When I went to Maryland for my aunt's 80th birthday last November I also made a hasty trip with my brother and niece into Washington D.C. I wanted to see an exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery which kicked off the 200th anniversary celebration of Abraham Lincoln's birth in 2009. If this sounds familiar, revisit yesterday's blog. 2009 is also the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth. I had not realized until this morning that Lincoln and Darwin were born within a few hours of one another on the same day in 1809.
The exhibit we saw was of most of the existing photographs of Lincoln, who was the first president to be photographed, as well as two life masks made of plaster. http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/lincoln/ Next to each photo there was a brief reflection. One pointed out that President Lincoln, who eventually signed the Emancipation Proclamation to free slaves in the United States wasn't sure that negroes (blacks) were as intelligent or fully realized as humans. In this regard he was different from Darwin but he allowed his resolve and his actions as president to carry him toward a new understanding.
I find it interesting that two great men, one who was an atheist and another for whom religion wasn't all that important, championed the cause of freedom from very different perspectives on either side of the Atlantic Ocean. It's important to realize that they followed in the footsteps of determined Christians such as John Wesley and William Wilberforce who were convinced that the New Testament message of freedom applied to people of every race and colour.
4 comments:
I will let you borrow my copy of "Angels and Ages: A Short Book about Darwin, Lincoln, and Modern Life", by Adam Gopnik. It was just published and I've just started reading it. I bought it because I really enjoy Adam Gopnik's writing. ("Paris to the Moon" and "Through the Children's Gate"). Joe
Sounds interesting Joe.
Interesting, in light of our recent blog discussions on the Humanist's ad campaign, seeing how historically science (Darwin), being good for goodness sake?(Lincoln), and religion have combined to advance our thinkings and our social conscience on such important issues.
Yes Laura, I too wonder about the motivation for right living and ethical actions in those who make no faith profession and may even be opposed to religion.
Dr. Robert Buckman has written a book called Good Without God to address this subject and it is worthwhile. Of course Judeo-Christian values underlie so much of our societal values, and other major religions share many of the basic precepts of justice, compassion and generosity.
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