Why the Humanities Show Us Who We Are Research Paper
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Apologetics for Generation ZTable of ContentsIntroduction 3Who is Generation Z? 3Understanding the Problem 8Background to the Humanities 10The Sources That Will Help 13Walker Percy’s Moviegoer 14The Disease That Haunts Man 18Flannery O’Connor 21Pluck Out the Mystery? 23The Tale of Shoefoot 25Take Them to the Wonder 26Conclusion 28Bibliography 31IntroductionTo counter the pluralism of today’s culture, it is important that the Christian faith be presented objectively and with an insistence on truth. In today’s world, truth is seen as subjective. Everyone has his or her own “personal truth.” “Tell your truth,” is how the saying goes. This is a problem because very often one’s personal truth conflicts with another’s truth or with objective truth—i.e., reality. Since Satan is the father of lies, it is important that Gen Z recognize that real truth matters, as commitment to real truth is the only way to disentangle oneself from the culture of lies and come to Christ, as the Yanomamo convert to Christianity Bautista states: Christ is the only one who can save a soul from being lost.[footnoteRef:1] [1: M. A. Ritchie, Spirit of the rainforest: A Yanomamö shaman\'s story (Chicago: Island Lake Press, 1996), pg 288. ]This means that there is a need to focus on truth, real truth, and seeing the world through the eyes of one who recognizes the spiritual realities of this world, that God and Satan are real. One way to do this is by using the realities of this world to show the way to Gen Z, which is inundated with an atheistic, politically correct doctrine similar to that supplied to the Soviets of the 20th century.[footnoteRef:2] The key to opening up real truth to this generation can be literature, music, art, philosophy—i.e., the humanities. The humanities are one of the best ways to present biblical Christianity to Generation Z. The humanities have taught people about the real truths of God and life for centuries, and today the humanities have been pushed to the side. This paper explains how the humanities are one of the best ways to present biblical Christianity to Generation Z. [2: Barna Group. Atheism Doubles Among Generation. Accessed January 29, 2021. https://www.barna.com/research/atheism-doubles-among-generation-z/]Who is Generation Z?Commonly referred to as Gen Z, this generation is completely unique to history.[footnoteRef:3] Technically speaking, anyone born since 1997 is a member of Gen Z.[footnoteRef:4] Also known as the iGeneration (because of its affinity for iPhones), this generation is technically savvy and has never known a world without Internet. Yet there is much more to know about Gen Z than simply the fact that it is good with digital technology. As White points out: the modern soul of the 21st century is completely devoid of Christian sensibility, even if nominally he is a Christian. White calls the time now upon us the seventh age in which the very question of what it means to be human is no longer clear. There is no longer any religious affiliation among the nones—Gen Z. The nones—those without any religious affiliation were five percent of the population in 1930. Today they are 30 percent and their numbers are rising.[footnoteRef:5] In short, Gen Z has little to no faith in Christ. Christ is irrelevant in the great Digital Age. The iPhone and the atheistic ideology of social justice have usurped His throne. To drive home this point is a recent survey that reveals that 1 in 10 Millennials would sooner give up a finger than give up their iPhone—and those are Millennials.[footnoteRef:6] [3: J. E. White, Meet Gen Z. Baker Books, 2017, 12.] [4: Pew Research Center. Defining generations: Where millennials end and Generation Z begins.…
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…ApologeticsforGenerationZTableofContentsIntroduction3WhoisGenerationZ?3UnderstandingtheProblem8BackgroundtotheHumanities10TheSourcesThatWillHelp13WalkerPercy’sMoviegoer14TheDiseaseThatHauntsMan18FlanneryO’Connor21PluckOuttheMystery?23TheTaleofShoefoot25TakeThemtotheWonder26Conclusion28Bibliography31IntroductionTocounterthepluralismoftoday’sculture,itisimportantthattheChristianfaithbepresentedobjectivelyandwithaninsistenceontruth.Intoday’sworld,truthisseenassubjective.Everyonehashisorherown“personaltruth.”“Tellyourtruth,”ishowthesayinggoes.Thisisaproblembecauseveryoftenone’spersonaltruthconflictswithanother’struthorwithobjectivetruth—i.e.,reality.SinceSatanisthefatheroflies,itisimportantthatGenZrecognizethatrealtruthmatters,ascommitmenttorealtruthistheonlywaytodisentangleoneselffromthecultureofliesandcometoChrist,astheYanomamoconverttoChristianityBautistastates:Christistheonlyonewhocansaveasoulfrombeinglost.[footnoteRef:1][1:M.A.Ritchie,Spiritoftherainforest:AYanomamöshaman\'sstory(Chicago:IslandLakePress,1996),pg288.]Thismeansthatthereisaneedtofocusontruth,realtruth,andseeingtheworldthroughtheeyesofonewhorecognizesthespiritualrealitiesofthisworld,thatGodandSatanarereal.OnewaytodothisisbyusingtherealitiesofthisworldtoshowthewaytoGenZ,whichisinundatedwithanatheistic,politicallycorrectdoctrinesimilartothatsuppliedtotheSovietsofthe20thcentury.[footnoteRef:2]Thekeytoopeninguprealtruthtothisgenerationcanbeliterature,music,art,philosophy—i.e.,thehumanities.ThehumanitiesareoneofthebestwaystopresentbiblicalChristianitytoGenerationZ.ThehumanitieshavetaughtpeopleabouttherealtruthsofGodandlifeforcenturies,andtodaythehumanitieshavebeenpushedtotheside.ThispaperexplainshowthehumanitiesareoneofthebestwaystopresentbiblicalChristianitytoGenerationZ.[2:BarnaGroup.AtheismDoublesAmongGeneration.AccessedJanuary29,2021.https://www.barna.com/research/atheism-doubles-among-generation-z/]WhoisGenerationZ?CommonlyreferredtoasGenZ,thisgenerationiscompletelyuniquetohistory.[footnoteRef:3]Technicallyspeaking,anyonebornsince1997isamemberofGenZ.[footnoteRef:4]AlsoknownastheiGeneration(becauseofitsaffinityforiPhones),thisgenerationistechnicallysavvyandhasneverknownaworldwithoutInternet.YetthereismuchmoretoknowaboutGenZthansimplythefactthatitisgoodwithdigitaltechnology.AsWhitepointsout:themodernsoulofthe21stcenturyiscompletelydevoidofChristiansensibility,evenifnominallyheisaChristian.Whitecallsthetimenowuponustheseventhageinwhichtheveryquestionofwhatitmeanstobehumanisnolongerclear.Thereisnolongeranyreligiousaffiliationamongthenones—GenZ.Thenones—thosewithoutanyreligiousaffiliationwerefivepercentofthepopulationin1930.Todaytheyare30percentandtheirnumbersarerising.[footnoteRef:5]Inshort,GenZhaslittletonofaithinChrist.ChristisirrelevantinthegreatDigitalAge.TheiPhoneandtheatheisticideologyofsocialjusticehaveusurpedHisthrone.Todrivehomethispointisarecentsurveythatrevealsthat1in10MillennialswouldsoonergiveupafingerthangiveuptheiriPhone—andthoseareMillennials.[footnoteRef:6][3:J.E.White,MeetGenZ.BakerBooks,2017,12.][4:PewResearchCenter.Defininggenerations:WheremillennialsendandGenerationZbegins.January17,2019.AccessedJanuary26,2021.Retrievedfromhttps://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/01/17/wheremillennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/][5:J.E.White,MeetGenZ.BakerBooks,2017,14.][6:Jones,C.“Oneintenmillennialswouldratherloseafingerthangiveuptheirsmartphone:Survey”.AI&IOTDaily.2018.AccessedJanuary30,2021. Retrievedfrom https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/322677/one-in-10-millennials-would-rather-lose-a-finger-t.html]WithGenZonecanassumethatthefeelingstowardssmartphoneshavenotlessened.Onceformed,theseattachmentsaredifficulttobreak.Theygrowandconsumeoneuntiltheybecomelikeapartofone’sbody,apartofone’ssoul.Thisisthestateofthingstoday.GenZwakesupinthemorningandfindsitselffulfilled—primarilybecauseeverywakingmomentisfilledbysomeformofdigitalmediaconsumption.Thereisnotimeforspiritualreflection.Thereisnoreasontostopandwonderwhythingsarethewaytheyare.Thereisnoreasontostopandaskoneself,“WhoamI?”Everythinginhistoryhasreachedafinalpivotalpointwhereinsocialjusticeiswithinreach(sotheyaretaught).Technologyhaseliminatedallobstacles(sotheyaretaught).Humanperfectionishappeningnow(sotheyaretaught).Therealpivotalmomentinhistory—theIncarnation—islostuponthem.Theyhavenotbeentaughtitssignificance.Theydonotsensethelackbecausetheyarenotgivenamirrorthatshowsthemwhotheyreallyare.Theyareconstantlyfedprojectionsofanidealselfandanidealworldthatisrootedinatheisticmaterialism,justifiedbysocialjusticebanterthathidesthetruerealityofthings.Thebottomlineisthattheydonotseethattheyhaveanimmortalsoulthatisinneedofsaving.Theydonotevenrealizetheyareatheistsinmanycasesbecausetheyhavesimplygivennothoughttothematter.[footnoteRef:7]Theyareliketheclosed-mindedcharactersofanyFlanneryO’Connorshortstory.Morewillbesaidonthatinthenextsectionofthispaper.Fewauthorsofthe20thcenturyhavedoneabetterjobofholdingthemirroruptohumannatureandshowingthereaderwhohereallyis.Forthatreason,O’Connorcanbeanexcellenttoolfortheapologistbecauseshehelpstoopenthedoortorealrealityandtherealneedforsalvation.[7:Geisler,Norman,andTurek,Frank.IDon’tHaveEnoughFaithtobeanAtheist.Wheaten,Ill.:CrosswayBooks,2004.]Whitealsoassertsthattheapologistsoftodaymustadapttoaddressthisnewgenerationbecausetheyoldwaysdonotlineupwiththeneedsofthisnewgeneration.[footnoteRef:8]Itisnotjustamatterofgettingthisnewgenerationre-engagedwithalatentfaith.Thatfaithisnotlatent.OnemustrealizethatoneispreachingtheGospeltoagenerationthathasneverheardit.GenerationZhastobeconsideredasnodifferentfromtheheathensofthepast.ItisasthoughtheyhavereturnedtosomeofthepaganritualsthatwereincorporatedintoChristianity,buthaveleftChristianitybehindindoingso.[footnoteRef:9]TheymaybeChristianinname—someofthem—buttheyarenotacquaintedwiththeBibleoritsrelevanceintheirlives.TheGospelneedstobemadenewtothem,anditneedstobemaderelevant.[footnoteRef:10]Butitisdifficulttoseetherelevanceofanimportantfactwhenonedoesnotseehowitappliestoone’sownlife.ThePhariseesdidnotseetherelevanceofChrist’sgiftofgracebecausetheythoughtthemselvesalreadysaved;theythoughtthemselvesalreadyperfect;theythoughtintermsofearthlypower—andneglectedtoactuallythinkaboutthetruestateoftheirsouls(Matthew12:38-42;Luke11:29-32;Matthew16:1-4).GenZisverymuchlikethePhariseesofold,oftenadoptingamockingattitudeandtonetowardsChristianity.Withcancelculturealltherageamongthem,theyarelikethePuritansofHawthorne’sScarletLetter.Theyimaginethattheyarepureandmustcasttheimpureoutfromamongthem.TheyverymuchresemblethePhariseeslookingdowntheirnosesatChristwhenheallowedthesinnertotouchhim(Luke7:39-40).[8:J.E.White,MeetGenZ.BakerBooks,2017,24.][9:FrankViolaandGeorgeBarna.PaganChristianity?ExploringtheRootsofOurChurchPractices(CarolStream,IL:BarnaBooks,2008),3.][10:Ezell,Kevin,host.“#29–ReachingGenZwiththeGospel:Part1.”NorthAmericanMissionBoard(podcast).AccessedJanuary30,2021.https://www.namb.net/podcasts/evangelism-with-johnny-hunt/reaching-gen-z-with-the-gospel-part-1/]ButasChristsaidfromthecross,wemust“forgivethemfortheyknownotwhattheydo”(Luke23:34).Itistrue—butthatdoesnotmeanwemustforgetthem.Theapologist’sjobtodayisoneofreachingouttoGenZandpresentingtothemthetruthoftheirownselves;foruntiltheyseethattruth,theywillnotrealizewhytheyneedChrist.OnepointinparticularthatsummarizesthesituationistakenfromthefilmGravityinwhichthecharacterplayedbySandraBullockcriesthatsheisabouttodieandthatshewishesshecouldpraybutthatnooneevertaughtherhowtopray.ThatiswhereGenZisatnow:itisagenerationthathasnotbeentaughtthefirstthingaboutreligion.[footnoteRef:11]Yetatthesametimethisisagroupthatisheavilynetworked,understandstechnologyandsocialmedia,andisinvolvedinsocialjustice.[footnoteRef:12][11:BarnaGroup.GenZ:theCulture,BeliefsandMotivationsShapingthenextGeneration.Ventura,CA:BarnaGroup,2018,8.][12:CoreySeemillerandMeghanGrace,GenerationZLeads:AGuideforDevelopingtheLeadershipCapacityofGenerationZStudents.NorthCharleston:CreateSpacePublishing,2017,26.]Thisisagenerationthathastobeengaged.Apologistsoftodaymustaccepttheirquestions,answerthem,engagewiththemwhereverandwheneverpossible.[footnoteRef:13]ThisisagenerationthatbelievesinghostbutdoesnotbelieveintheredemptionofthesoulbyChrist’ssacrificeanddeathonthecross.Thosetwothings—thatbeliefandthatunbelief—havetobebridged:thatistheprimarypurposeoftheapologistseekingtospreadthefaithamongGenZ.[13:Mcdowell,Sean,andWallace,J.Warner. SothenextGenerationWillKnow:PreparingYoungChristiansforaChallengingWorld.ColoradoSprings:DavidCCook,2019.]Tobesuccessful,theanti-Christianaspectoftheworldtodayhastobecarefullyconsidered.[footnoteRef:14]Itisthisanti-ChristianworldthatGenZfacesandhasgottenusedto:GenZistoowrappedupintech,andGenX(theparentsofGenZ)hasbeentoohands-offinraisingtheirchildren.[footnoteRef:15]Thisisagenerationthatbelievessocialmediapresencewillmakeithappy.[footnoteRef:16]Itisagenerationthatbelievesinworldyperfectionratherthaninspiritualperfection.[footnoteRef:17]Itisagenerationthatdoesnotevenrealizeeachpersonhasaspirit.Itisagenerationthathasnoconceptofspiritualperfectionortheneedforspiritualperfectionbecauseithasnosenseofspiritualimperfection.Itisagenerationthathasbeentaughtthatifitsaysanddoesalltherightthings—politically—thenitwillgotosocialjusticeheaven(nevermindwhattheymayormaynotbe—nooneasks).[14:MarkMoring,“RedefiningApologeticsforaNewGeneration.”October13,2017.AccessedonJanuary30,2021.Retrievedfromhttps://lifewayresearch.com/2017/10/13/redefining-apologetics-for-a-new-generation/][15:J.E.White,MeetGenZ.BakerBooks,2017,50.][16:D.Freitas,Thehappinesseffect:Howsocialmediaisdrivingagenerationtoappearperfectatanycost(NewYork,NY: OxfordUniversityPress,2017),4.][17:RaviZacharias,CanManLiveWithoutGod(Nashville,TN:ThomasNelson,2004),17.]TheparentsofGenZaretoblametoalargedegree—buttheythemselvesweregivenlittletogoon.[footnoteRef:18]ThefactisithasbeenaslipperyslopedownwardsincetheBabyBoomersembracedtheculturalrevolutionofthe1960sand1970s.Freedomhasbeenthebuzzwordeversince,butasE.MichaelJonespointsout,freedom—typicallypreachedassexualliberation—alwaysleadstoenslavement(ofthemind,body,willandspirit).[footnoteRef:19]GenZhasbeengivenfartoomuchfreedomandindependence,andtheirparentshavenotsoughttoprotecttheinnocenceoftheirchildren.ThathasmadeGenZparticularlyvulnerabletothetemptationsofthedevil—andoncesnaredanddevoidoffaithastheyareitraisesmanyanobstaclefortheapologistoftoday.ThisisaGenZthatisenslavedbySatananddoesnotevenrealizeitbecause,toquotethefilmTheUsualSuspects,“thegreatesttrickthedevileverpulledwasconvincingtheworldhedidn’texist.”[footnoteRef:20][18:J.E.White,MeetGenZ.BakerBooks,2017,50.][19:E.MichaelJones,LibidoDominandi:SexualLiberationandPoliticalControl(St.Augustine’sPress,2000),3.][20:BryanSinger,dir.TheUsualSuspects,film.]UnderstandingtheProblemTheproblemhereisthattheworldhasnotjustbeende-Christianized;itisactivelypromotingananti-Christianworldview.TheworldisbeingturnedintoSatan’splayground.Christianityisnotjustneglected:itisrepulsed.Thesocialismofthepasthascreptbackintothediscourseoftoday’spoliticsundertheguiseofsocialjustice.GenZdoesnotseethatitisbeingmisledtowardsgodlessatheismunderthebrightshiningbannerofsocialjustice.SinandtheneedforredemptionhavenotchangedordisappearedfromtheearthjustbecausethepoliticsoftodayhaveshiftedtotheLeft.TheLeftdoesnothavethepowertohealthespirit.OnlyChristhasthatpower—butGenZdoesnotseethisbecauseGenZhasnotbeentaughtthetruestateofhumannature.Partofthereasonforthatisthedisappearanceofthehumanitiesinmoderneducation.Theclassicshavebeenpushedasideinfavorofthepromotionofsocialjusticeliterature,criticalracetheory,andothermoderninventions.TheclassicswereforalongtimepartofthecannonofWesternliteraturebecausetheyreinforcedinyoungmindswhatitmeanstobehuman.Dostoevskyunderstoodcompletelywhatitmeanstobehuman,tohaveabodyandtohaveasoulinneedofChrist.Hedepictedreallifecharactersin19thcenturyRussiawhohadtofacethisfactofreality.Shakespearedidthesameinhistime.EvenfilmmakerstodaylikeTerrenceMalickaredoingthis.AlloftheseworksofartarehelpfulbecausetheyreflecttherealrealitythatGenZhasnotbeenmadeawareof.GenZcannotbeexpectedtocometoChristunlessitisfirstmadeawareoftherealityoftheproblem,whichisthathumannatureisfallenandeverysoulisindesperateneedofGod’ssavinggrace.HowtoreachGenZandtoteachthemaboutChristisaproblemthatcanbesolvedbyturningtothehumanities.Tosummarize:·TheproblemisthatGenZisatheistic/agnosticandmiredinapoliticallycorrectworldviewthatispluralistic.·ThesolutionofcourseisChrist,buthowcanonedirectagodlessgenerationtowardsbiblicalChristianitywheretheanswerlies?·ThenatureoftheimpedimentisthatGenZisnotopentoabible-basedsolutionbecausethegenerationdoesnotrecognizetherealityoftheirownveryfallenhumannature—i.e.,thattheyhaveasoulinneedofsaving.·Thewayforwardistogobackward.Byusingthehumanitiestoshowthemtherealityofthesituation,modernapologistscanhelpGenZtorealizetheirhumancondition,whichultimatelyisthattheyhaveaspiritualcondition.Thesestories,botholdandnew(becausemanyarestillbeingtoldtodayinprintorinfilm),canbeveryusefulinopeningGenZtothesolutionthatbiblicalChristianityoffers.BackgroundtotheHumanitiesThehumanitiesmatterforoneverysimplereason:theyteachwhatitmeanstobehuman.OurLordusedstories(parables)toteachHisfollowers.ThegreatestartistsoftheworldhaveemulatedOurLordindoingthesamething.Humanshaveafallennatureandareinneedofredemption.Yettheirfallenhumannatureoftenpreventsthemfromreflectingonthisfact.Satanalsotriestoblindmen’seyestoitaswell.Storiesattracttheattentionofpeoplethesamewayflowersattractbees,thesamewaysugarattractsants.Peoplearesocialcreaturesbydesign.ThatishowGodmadeus.Thereisnogettingaroundthatfact.Storiesbringpeopletogether.TheytapintothatprogrammingthatGodhasgiventoallpeople.ThegreatestofthehumanitiesdowhatHamlettoldtheplayerstodowhentheyperformed:heaskedthemto“holdthemirroruptonature.”[footnoteRef:21]Thehumanitiesshowuswhoweare,wartsandall,sotospeak.Thebestofthemalsopointthewayoutofthemessweare,spirituallyspeaking.Thegreatchallengeforeveryartist,justlikeeveryapologist,ishowtocommunicatethistruthtotheaudienceofhisday.Theartistandtheapologistareverysimilarinthatrespect:theymustconsidertheiraudienceandidentifythewaytobestreachthataudiencewiththetruth.Theartist,liketheapologist,musttellthetruth.ButasEmilyDickinsonwrote:[21:WilliamShakespeare,TheTragedyofHamlet,http://shakespeare.mit.edu/hamlet/hamlet.3.2.html]Tellallthetruthbuttellitslant—SuccessinCircuitliesToobrightforourinfirmDelightTheTruth\'ssuperbsurpriseAsLightningtotheChildreneasedWithexplanationkindTheTruthmustdazzlegraduallyOreverymanbeblind—[footnoteRef:22][22:EmilyDickinson,“Tellallthetruthbuttellitslant.”https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/56824/tell-all-the-truth-but-tell-it-slant-1263]Thehumanitiesareawayoftellingthetruthinamannerthatgetsthepointacrossbutoftenburiesitsothatthehearermustspendsometimeinreflection.ThiswastrueevenwithOurLordandHisparables.HisdiscipleswouldcometohimafterandbegthemeaningofthethingHehadtoldthem:AsJesussaidthis,Hecalledout,“Hewhohasearstohear,lethimhear.” Then Hisdisciples asked Him what this parable meant. Hereplied,“TheknowledgeofthemysteriesofthekingdomofGodhasbeengiventoyou,buttoothersIspeakinparables,sothat,‘thoughseeing,theymaynotsee;thoughhearing,theymaynotunderstand’(Luke8:8-10).IfstorieswereofvitalimportancetoOurLordasHesoughttocommunicatetheeternalmysteriestoHispeople,thenweshouldnottreattheartofstorywithanythinglessthantheutmostrespect.Storiescanmakeallthedifferenceintermsofopeningtheeyesofanindividualwhocannotsee.Thatisthebackgroundofthehumanities:theyhavealwaysbeenrecognizedasimportantinthetransformationofthemind,whichisessentialifoneistotransformone’swilltoalignitwithGod’s.[footnoteRef:23][23:Willis,AveryT.Jr.MakingDisciplesofOralLearners:ToProclaimHisStoryWhereItHasNotBeenKnownBefore.Lima:ElimPublishing,2004.]Therearesomanysourcestochoosefromwhenitcomestothehumanities.Onecanfocusonphilosophicaltexts,suchasAristotle;onecanlookatreligiouspersonalnarratives,likeAugustine’sConfessions.Oronecanlookatdramaticworks,suchasSophocles’OedipusRexorHomer’sIliadorShakespeare’sKingLear.Alloftheseofferawayintounderstandingwhatitmeanstobehuman.Oncethatfoundationforwhatitmeanstobehumanislaiddown,theapologistisreadytobringtheindividualtoChrist.ThispaperdealsprimarilywithhowtheapologistcanusethehumanitiestogetGenZtounderstandwhatitreallymeanstobehuman.HumannaturehasnotchangedoneiotasincetheFall.Therefore,anyworkthatholdsthemirroruptonaturewillsuitourpurposes.FortheapologistseekingtobringGenZtoChrist,themosthelpfulapproachislikelytobeonethatusesworkstowhichthisyounggenerationofthe21stcenturycanmosteasilyrelate.Thesearemodernandinsomewayspost-modernyoungminds.Themostappropriateworkswillbeonesthatreflectcharacterswhomirrortheirownsituation.AuthorslikeDostoevsky,Solzhenitsyn,O’ConnorandShakespeareareallappropriateforthistask,asarethefilmsofTerrenceMalick.InthefollowingpagessomeconsiderationisgiventohowtheapologistmightusetheseworkstocatchGenZandopenthisgeneration’smindtoGod.The
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