The study of Lincoln & the Civil War: Stages of Change

[LincolnMan]

I Corinthians 13:11- "When I was a child...I thought as a child..."

This is what I call our "age of innocence." We learn a basic set of "facts" about Abraham Lincoln (i.e. "he freed the slaves") and the Civil War (i.e. "the North won"). We are very young-elementary school age. We are not really ready for "deep thinking" because we are still "concrete." We don't question the "facts." Some who grow into adulthood don't move beyond this level of understanding. They accept what they have learned. Many are not interested in Lincoln or the Civil War anyway-so they see no need for further inquiry into their knowledge.


Ecclesiastes 12:12- "Much study is weariness of the flesh."

Some people (like many of us) grow to love the subject of Lincoln and the Civil War era. We realize as adult thinkers that there is "more to the story" than our childhood understanding. We read! We research! We question! We search for answers! Some of us go crazy (see Acts 26:24- "Much learning doth make thee mad."). As adult thinkers, we then have a few choices to make about what we learn:
1) Retain the same beliefs about what we have believed previously.
2) Change our beliefs based on new incoming information (which we accept)
3)Reject the new information because it doesn't match our existing understanding.

This often is a "crisis point" for folks in this stage. We learn, for instance, that Lincoln wasn't a "saint." We learn the war was very complex and that there was justification from "both sides" for what happened. Some people will take on views that are not considered "mainstream" at that point (i.e. "Lincoln was a racist who cared nothing about slavery."). Most people will basically maintain, in essence, what they believed in childhood-with modifications to understanding (i.e. "Yes, Lincoln had some racial views, but..."). A high level of mature thinking would have the capacity to continue to take in new information, change understanding when honesty requires, and to stay humble-knowing that we are human fallable adults.


Romans 8:38- "For I am persuaded..."

In this stage we are holding our beliefs. Yes, we are open to new knowledge-and are even willing to change if we discover new "truth." Yet, we are not easily beset by every little tid-bit we come across. Remember when you first heard something about Lincoln was so against what you've come to know through years of study? You now have the ability to dismiss it outright. I'm being silly with this example but-if you read that someone said Lincoln was actually an alien from outer space-you wouldn't be upset because you have a foundation of knowledge about him that is solid. You are not easily moved! You are persuaded! In the end, we find ourselves loving the subject of Lincoln and the Civil War. We are fascinated by it. We are open to new knowledge. We are respectful of others-for whatever stage they are in. We are humble. We have our notions of who Lincoln was. We have our beliefs about the War. As adult mature thinkers we welcome all views for consideration-knowing, perhaps, that no one is completely wrong or right.

Parting words:
Philippians 4:8- "Think on those things."

Hope I didn't bore you all with my Sunday morning ramblings.