Fine art of flippancy: (as it was reported in the Canadian Churchman).100 years ago: November 1900 Canadian Churchman reported that France in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries went through a stage of profound irreverence. Courtiers, ecclesiastics ECCLESIASTICS, canon law. Those persons who compose the hierarchical state of the church. They are regular and secular. Aso & Man. Inst. B. 2, t. 5, c. 4, Sec. 1. , writers, all agreed to make a jest of life. They reduced flippancy flip·pant adj. 1. Marked by disrespectful levity or casualness; pert. 2. Archaic Talkative; voluble. [Probably from flip. to a fine art; they used irreverence to point their wit. Their epigrams, sparkling but profane, took on as time passed a tone ever more and more cynical, the sure sign of the lost power of loving God and man. And we know what followed; how the deluge came, and all the levity lev·i·ty n. pl. lev·i·ties 1. Lightness of manner or speech, especially when inappropriate; frivolity. 2. Inconstancy; changeableness. 3. The state or quality of being light; buoyancy. and wit was quenched quench tr.v. quenched, quench·ing, quench·es 1. To put out (a fire, for example); extinguish. 2. To suppress; squelch: in a sea of blood. It is very noticeable among ourselves that, as the idea of worship loses its hold upon the mind, society has become less and less serious, more and more irreverent, and its mental and moral state is reflected in its literature, its drama, and the flippant flip·pant adj. 1. Marked by disrespectful levity or casualness; pert. 2. Archaic Talkative; voluble. [Probably from flip. talk of men, women and even children. If we think of it we cannot fail to perceive that the levity all about us, which affects to be mere lightness of heart, is atheism atheism (ā`thē-ĭz'əm), denial of the existence of God or gods and of any supernatural existence, to be distinguished from agnosticism, which holds that the existence cannot be proved. in the germ. 50 years ago: November 1950 Canadian Churchman asked, can it be possible that the ancient, moss covered idea still prevails among church people that a Rector knows, without being told, that a certain parishioner is ill and should be called on? Just a few days ago an old lady gave a young curate CURATE, eccl. law. One who represents the incumbent of a church, person, or20 vicar, and takes care of the church, and performs divine service in his stead. a terrific blast because none of the clergy had called on her. "But, Miss Blank," said the curate, "haven't you a telephone?" "Of course I have," was the reply, "but it shouldn't be necessary to telephone." Perhaps there should be courses in mental telepathy mental telepathy, n a form of anomalous cognition in which an individual may receive information or thoughts directly from the mind of another. or mind-reading -- or something! 25 years ago: November 1975 Canadian Churchman reported that Malcolm Muggeridge, British journalist, author and television personality, told an overflowing crowd at Wycliffe College that western civilization is falling to pieces. He said there are "ominous similarities" to the collapse of the Roman Empire, that our institutions are not working, and that relationships between human beings are not satisfying or functioning. "Rome didn't crack up any more than our western world is cracking up because it is weak. The Roman Empire cracked up because the moral shape that lies behind all other shapes was no longer working. Unless men have a sense of moral order to their world and in their universe, they will not be able to construct any other kind of order -- economic, political, or social." In conclusion, Mr. Muggeridge said that the need for Christian communities and Christian brotherhood has "never been greater." Asked to define Christian community, he said, "It is a community of those who love our Lord." |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion