Its basic fund of stories, its moral precepts, and religious imagery come from the Hebrew Bible and the Greek New Testament. On those Judeo-Christian roots, however, has been grafted a tree of many branches, bearing many kinds of fruit."

   Scruton's excellent discussion of the role of Leisure, Cult, and Culture in chapter two is nothing short of brilliant. It is both simple and transformational. Honestly, many a church, denomination and preacher might be encouraged and helped by this lucid discussion of a topic we tend to either get wrong or ignore. Each little chapter is filled with a banquet of thought. Topics such as "Knowledge and Feeling," "The Uses of Criticism," "Teaching Culture," "Culture Wars," and "Rays of Hope" are surprisingly thorough and reachable by all. Culture Counts is a small book that will hopefully be accessible to a wide audience. It is my hope that Roger Scruton's writings and speeches will find their way into your diet of excellent literature. 

Post tenebras lux,
Scott

Reflections on the French Revolution in France, Edmund Burke

  Though apparently, he upset much of his contemporaries with his Reflections, Burke was compelled to stand against the anarchy that threatens to cross from France to England. The Introduction to this edition written by L.G. Mitchell is quite critical of Burke. Doubtless, Mitchell is simply trying to set the political and historical context in which Burke's Reflections were published.       Revolution was in the air and it was quite unpopular to advocate conservative political and governmental philosophy. Burke apparently was up to the task, though he suffered for his forthrightness. By and large, his assessment of what was happening in France was correct and history has leaned its support to Burke's concern for his native land, England. There is much in this book to help us today. DO NOT make the mistake of allowing the title to suggest to you that this is an archaic topic. Most of the issues that Burke exposes are currently a problem in the United States. Burke's breadth of knowledge and lucid thinking are astonishing. His understanding of political and governmental philosophy is breathtaking. If you are studying this topic Reflection on the Revolution in France is an absolute must! If you claim to master political and governmental philosophy and haven't read Burke you are not complete. His work here is seminal, broad, thorough and approaches genius. After you've read this book you'll understand why you see quotes from Edmund Burke everywhere! All I can say to the people of this day is ... read this book ... please! It explains so much and so well about what is happening in our Western Civilization. 

Post tenebras lux, 

Scott