Recently I read that Russia has now made it illegal to teach or even talk about the discovery, some years ago, of mass graves in Katyn Forest, Russia. Buried were Polish leaders slaughtered by Soviet troops under Stalin’s orders after WWII ended. This made me wonder if we, too, have not learned many of history’s lessons taught to us in the 20th Century.
Just think of how many issues of the 20th Century seem to have arisen from the corpse of history to live once more in our time. In my early years I well remember air raid tests while at home and duck ‘n cover drills in school. I have yet to see either make their return, but now in the news most days are threats and counter threats regarding possible use of nuclear weapons. Will there be a Cuban Missile Crisis de ja vu?
European nations prior to WWI and WWI were mostly independent and competitive. Today’s European Union has warts and hiccups that seem preferable to the various issues leading to the starts of two horrific and deadly wars. Yet some appear to want to go back to failed models of the last century simply for points of pride and self-improvement. Can “Our Country First” lead once more into horrific conflict?
The NRA, once a leader in gun control and responsible gun use, has transformed into a mouthpiece for gun manufacturers accepting the deaths of school children as the cost of freedom. Have we become so used to such shootings they no longer motivate us to do something about them?
Think of the progress made in Civil Rights in the last century. Now we want to prohibit even talking about why such progress (and more) was, and is, needed. Do we actually believe progress can be made without talk about why it has been and is needed?
Air pollution, still a major problem made some progress in the last century due to emission restrictive devises on cars and smokestacks in addition to other environmental changes. I remember almost missing the chance to attend a Dodger game in Los Angeles in the late 60’s due to smog so thick and heavy it was hovering in the upper-level seats. The game was paused until a determination was made to resume play. Unfazed by progress made there is a move to roll back many emission requirements that have made vast improvements.
Democracy once a cultural value despite some of its complications, is under attack. As a child I was taught how different we were from the Soviet Union; now we seem to want to emulate its authoritarianism in the name of law and order.
Our Christian faith has a word for knowledge gained from history’s difficult stories: repentance. Martin Luther described the Christian life as a life of repentance. When we learn of a past wrong, we are to repent. The Greek word in the New Testament for repent means, literally, to turn around; that is to learn, change, and grow. Only those able to repent can learn the lessons of history to prevent their reoccurrence. Others remain in their ignorance and cover up or blame others leaving the lessons of history for the pages of books, not for the improvement of lives.
Of course, there is much need to celebrate the good events of history. There seems no shortage of praise for things done rightly. But without repentance for those events, people, and issues of wrong, history is simply a shallow, one-sided tale. Those with trust in a gracious God can repent. We can learn from all of history. Why are we afraid to admit, dialogue, and work together?