Teaching History in Good Faith

 
I happened upon a recent Fox News interview of Lara Trump wherein she mentioned that already high school textbooks are being studied that assert Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election to favor President Trump, explicitly indoctrinating potentially thousands of youth with the faux narrative that Trump (knowingly) stole the election and further inferring his (and all Republicans’)  “threat” to democracy.  (I have reached out to Mrs. Trump for more specifics, but as a once long term public teacher, this would not surprise me.)

Now, it is not the purpose of this article to discuss and weigh all the facts of the aforementioned allegations, but certainly any rashly premature but contrived implantation of one version of what occurred in 2016 elections, primarily by the known “progressive conglomerate,” should alarm all Americans, regardless.  I would hope for some balance, but based on the TV interview, that was not the case. 

 
Since the 1960s formal history texts and resources in public, but also Catholic, schools have increasingly leaned towards an empathetic viewpoint of a godless culture, ruled by intellectual wizards.  Tenets of communism are sometimes blatantly propagandized, but also in subtle, if not hidden, ways.  See Kindergarten—Primary lessons on “good neighborhoods.”

 
Ancillary books follow suit, and can fool even the more savvy but cursory viewers.  The devil coopts the language of the objective, and such deceitful cover banners as “researched for facts, not fiction” lull too many into complacency.  History then in government schooling and other public institutions, such as libraries, has become the tool of the anti-Christ.  There, I have said it.

 
How audacious considering that history is God’s story—“His story”— though people have tinkered with the facts likely since Cain was driven into nomadism.  Under the most sinister circumstances, distortions may be bold faced lies driven by self-interest or group agendas, the latter primarily designed to instill and embed secularist (at best) influences, and, at worst, remove the one, true God from history.   

 
In recent years—although an unsuccessful attempt was first made in 1615—one of the most egregious assaults on the study of history has been the removal of BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini—in the Year of the Lord).  This was once considered the benchmark, literally, when the kingdom of God was established on Earth. 

 
It took 2,000 years for the conniving devil to dare disengage the greatest historical story from the secular curriculum across universal settings and replace it with the nonsensical BCE (Before Common Era) and CE  (Common Era).  Tragically, some textbooks and other resources  in Catholic schools  often no longer even reference BC and AD.  They must!  Even if Catholic teachers need to acknowledge that “the world” has now ridiculously split time into pre and post common eras, where is the rationale?  There is none but the phantom of the silly negation of Truth.

Yet, there are numerous other assaults on the integrity and purpose of history, the prime vehicle for potential societal reform and cultural recovery.  Today’s secularists, including anti-Christians,  attempt to destroy the basic tenets of a healthy, God loving civilization and replace it with a utopian, humanistic model.  Moreover, this retelling of the past frequently besmirches virtuous heroic figures  and profanes anything holy.  These histories tend to reduce human kind to multitudes in perpetual class conflict rather than stories of individuals and peoples on a life journey towards eternal salvation. 

 
Iconic examples include such notable Catholic heroes like Christopher Columbus who represented European interests in the New World.  Rarely does a mainstream text depict Columbus justly.  Most magnify his faults and eagerly underscore any failures.  For the record, Columbus was imperfect by his own strong Catholic standards, but he was a courageous and able navigator and faithful Catholic.  Administration was not his forte, however.  Yet, reading one juvenile series,  one might think he was a superstitious  disease spreader who greedily plundered foreign lands with cold disregard,  if not cruelty,  towards the natives.  These accounts never consider the context of exploration during this era, and depict a lopsided view of victim natives.  For the record, there was more than one tribe in the region, two of which were most prominent.  Columbus was favorably drawn to the Taino and hoped for their conversion.  On the other hand, the Caniba were cannibal warriors and foes of the Taino that Columbus claimed to have fought.  For centuries, historians disputed Columbus’s claim, but recently Live Science (January 13, 2020), says it may have been true after all.

 
In the case for Columbus, an historian with integrity…with faith…would have approached this figure with greater respect and balance.  By the way, in one exhaustive search in recent years, I personally found such in Christendom College founder Warren H. Carroll’s work on Christopher Columbus,  the most even handed and informative, among many Catholic articles.

 
Yet, Carroll is precisely why reliable history depends on persons of integrity, persons of Faith, to ensure current and future generations grasp both human folly and wisdom; can evaluate ancestral successes and missteps; and, in the context of those situations, distinguish between a healthy society and one headed for disaster.  

 
That Columbus’s critics gleefully glommed on to anything “negative” in Carroll’s essay only underscores the prejudices and lack of honor in a cohort of “conditionalist” historians who refuse to ever cede ground…to God, let alone acknowledge sin and redemption.  

 
In other areas, such as world history, current classroom texts often slant the past.  Islam is often portrayed favorably for greatly expanding international trade without specific disclosure of Muslim mistreatment of nonbelievers.  Yet, the Catholic Crusades are wholly veneered with accusations of plundering,  brutality and murder.  Christians, but more so Catholics, are typically maligned, denounced, and rejected, along with their faith. (Two for two)

 
Indeed, the most popularized “common” theme of the “common era” is that orthodox religion oppressively denies whole peoples voice and independent freedom to pursue self identity in an environment of communal and theoretically flourishing egalitarianism.  

 
Optimally, the study and imparting today of soundly researched history by the illumination of Faith should re steer people to recognize and restore a God loving but also God fearing culture.  For self, authentic history should lead individuals to virtuously renew their lives.

 
Otherwise, we may continue to move within an enormously deceitful void, ignoring, if not outright rejecting, man’s fallen nature since Adam and Eve’s Original Sin and therefore denying students opportunities to virtuously tackle that which divides and defeats us.

 
Catholic historian educators must know both the “enemy” and the “battleground.”  Red flags abound  in various areas even aside from the content itself .  These include when was the history published or broadcast (though not all that is new is bad, and not all that is the past is good); who is the publisher (or producer); who contributed to the content; does a bibliography provide further confirmation of sourcing?  However, nothing will substitute careful reading or watching the actual historical presentation and personally verifying content. 

 
Catholic historians, and this includes the laity and home schooling parents, must be also well catechized, know and understand Scripture, be able to recount or re-research Church history, and have ample sources to challenge the lies in a plethora of mass media.  Being connected with solid educational sites and organizations enhances that sense of awareness (Some cited further on). 

 
Only with a strong foundation in Truth can history be researched across several resources,  critiqued with integrity,  and wholesomely presented to students.  The study and presentation of history requires acceptance of supernatural grace through the theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity; an invitation to perceive, study and evaluate persons and events  through the prism of the cardinal virtues of prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice and their descending moral virtues.    

 
For students, from toddlers to graduate students, a strong developmentally appropriate Catholic catechetical foundation is essential—a non negotiable.  Otherwise, temptations  based on emotionalism, what the world deems “fair, excessive and misplaced esteem for “pipe smoking” professors, and the pull of noble sounding “missions” will continue to derail the upcoming generations.  

 
The skewers of history have already succeeded in deforming several generations just since the 20th century.  By emphasizing some realities while ignoring others, modernist revisionist  “historians” and instructors present the past through ideological lens.  The picture is often blurred, opinion substituting fact, and actions and events used as social and political props.  Intentional omissions of facts is another ploy. Some writers of history even have the verve to claim they have fact checked records when in fact they have cherrypicked or twisted the reality of a person or event.  

 
Proof is the protesting college students in New York who could never have learned true history, based on their pro Hamas, anti Semitic rants.  Talking heads on numerous news channels painfully spout ignorance of the past (or even the present).  Analytical skills in the absence of authentic knowledge and understanding erects stumbling blocks, not building blocks. 

 
Ultimately,  social designers, disguised as historians,  pit groups against each other while idolizing manmade social constructs,  rather than directing persons towards true knowledge and understanding.  We are not a monolithic world.  Not all white people are oppressors, and not all persons of color are victims.  Again and again, we must perceive through the lens of Faith that which is true or false.

That requires going back to the First history lesson.  The irony to history classes, at any level,  that hyperventilate about grievance history often ignores man’s fallen nature since Adam and Eve’s incredibly imprudent disobedience leading to the first murder that was based on resentment and envy—the first injustice.   Moreover, Cain, lacking any fortitude,  seemed more concerned about his safety in exile than remorse for killing his brother through gross intemperate violence.   (Still, Cain likely has modern day defenders.) And the rest is…history…as they say.

 
These lessons  and childhood experiences are what strengthened, inspired, and led me in the later classes I taught, both Catholic and public.

 
In primary grades I sincerely do not recall such stark pitting of one person or persons against others.  I merrily recall:  “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”    On Washington’s birthday, little paper machete axes were given to remind us about the cherry tree that he cut down, but then took accountability for his actions.  On that, of course, it was later revealed to be hyperbole, but no real harm, as the lesson was primarily steeped in the virtue of honesty for which George Washington was known.

 
Now, I hasten to interject that my history lessons may have been on the naive side, but my classmates and I were never pummeled with “the horrible ‘thieving white persons’ who massacred friendly Native Americans just living peacefully on their land across north America.”  As an aside, I learned that they were called Indians because Columbus thought he had reached India.  

 
Fast forward to adolescence, and the effects of emotionally charged history instruction never erupted into cross class division.   The greatest dark tinge on high school history instruction was a teacher who bemoaned the Vietnam War, yet, oddly did not enter the Civil Rights movement with any depth.  

 
Today, from preschool forward children are confronted with dark realities absent appropriate setting, balanced background, and most critically Faith.  Many have become begrudgers and cynics. I could write a book that contrasts my history education lessons with today’s and how sadly today’s public school students miss so much!

 
One Martin Luther King Jr. Day I read aloud his “I Have a Dream” speech to a sixth grade class that was majority Black.  Now, in hindsight, that was a misstep for obvious reasons, and I should have selected one of the effective readers from class to share his words.  However, that aside, what so sparked these students was not the eloquence of this civil rights leader’s inspiring, hopeful words or what motivated a man who had suffered grave injustices which would ultimately include assassination.  As soon as I read the word “Negro,” yelling began.  How dare I call Black people Negros.

 
Even explaining that this was Martin Luther King’s exact wording did not quell the indignation.  Should I have foreseen this.  Candidly, yes, but defensively teaching history always “on the ropes” can present its own set of problems.   As best I could, even in the public realm, I attempted to bring in objective truth with love.

 
Higher up the school ladder is the particular challenge of “current events.”  

One current news story demonstrates the peril of teaching history offensively.   A man by the name of Kilmar Abrego Garcia is now headed for the history texts but likely with hyperbole that kindled in classroom discussions across the country.  How will his story be recorded?  Depending on the writers and publishers likely lopsided, at best.   As a teacher who strove to impress upon students the necessity of studying various and conflicting versions of “news,” I would offer that this man is more than the caricature of either side of the story.  Will that more complex profile emerge?  With solid Catholic educators, it could.  

 
In turn, perhaps the well rounded recipients of a solid Catholic grounded historical curriculum will influence society.  It is an uphill battle given just the family backgrounds of most young  news consumers; those in the mainstream media; atheistic historians; and ultimately educators.  Moreover, even under the bestow circumstances, there is no one right “way” to prevent errors in retelling history, and as the personal experience and example above demonstrate, teachers and teaching are imperfect.  Still, absent or outright rejection of “good faith” literally and figuratively, all we may be accomplishing is poisoning the culture almost irreversibly.

 
Ending on a hopeful note:  Sound Catholics are leading the way.  Catholic Textbook Project is one such avenue, but many publishers, like Tan, Sophia Institute, and Ignatius to name a few also assertively but objectively present history.   Then there are Catholic education enterprises such as The Institute of Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE),  the Cana Academy,  Catholic School Playbook,  with each of these generally leading to other credible sources.  (Research the numerous Catholic homeschooling options!).  At the very least monitoring children’s textbooks and resources and intervening can rescue truth. 

Finally, prayer is essential, particularly to the Holy Spirit, by all the faithful. My prayers are with and for the faithful history teachers and that more join their ranks.