One hundred years ago this week, the Great War began. It was the war that was supposed to end all wars. The world decided it was about time to get all their anger out at once and then go back to living in peace. Following the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria on June 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary and Serbia decided they had had enough of civility and started fighting. A world war started a month later.
By the time it was all over in late 1918, about 18 million people (both soldiers and civilians) lay dead and another 20 million wounded across Europe and the world. Disease killed millions, but not more than bullets and shrapnel.
Nineteenth century military tactics collided with twentieth century technology as military leaders sent swarms of soldiers attacking across open fields only to be confronted by clouds of mustard gas and the most deadly weapon invented to that point, the machine gun. Millions died needlessly as many military leaders knew of only one way to conduct war and could not adapt, presumably, with professional pride behind much of that reluctance to change.
It gets worse.
The Muslim Ottoman Empire, centered in present-day Turkey started genocide against anyone who disagreed with them, slaughtering two million Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks…mostly Orthodox Christians.
It was an awful time.
As the calendar turned to August, 1914 the news’ cycles started to overheat.
- Each day one country was declaring war on another. (America declared itself neutral)
- Ellen Wilson, wife of the U.S. President died on August 6.
- The Panama Canal opened on August 15.
- The Pope died on August 20. (Pius X)
And in a dramatic act of stupidity on August 25, the German army burned down the library at the Catholic University in Leuven, Belgium. Hundreds of thousands of priceless books and manuscripts dating from the Renaissance were destroyed.
Jehovah’s Witnesses observed all this and predicted the end of the world by the end of 1914.
But we didn’t lack for culture, especially great writers.
Among the best-selling authors in 1914 were:
Winston Churchill (not THAT Winston Churchill)
H.G. Wells
Zane Grey
James Joyce
Arthur Conan Doyle
Rudyard Kipling
Hilaire Belloc
T.S. Eliot
L. Frank Baum
D.H. Lawrence
Sinclair Lewis
Carl Sandburg
Beatrix Potter
In addition, readers desiring a decidedly Christian worldview in their literature were enjoying:
Harold Bell Wright
Gene Stratton Porter
Grace Livingston Hill
G.K. Chesterton
And many more.
There was amazing literature and enduring stories from revered literary giants, many that we still love one hundred years later. They provided escape, entertainment, enlightenment, illumination and intrigue, but for four long years the people of the world still fought each other and when it was over in 1918, the stage was set for the Great Depression of the 1930’s, the rise of some of the most evil leaders who ever lived, followed by the most deadly war the world has ever seen.
Apparently, not all problems are solved by great literature.
As we publish Christian books, they are sent into a world where some people do wonderful things for humanity and others do terrible things to humanity.
There is an ongoing discussion whether art reflects life or visa versa. As in most complex philosophical discussions, a convincing case could be made for either side of the argument.
The Christian who writes differs from other writers in their worldview. Christian writers looking at a seething, heaving world seek to show there is another way to view everything.
Because a Christian worldview begins with “In the beginning, God…”, other perspectives that begin elsewhere never end up intersecting with the Christian view down the road somewhere. So if we don’t agree on Genesis 1:1, forget about trying to agree on the last chapters of the Bible.
When you write, you see relationships differently, you see difficulties differently and certainly you see the relationship between God and people a distinct way. You allow people to be redeemed. You rejoice at a changed life. Forgiveness is at the core. Grace and truth undergird what you build.
Nevertheless, some will turn their backs on what you write, no matter how well you do it. No matter how popular you get, there will be detractors. But that is not really a surprise, is it? In reality, there are people in every age that simply hate Jesus and anything associated with him.
You can push back against the dark, even light a candle, but only one thing will destroy the dark once and for all.
Waiting at the other end of the world’s timeline would be the nineteenth chapter of the last book of the Bible, Revelation. In it we see the armies of this world taking up arms to fight the return of the King of Kings.
The build-up to the last battle is more dramatic than the actual battle. In fact, it isn’t much of a battle at all. Just a couple verses describe it. No struggle. Blink and it’s over.
Spoiler alert: God wins.
Well said, Dan. Serious topic, challenging times. Thank God we know the ending as we persevere in living this life and write. May grace and truth always undergird what we build as we choose to place our trust in the One who is the Alpha and Omega. Thank you!
Thank you Dan, well researched with a viewpoint that made me think and challenged me.
What a thought-provoking post, Dan. We visited the WW1 museum in Kansas City a couple years ago. It’s an enlightening place. What led to the war and why it raged for so long made me sad.
I appreciate the reminder that we, as Christians, have a different worldview, one that can instill hope into our readers. But not all will appreciate or like what we write. That’s okay. We can still write the truths God’s given us. We can be that candle you described through our words. I so appreciate this exhortation. Thanks for sharing this post.
I am an artist at heart. Everything I view is through the lens of art and crafting beauty, even from ashes. When I look back on history, my lens blooms with hope in seeing that, while tragedy laces itself through time, hope pulses stronger and bolder with each inch on the timeline, and it is with that hope as my medium, I am called to create stories that capture the “Above all else”, the untainted Love, a glimpse at the One who has remained unshaken when humanity quakes with brokenness.
One of my closest loved ones has fallen away from believing in God at all, and these past months have been treacherous for our family. He would look at the events you mentioned with great judgement on the will of God, and with great skepticism that humanity needs any divine guidance. But all I see is the sorrow in his worldview, and the overwhelming hope in mine.
It gives me more reason to stay the course and let my words flow somewhere between Genesis and Revelation on this timeline!
Thank you for such an inspiring post!
Not only was WWI a heartbreaking war in itself (as all wars) but brought many evils with it like mustard gas and the Influenza outbreak that came back and killed so many.
I love Grace Livingston Hill and she wrote through both World Wars.
On Facebook they ask for political affiliation—I wrote—Waiting for the King of Kings to rule it all!
Well stated. I would just like to suggest that you move T.S. Eliot to the “decidedly Christian worldview” list. Sometimes the distinctions are very gray between a “secular” and a “Christian” worldview. A good discussion could be had over the differences and where they intersect.
It’s also interesting to think about a few of the writers who were young men and fought in and were shaped by that ugly war. If some critics are to be believed, Hemingway went on to write about little else for the rest of his life after he was wounded as an ambulance driver; at least, his first three books had something to do with WWI. He emerged with a tragic view of the world. In contrast, C.S. Lewis, who was also wounded in the war, has a single short paragraph in _Surprised by Joy_ about it–and nothing else that I’ve been able to find. His fantasies are serenely other-worldly. Meanwhile, some have thought that those “industrial” devastations and battles in Tolkien’s _Lord of the Rings_ represented a response to Hitler and the next war, but they could as easily have reflected his own deep responses to WWI.
I find it interesting when Christians are deeply affected by world tragedies and can speak compellingly to them. Lewis may not have written anything directly about his war experiences, but he was influential in WWII with his radio talks that turned into _Mere Christianity_. We are in the world but not of it, but being in the world we should be able to respond with understanding and empathy. I think we need to be honest. God’s faithfulness does not blind us to human suffering and death. And human suffering and death does not blind us to God’s faithfulness.
Great comments.
From your last two sentences…I often think that God’s faithfulness is magnified when compared to human suffering and death. The difference is so great, so dramatic, so black and white.
Dan, thanks. Yes, it is more than black and white. It is interesting to think about human reactions to tragedies. God’s is always to bring beauty from ashes, as Angie says above, and only God can do that. I hope we remain open to the way God really works. Thank you for a provocative post.
I must say that it is the literature–the fictional and nonfictional writing of experiences–that most drives home the real pain of that period.
Dan, you said
I never thought about WWI like that before, but it really puts some clarity to “The Great War.”
I also thought this was insightful:
For times like these, your post was a great and encouraging reminder. Thank you.
Becky
God wins. What a comfort! I just had a conversation about that very truth with someone who is losing hope with all the evil going on in the world.
This post made me want to pick up my pen and keep moving forward. Thank you for the motivation!
Dan. Good solid post.
I’ve taken recently to studying Christian history. Just finished learning the ugly truth about the seven crusades, the inquisition and power mongers of the medieval period of Christendom. Tragic case of pride, self righteousness and sin at levels we are hard pressed to understand.
Chaining God’s word to the pulpit may, for a time, keep the seeker from answers, but they can never hold the Spirit down. He will always be victorious. Our world view comes not from reason, but the Spirit.
We always remember the names of the wars, the years they were fought and even the good soldiers who fought the good fight, but we hardly ever remember why. I will never look at a red beautiful poppy flower without remembering the dough boy and how he fought to win a war not even he could understand.
Let us learn from our past,or we will forever be haunted to repeat it.
When we write our pen becomes a weapon of great value hitting strategic places for Christ. The war is for the souls of men and the Victor always wins. Ask Martin Luther, Calvin and so many more and they will tell you it is so. My fellow writers you are in the front lines, you agents are in war room and you publishers supply the weapon launchers. The battle is the Lord’s.
It’s as if you wrote this post for only me. I came out of a 6mo blog fast to finally share the first part in our adoption story only to get blasted with negative comments from an anti-adoption group. Anti-adoption group? I didn’t even know they existed.
I’ve been told my website might get attacked because I’ve blogged about Muslims and sharing Christ with them but adoption?
I wasn’t prepared for it and I wanted to quit. Yes, I’m a reclusive, short timer like Moses. “Lord, why did you put me in charge of these rebellious people and send us into the desert to die? Kill me now.” Loose paraphrase. 🙂 But this week I was ready to throw in the towel, quit writing forever, erase my blog from the internet…if that’s even possible.
But the Lord has been confirming the message in this post over and over and over, wherever I turn it’s there. How will anyone every know about the saving, forgiving, transforming power of God unless we go out in courage and share especially when it hurts or we mess up?
Thanks for being a part of God’s voice in my life this week.
Excellent post. We need to be reminded of history as we see history being replayed yet again. We also need to be reminded that regardless of what man does, God is still in command.