A Mind for History

Posted January 5, 2007

A commentary by Amanda Stiver

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" (George Santayana, 1863-1952).

Is history doomed to repeat itself? "No, it isn't!" "Yes, it is!" This argument never fails to create contention in the historical community. On an individual level it is sometimes important to leave the past behind and forgive. The same is frequently true on an international scale. But forgiving the past and ignoring the past are not to be confused: one is good; the other is dangerous.

Historical trends develop from the repetition of similar events. War is a historical trend; wars happen repeatedly from similar causes. We wouldn't have had World War I without the economic upheaval and violent, nationalist sentiment rampant in Europe in the early 1900s. And 20 years later, without similar economic turmoil and nationalist crazies, we wouldn't have had World War II.

God created people to make choices, and the ultimate choice is to follow God's excellent way of life. But He does not coerce us, so people tend toward moral equivocation, which we call "human nature." In other words, mankind sits on the fence a lot and sometimes falls off on the dark side—often making the same mistakes over and over.

History helps us study human nature on a vast and endlessly detailed scale. To people who enjoy it, it is a bottomless supply of stories and fascinating facts. To those who would rather not absorb history books by the ton, it is still a productive pursuit, providing countless case studies of human nature and how to avoid its failures.

As a historian, let me show you how to acquire a taste for history. Start with a period of history that interests you: the Old West of America, the culture of medieval knighthood, life in Georgian England, World War II society or the exploits of the Yuan Dynasty of China. Next, choose a significant person from that era like Wyatt Earp, King Robert the Bruce of Scotland, Jane Austen, Winston Churchill or Kublai Khan. Find and read a good short- to medium-length biography of that individual. You will be surprised how quickly history becomes interesting!

In our technologically advanced era, the study of history is essential to staying morally grounded as a tsunami of digital information washes over each of us. Whether sifting wheat in an agricultural society or tapping keys and scanning Web pages in a digital culture, humans are humans and subject to the same moral pushes and pulls that they have faced since creation.

"Should I be doing what I'm doing?" is always a valid question when asked in reference to the 10 great commandments listed in the most well-preserved history resource in the world—the Bible. To better comprehend this incredible and historic document overflowing with biographies of real people and graced with the divine analysis of God, request or download your free copy of How to Understand the Bible.

God started history, but He lets us make choices about its progress. He gave us a precious gift—the impact we make on the lives of others. To use that gift wisely, we must study the historical record of those who came before and learn the lessons they reveal. The most ancient, elemental and essential record is the Bible; scan its pages of time to learn the true wisdom of history. VT