History lesson
Thursday, 28 April, 2005
A good example of our partial suppression of core conviction lies in our common refusal in this volume to draw explicit lessons from the history that we are writing. The reasons for not doing so are twofold. First, the volume is already long enough without further additions. Second, we recognize that it has become unfashionable in modern times to include within historiographical works, along with “facts,” moral exhortations and warnings; this book will be read (or not read) in modern times, by readers whom we want to engage rather than irritate. Yet our conviction is certainly not that historiography should avoid matters of present existence and morals in articulating a vision of the past. Indeed, it is very far from being our conviction that any work of historiography has ever avoided matters of present existence and morals in articulating a vision of the past—even where it has claimed otherwise. Visions of the past are always bound up with visions of the present and the future. It is just that premodern historiography was typically more honest and straightforward than much modern historiography has been in making the connections—in embracing a pedagogic purpose for historiography. History does teach us things, we believe. History should teach us things. We are with Voltaire at this point: “If you have nothing to tell us other than that one Barbarian succeeded another Barbarian on the banks of Oxus or Iaxartes, of what use are you to the public?”
Iain Provan, V. Philips Long and Tremper Longman III, A Biblical History of Israel, Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville/London, 2003, pp. 103-104
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Or: “We don’t like people to think we take a stand. An example of this is how we refuse to learn from our mistakes. There are two reasons for this. First, the book is already too long. Second, we don’t want to annoy people by drawing conclusions. But we don’t think history should avoid moralising. We don’t think any history has ever avoided some moralising. The past is always connected to the present and the future. It’s just that today, history is dishonest and oblique and pretends not to teach. History should teach us things. As Voltaire said, if all you can tell us is what happened, what use are you?”
Or: “It’s not fashionable to learn from history, but history we can’t learn from is useless”.
Yes, but don’t you love the way they say it?
If you mean love ironically, then yes.
Uh, no, actually I really like that book ...
Sorry - this is where I make a guilty face and run away. I like what they are saying, and agree with it - but I’m afraid the style disagrees with me. But then I’m on a bit of a plain-english kick. Old-English words, simplification, no catch-phrases, by-words or jargon, and deeply-held suspicions of anything else. I dare say I will get over it.
Don’t!