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by Edmund F. Bloedow

Why come to Augustine College? All previous students who have attended Augustine College over the past six years will attest that it was an 'adventure'! That does not require any amplification. But what of 'perspective'? And how could it be significant? Just what is perspective? There is an old Chinese proverb which goes as follows:

He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool ... shun him. He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is willing ... teach him. He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is asleep ... awaken him. He who knows, and knows that he knows, is wise ... follow him.

That is perspective. At any rate, an Oriental version of perspective. What about a Western version? The English word perspective derives from the Latin word perspicere -- i.e., per + specere-- to see through. Webster's Dictionary offers, among others, the following nuanced definition:

a) Literally, the appearance of objects or scenes as determined by their relative distance and positions. Take, e.g., an infant crawling across a Persian carpet. All it would see would be a series of individual motifs. By contrast, an adult, standing in a corner of the room, would see not only the individual motifs, but also the overall pattern -- in short, the details in relation to the whole.

b) In a figurative sense:

(1) a specific point of view in understanding or judging things or events, especially one that shows them in relationship to one another -- i.e., details in relation to the whole.

(2) the ability to see things in a true relationship -- i.e., details in relation to the whole.

In the space of a very few minutes I shall explore three aspects of 'perspective':

1) Its importance.

2) How it is acquired.

3) The short-term and long-term value of perspective.

Perspective is important for three reasons:

a) It is important because of divine sanction:

That is perspective.

He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich (Prov. 10:4).

That is perspective.

In the NT, much of Jesus' teaching and many of His parables are courses in perspective:

Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow, and few are those who find it (Mat. 7:13-14).

That is perspective.

Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock ... And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, he will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand (ibid., 24, 26).

That is perspective.

b) Perspective is also important because of current necessity:

(1) 'Eternal present'. Today the majority of people on this continent tend to live in the 'eternal present'. They are therefore incapable of seeing things in perspective. Take, e. g., the matter of 'values' versus 'virtues'. There is much talk today of values. In fact, one speaks almost exclusively about values. When did you last hear a discussion on virtues? Because we live so much in the present, most people are unaware that only a few decades ago the situation was the exact opposite. There was much talk then about virtues. What is the difference between values and virtues? Values are essentially subjective and determined by individual predilection. Virtues are established by means of objective standards. How did this fundamental shift come about? That brings me to my second point under current necessity.

(2) The shift from virtues to values came about through what has become known as Modernism - Postmodernism - Post-postmodernism - i.e., Relativism, more specifically, Pan-relativism. One of the cardinal pillars of modern or current Western culture, one of the very bed-rock pillars, is the thesis: "All truth is relative". But a position built on such an axiom makes it impossible to see things in perspective. Not only that -- but here we have a most interesting contradiction. But then one of the things at which the proponents of 'all truth is relative' are best, is their propensity for contradictions and anomalies.

Take, e.g., the word 'absolutely'! One of the most frequently used words today (you hear it at least 40-50 times a day!) is the word 'absolutely'. "Do you think Canada is the best country in the world in which to live?" "Absolutely!" Do you think Canada has the best health care system in the world?" "Absolutely!" Do you think it was right for Canada not to become involved in the Iraq War?" "Absolutely!" "Do you think that anti-Americanism on the part of the Prime Minister and certain individuals in his party is a good thing?" "Absolutely!" Do you think the Prime Minister's approach to homosexual marriage is good?" "Absolutely!" "Do you think women should have access to abortion?" "Absolutely!" "Do you think Canadians should pay still higher taxes?" "Absolutely!" "Do you think Paul Martin will make the best Prime Minister Canada ever had?!" "Absolutely!" Amazing, is it not!

Not long ago the host of a regular programme on the CBC kept using the word 'absolutely'. At the end of the programme I wrote to this individual, saying:

I noted that you frequently used the word 'absolutely'. Does this mean that you believe in absolutes? The reason I ask is that I gain the impression that most people at the CBC do not believe in 'absolutes'. Are you, then, an exception?

I never did receive a reply, but I also noted that in subsequent programmes this individual did not use the term 'absolutely'. Interesting, is it not!

Take also the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms! The vast majority of Canadians treat the Charter as if it were absolute. Since its inception, not one iota of the Charter has been changed. Have you ever heard of anyone even suggesting that anything in the Charter should be changed? No, of course not! For the Charter is absolute. And yet, never was there an entity that was based more pervasively on relativism than the Charter. Never in Western culture have more people subscribed to and ordered their lives on the basis of relativism than today! And yet, never in Western society has the word 'absolutely' been used with such proliferation and with such abandon as it is today! Not even the most determined atheists, the most ardent agnostics, the most committed relativists can escape the absolute -- so, at least, it would seem. But only those who adhere to absolutes can gain a proper understanding of perspective. Do you use the word 'absolutely'? If so, I hope it is because you believe in absolutes. At Augustine College you will gain a true understanding of perspective.

(3) There is a third reason why perspective is a current necessity. This we may call anti-logic and anti-reason. Although they will disclaim it, the adherents of Modernism -- Post-Modernism

-- Post-Post-Modernism, i.e., the Pan-relativists constantly, indeed, continuously advocate positions that are simply contrary to what reason tells them -- and so are il-logical and ir-rational. You say: "But this is unbelievable". Yes it is unbelievable. But I assure you it is true. And not only that -- it goes on, one generation after the other. If you are not inclined to believe me, read two new books just very recently off the press: Ann Coulter, Treason (2003);

Mona Charon, Useful Idiots: How Liberals got it wrong in the Cold War and still blame America first (2003). (These books offer an analysis of American foreign policy since the Second World War, but they at the same time contain a great deal more.) People whose basic positions are contrary to reason cannot see things in perspective. At Augustine College you will be taught what is consistent with logic and reason -- and thereby gain perspective.

(4) There is a fourth reason why perspective is a current necessity. It is simply in very, very short supply.

(5) There is a fifth reason why perspective is a current necessity. Why is perspective in such short supply? It is in very short supply because of what we may most broadly call the 'media'. The entire public system of education, from kindergarten to post-graduate studies at universities, is based on Pan-relativism. The news media (TV, radio, newspapers, magazines), the political media, the entertainment media, the advertisement media -- all bombard us day in and day out with Pan-relativism. As a result, the vast majority of the population have lost all ability to gain e perspective. At Augustine College you will be given the means by which to gain perspective.

c) Perspective is important because it has short-term and long-term value. More on this below.

2) How do we attain perspective? Here I should like to draw your attention to one of the most significant passages in the Bible, and concentrate on one of the most remarkable concepts in this passage:

The 'renewing of the mind'. This is actually rather startling -- for several reasons:

a) This concept is never found in classical Greek thought. No one in antiquity had more to say about the mind than the ancient Greeks. And yet they never talked about 'the renewing of the mind'.

b) This concept appears for the first time in ancient thought here in this passage. It is therefore in the first instance Biblical and NT. It is therefore also Pauline.

c) It appears only here in the NT. The renewing of the mind! Here we really do break new ground -- and indeed tantalising ground! Now the Apostle does not go on to tell us how the mind is renewed. But I think we can work that out without too much difficulty.

A would-be clever German medic once quipped: "Der Mensch ist, was er ißt" -- "You are what you eat"! Well, in a sense, yes -- but in a major sense, no. Physically, if you eat only at McDonalds and Tim Hortons, etc., you might well become what you eat. In a figurative sense the statement is indeed true. You are what you eat! Take the metaphor: 'food for thought'! What we absorb and appropriate with our minds fundamentally affects what we become.

Recently, I was in the home of my eldest son. At that time, my nine-year-old grandson came out of his room into the kitchen rather enthusiastic about a computer game he had just been playing. As he continued in his enthusiasm, his mother said to him:

Daniel, you are being too preoccupied with this computer game and spending too much time with it. I want you to 'renew your mind'. Go and read in the book of Proverbs!

I thought to myself: "Wow! He's getting it young!" But on further consideration I concluded: "His mother is essentially right". Written words, spoken words, communicated words, words that have been read -- they are of paramount importance in renewing the mind. One of the most remarkable statements in world literature is the following:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God ... In Him was life, and the life was the light of men ... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us ... full of grace and truth (Jn. 1: 1, 4, 14).

And then, in what is certainly one of the most exquisite and profound passages in world literature, Jesus turned the idea of the word into the metaphor of food, namely, when he responded to the people in the synagogue in Capernaum, after they said:

Our fathers did eat manna in the dessert -- as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat'. Then Jesus said unto them: 'Verily, verily, I say unto you: Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world'. Then said they unto him: 'Lord, evermore give us this bread'. And Jesus said unto them [in those immortal words]: 'I am the bread of life: he that cometh unto me shall never hunger' ... The Jews murmured at Him, because He said: 'I am the bread which came down from heaven ... Jesus therefore answered and said unto them: 'Murmur not among yourselves ... I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world' (Jn. 6: 31, 32, 35, 41, 43-51).

Then, in the grandest, profoundest and holiest of all gestures, Jesus, at the Last Supper,

took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying: 'This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me' (Lk. 21: 19).

This is perspective. This is true perspective. This is holy perspective. How do we attain perspective? By 'the renewing of the mind' -- by 'feeding' on the bread of life! The renewing of the mind brings transformation!

In another classical passage, the Apostle Paul wrote (to the Christians at Philippi):

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is right/ just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things [ logidzesthe]" (Phil.4:8). [ logidzomai -- to consider, ponder, think, let the mind dwell upon]. [ tén logikén latreian -- 'your reasonable/ logical service' (Rom. 12: 1).]

Earlier in the same Epistle, the Apostle wrote:

Let this mind [phroneite] be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who being in the form of God, thought it not something to be clutched to be equal with God: but emptied himself, and took upon him the form of a bond-servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2: 5-11).

This is the perspective you will be taught at Augustine College.

The great Apostle clarifies this immediately after announcing his radical concept of 'the renewing of the mind' -- namely,

in order that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Rom. 12: 2b).

The will of God -- what God wills! To prove, to test, to verify the will of God is to know the will of God. The Apostle Paul had more to say about 'knowing' than any other NT writer. The reason? He was being continuously transformed by the renewing of his mind. And therefore he knew:

I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day (II Tim. 1: 12).

But he also wanted others to know. Writing to the Ephesian believers, he put it this way:

That you may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge (Eph. 3: 18-19a).

The short-term value of perspective is that you will know God's will. That is of immense value -- in terms of your personal life; in terms of the life of your family; in terms of the life of your immediate community; in terms of the larger community (your country); in terms of the world - the universe.

The long-term value of perspective is that it will enable you to live in light of eternity. In this you will be greatly helped by looking back over the whole of human history, and seeing the present in light of it, and looking forward to the will of God for the future, and seeing the present in light of it. This is what we do at Augustine College.

The short term value and the long term value of perspective will give you

orientation or a centre for your life. They will give you confidence. They will give you peace. They will give you joy. They will give you hope. They will give you motivation. They will give you enthusiasm.

It is true that in this life we only "see through a glass darkly" -- but we do see: we know. And that is something. When you leave Augustine College, we shall have set you on the road of 'seeing' and 'knowing'. By the renewing of your mind you will have learned perspective. That is adventure. Next to becoming a Christian, this year could become the greatest adventure in your life thus far. Welcome to an adventure in perspective! Welcome to Augustine College!

We began with the Chinese proverb -- which was concerned with 'knowing'. If you understand the importance of perspective, if you discover how perspective is acquired, and appreciate the short-term and long-term value of perspective, how will this affect your response to the Chinese proverb? You will certainly meet those who know not and know not that they know not. Fools? Yes! Will you 'shun them'? Not at all. You will point them to the Word, i.e., the Word made flesh -- the bread of life. You may well meet those who 'know not and know that they know not'. Will you teach them? Yes, indeed, but with a different message. Will you meet those who 'know and know not that they know'? Not very likely. But you will meet many who are asleep -- and you will indeed awaken them. But again with a different message. Will you meet others who know? Certainly -- and you will keep company with them -- and this will greatly enrich your life. When you leave Augustine College, you will be on the road to knowing, i.e., seeing the details in relation to the whole -- and others will follow you, as you follow Him who is the fountain of knowledge. That will be true perspective.

Welcome to an adventure in perspective! Welcome to Augustine College!