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

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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

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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

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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

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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.