Why go to Rome?
By Bill Jenkins
For the first time in five years, students and parents from CHA will next week be headed to the Eternal City-Rome. Last week, Tracey shared what students will be seeing and doing. This week, I would like to share why. Of course, on one hand, this isn’t a trip you pass up if you have the opportunity. But this did not just come along. This opportunity had to be made.
So why? I came across this quotation last week and thought it appropriate for this post.
Place people in sight of the pyramids of Egypt, and they will tell you, “Here has passed a grand and barbarous civilisation.” Place them in sight of the Grecian statues and temples, and they will tell you, “Here has passed a graceful, ephemeral, and brilliant civilisation.” Place them in sight of a Roman monument, and they will tell you, “Here has passed a great people.” Place them in sight of a cathedral, and on beholding such majesty united to such beauty, such grandeur to such taste, such grace to such delicacy, such severe unity to such rich variety, such measure to such boldness, such heaviness in the stones, with such suavity in their outlines, and such wonderful harmony between silence and light, shade and colour, they will tell you, "Here has passed the greatest people of history, and the most astounding of human civilisations: that people must have taken grandeur from the Egyptian, brilliancy from the Greek, strength from the Roman, and, beyond the strength, the brilliancy, and grandeur, something more valuable than grandeur, strength, and brilliancy—immortality and perfection."
Rome and Athens are the two places where the Classical and Christian worlds meet. Put another way, they are the home of Western Civilization. What I hope that students see and breathe when they are in Rome is a world worth fighting to preserve. I hope for them to be overcome with awe at the sheer beauty. I hope for them to see that the best of the Classical world yearned for what Christianity gave and that Christianity took the best of ancient civilizations' art, architecture, literature, geometry, philosophy, among other things, and breathed "immortality and perfection" into them.
If a classical education is supposed to form us in loving what should be loved and in despising what should be despised, I can think of no better way than to saturate the senses with the lovable and laudable. We will be in a place where, at every turn, there is the best of ancient society, absorbed and transformed by followers of Christ to exalt him and his Kingdom. It is not an exaggeration then to speak of this trip as a means to turn our souls more and more toward God and his most beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is part of the Board Bits: Tips, Tricks, and Hacks series. Is there a question about CHA or homeschool that you would like answered? Submit inquiries to Tracey at [email protected]
By Bill Jenkins
For the first time in five years, students and parents from CHA will next week be headed to the Eternal City-Rome. Last week, Tracey shared what students will be seeing and doing. This week, I would like to share why. Of course, on one hand, this isn’t a trip you pass up if you have the opportunity. But this did not just come along. This opportunity had to be made.
So why? I came across this quotation last week and thought it appropriate for this post.
Place people in sight of the pyramids of Egypt, and they will tell you, “Here has passed a grand and barbarous civilisation.” Place them in sight of the Grecian statues and temples, and they will tell you, “Here has passed a graceful, ephemeral, and brilliant civilisation.” Place them in sight of a Roman monument, and they will tell you, “Here has passed a great people.” Place them in sight of a cathedral, and on beholding such majesty united to such beauty, such grandeur to such taste, such grace to such delicacy, such severe unity to such rich variety, such measure to such boldness, such heaviness in the stones, with such suavity in their outlines, and such wonderful harmony between silence and light, shade and colour, they will tell you, "Here has passed the greatest people of history, and the most astounding of human civilisations: that people must have taken grandeur from the Egyptian, brilliancy from the Greek, strength from the Roman, and, beyond the strength, the brilliancy, and grandeur, something more valuable than grandeur, strength, and brilliancy—immortality and perfection."
Rome and Athens are the two places where the Classical and Christian worlds meet. Put another way, they are the home of Western Civilization. What I hope that students see and breathe when they are in Rome is a world worth fighting to preserve. I hope for them to be overcome with awe at the sheer beauty. I hope for them to see that the best of the Classical world yearned for what Christianity gave and that Christianity took the best of ancient civilizations' art, architecture, literature, geometry, philosophy, among other things, and breathed "immortality and perfection" into them.
If a classical education is supposed to form us in loving what should be loved and in despising what should be despised, I can think of no better way than to saturate the senses with the lovable and laudable. We will be in a place where, at every turn, there is the best of ancient society, absorbed and transformed by followers of Christ to exalt him and his Kingdom. It is not an exaggeration then to speak of this trip as a means to turn our souls more and more toward God and his most beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is part of the Board Bits: Tips, Tricks, and Hacks series. Is there a question about CHA or homeschool that you would like answered? Submit inquiries to Tracey at [email protected]
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