Oxford…A World Beyond
As I read through the pages of Paul Sullivan’s “The Secret History of Oxford”, my finite mind was overwhelmed at the incredible stunning architecture, historical significance, and continuing educational investment of a place that I have only heard about in movies. As the author gave behind-the-scenes stories, I felt as if I had embarked into a world beyond.
Dr. Clifford Berger appropriately described Oxford as a “place where history intersects with the future. There is nothing like it in the United States.”[1] Oxford, ‘the city of Dreaming Spires’, has been the home to countless scholars and royalty for hundreds of years with church buildings that have dated back 1000 years. In fact, the first reference to it as a city was in the year 911 as Oxna Forda.[2] Oxford’s colleges, buildings, and museums are laced with narratives that can spark one’s curiosity to infinite levels.
I was especially intrigued by the section on the Oxford Colleges. One can see, even in this brief overview of each school, how man, all through the centuries, has such a deep inner quest to learn and grow. It was interesting to note that though the onward motion of education had its struggles, it could never be extinguished. The power of the Kings at hand played a great role in affecting education. This shows how leadership affects society in profound ways.
An example of this was in the section regarding Edward VI (1537-53) whose perception of books being “associated with worldliness and idolatry.”[3] As I contemplated this section, I saw the correlation of how whole societies can suffer when leadership operates out of fear and unfounded religious thought.
Andrew Lang is cited in this section as saying:
“Oxford was almost empty. The schools were used by laundresses as a place wherein clothes might conveniently be dried. The citizens encroached on academic property. Some schools were quite destroyed, and the sites converted into gardens… Thus flourished Oxford under Edward VI.”[4]
The last statement seems to be sarcastic in nature. Perhaps in other ways, it flourished, but the educational system was severely hindered. It is in this small section that Sullivan makes a profound statement. “The Reformation wasn’t the Conservatives versus Labour: it was two world-views colliding.”[5]
I doubt that Sullivan’s book was written to conjure deep societal thought on colliding world views. However, in my preparation to travel to England next month, my mind is thinking about what will give my worldview a new jolt. A worldview in simplest terms is “a set of beliefs about the most important issues in life.”[6] Colliding worldviews are part of what helps us test our own belief systems. This wrestling is important, especially in spiritual realms. I Thessalonians 5:1:21 advises us to “test all things; hold fast what is good.” (NKJV)
Cultural collisions are possible as well. Western thought understandably will vary from other parts of the world. We may say we are open to differences, but are we? Erin Meyers in her book “The Cultural Map” asserts that being open to differences is not enough. Instead, it takes a decoding of our perceptions, cognitions, and actions to improve our understanding in the realm of varying cultures (Meyers, p. 14).
Last year, our family (my 3 daughters and two sons-in-law) took a vacation to Germany, a land that my parents called home in their early years. I had visited when I was 12 but did not remember the vast wealth of history in simply walking the streets. We experienced the streets and architecture of Nurnberg, Berlin, Wittenburg, and Munich to name a few, and were literally left breathless with awe and admiration for the stories from history on so many levels. My daughters and sons-in-law were inspired to look deeper into world history and connect to the spiritual heritage that these places represented. However, here too, we experienced a culture that was different than our own. Worldviews collided as well. Many churches were vacant or simply historical sites that lacked the worship of God for which they were created. We were left with a sense of awe of what was and a sadness of what had become spiritually.
As I look forward to my trip to England in September, I know I will be faced with new thresholds of learning that will be exhilarating, but also challenging at times. As I have mentioned in a previous post, “raising one’s level of self-consciousness about worldviews is an essential part of intellectual maturity.”[7] Colliding worldviews and cultures can help us deepen our understanding of who Christ is in the world globally and help us wrestle with our own biases and shortcomings.
So, Oxford, I look forward to another series of learning thresholds that will help me grow and transform. I also look forward to growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ himself and of his continued work around the world.
[1] Dr. Clifford Berger, “Oxford: Where History Meets the Future (Framing Our Advance),” May 19, 2023.
[2] The Secrets of Oxford’s Streets | And What Lies Beneath the University, accessed August 11, 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jck5VOnNL0s&ab_channel=HistoryHit.
[3] Paul Sullivan, The Secret History of Oxford (Stoud, Gloucestershire: The History Press, 2015), p. 42.
[4] Paul Sullivan.
[5] Paul Sullivan.
[6] Ronald H. Nash, Worldviews in Conflict: Choosing Christianity in a World of Ideas (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Pub. House, 1992). 16.
[7] Nash. 9.
About the Author
Esther Edwards
Esther has served in ministry leadership for over 35 years. She is an ordained minister, an ICF and CCLC certified coach, and licensed coach trainer. Her and her husband have launched their own coaching practice, Enjoy the Journey Leadership Coaching and seek to train ministry leaders in the powerful skill of coaching. Esther loves hiking, reading, and experiencing new coffee shops with friends and family. She enjoys the journey with her husband, Keith, their four daughters, sons-in-law, and their five beautiful grandchildren.8 responses to “Oxford…A World Beyond”
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Esther, I also resonate with that statement — “There is nothing like it in the United States” — especially given the architecture and the history of ideas and concepts and worldviews that have no doubt been the subject of conversations in that place for a long, long time. I thought about how many shifts in thinking have taken place there — the eventual allowance of non-Anglicans to receive degrees (Mansfield College), the removal of Greek and Latin from being pre-requites to study, no longer requiring students to worship, all of these historical decisions and more being highlighted by Sullivan. I thought about these changes as well as changes in some of our own, much younger institutions (and even denominations!). I also thought about how many things have NOT yet changed in our context. There are some things in my own theological tribe that have not yet changed, and I wonder how much time it will take to shift some things as people marinate on this and that. At Oxford, some of these changes came with century upon century of pondering and decision-making.
Gleaning from “century upon century of pondering and decision-making” will certainly be a gift. My husband and I were just imagining what those pub conversations must have been like between Tolkien and Lewis as they discussed life, their research, their students, and faith. I am enjoying reading about how Tolkien inspired Lewis to embrace faith. https://www.geneva.edu/blog/uncategorized/tolkien-lewis-fantasy-friendship
Hi Esther,
I heard the warning that Dr. Clark stated regarding, Let Oxford be Oxford. White, elderly and academic.
I know I am going to enjoy being there, but have always been wary of the academic “Ivory Tower.”
Quiet, safe and removed from the bustle of life. I gather, however, that you and our peers are willing to rest in this season our our “tower period” but the work God has called us to do in the valleys.
I like that about our gang.
Shalom…
Russ
Russell,
How did your camps go this past summer? Looking forward to hearing about it all.
I thought Dr. Clark’s point was well made. There are times to just take in and be present without judgement, remaining open to what the Holy Spirit will ignite in us.
We are a blessed cohort with so many different callings. I look forward to spending time together.
Thanks for asking. The Horse/Trauma camp went well (50 children) and the Uszka border camp (123) was hectic but fun.
I have Ukraine on the brain and zoomed with Pastor Valeriy in Kharkiv this morning. Looks like we are exploring how GoodSports can support the efforts there. Thanks for asking.
Great connection to Erin Meyer. It can be tempting to think of Britain as “not that different” from American culture because we share a common language, but that’s not true. Last year in South Africa certain cultural differences seemed to jump out at us. I’ll be curious to see what we observe in Oxford. Are the differences obvious or more subtle?
Kim,
It will be interesting to see whether the differences of culture will be obvious or subtle. Having the same language does make communicating easier but somehow I expect every day life to have a bit of a greater formality to it. Or maybe that is simply my understanding from movies. We’ll see…
greater formality.
Esther, Your post has me thinking about the interplay between spiritual, political, and educational leadership. They each impact the other in profound often destructive ways. I was reminded of a visit to a museum in Dalat, Vietnam about 25-years ago. An old church was converted into the museum. The original architecture, scripture verses chiseled into the stone walls, the founding date and name of the church all still visible serving as a backdrop for a presentation on evolution. I found it fascinating that such a place existed and that the impacts of faith, science, and politics were evident in that little church tucked away in the highlands of Vietnam. Though troubled by what I saw the place represented the struggle humanity faces with understanding our existence, governing ourselves, and pursuing knowledge, as well the divine. Entering the museum I felt grieved and confused. However, when exiting the museum visitors had to walk through a beautiful flower garden (Da Lat is known for it’s flowers). It reminded me that what God began in the garden He has promised to restore. Surprisingly, I felt hope. God is present as we wrestle and fight over the questions of life, education, politics, and faith. God is present with us in these struggles. Kim wrote about the tension between the sacred and the secular and I am just now making that connection to my museum experience. Once again I am surprised by hope and the realization that God can be found in all things. I am anticipating and will be watching for more “thin places” like this in Oxford!