No man is an island, it's said. On the one hand, I would have to agree. One of the most pernicious intellectual weeds is the myth of the individual, the idea that men arrive in this world as blank slates. Individualism only seems plausible to childless men who have forgotten their parents. Men, in fact, are always linked in a lengthy chain of ancestors and born into particular times and cultures, all of which contribute to the formation of our persons.
With these concessions out of the way, here is my case for the “Great Man Theory” of history.
The “Great Man Theory” says that it is, in fact, great men who bring about advances in culture, technology, thought, and civilization. It was popularized in the 19th century by Scottish philosopher and historian Thomas Carlyle, who said that "Universal History... is at bottom the History of the Great Men who have worked here."
As stated above, I don't believe that to be entirely the case. For example, Alexander the Great does not happen without Philip of Macedon as his father, Aristotle as his tutor, and the unique conditions suited to his abilities. But we should teach our sons history as though Carlyle were correct.
Our culture currently has the unfortunate proclivity toward tearing down the heroes of our past. "Well, George Washington had flaws too, you know," we automatically say, unable to talk about great men without, in the next breath, discussing why they weren't really that great. They had their flaws (which I don't mean to trivialize), they had a lot of help, they got really lucky, etc.
This is all true, but it's also utterly boring. And what's more, it does not inspire. The easiest way to discourage our young men from becoming great is by convincing them that great men don't exist.
But this was not the case for the great men of our past. They were raised on the legends of those who came before them. Winston Churchill always saw himself as the heir of the Duke of Marlborough. Andrew Roberts, an eminent historian of great men, writes that Napoleon was brought up on stories of ancient heroes. And “Plutarch's Lives” shaped countless men, from Ludwig von Beethoven to Alexander Hamilton.
God gives some men more talents and opportunities, enabling them to make singular and unrepeatable contributions to history. Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, and George Washington were not islands, but it can hardly be argued that their births were not epochal and world-changing events. The world was one way before these men, and after them, another.
I believe the movement away from Great Men history is motivated not only by progressive ideology but also a Reformed aversion to idolatry. But Christians need not fear. Salvation history is the history of the great God-man, Jesus Christ. We are right to ensure that our Lord is not mentioned in the same breath as another man when it comes to ultimate significance. But it is apparent that God has seen fit to continue salvation history through great men who are members of the Body of Christ. It's not idolatry to recognize that God used St. Paul in an utterly unrepeatable way, and that his efforts singularly changed the world.
The same can be said of St. Francis, Martin Luther, St. Ignatius of Loyola, John Wesley, William Wilberforce, and many others. God makes some men great. We should not shy away from encouraging our young men to be open to God's call to greatness.
Furthermore, emphasizing the great men of history gives our young people a sense of optimism and dynamism that one man really can make a difference. If you are unhappy with the state of things, you can do something about it. I believe we should nurture these aspirations to greatness because, perhaps now more than ever, we need great men.
Elijah Newcomb is a Birmingham resident and graduate of Auburn University and Beeson Divinity School at Samford University. He will matriculate at the University of Alabama School of Law this fall, where he hopes to further his interest in religion, law, and public life, with a particular focus on protecting Christian values in the public square.
This culture article was made possible by The Fred & Rheta Skelton Center for Cultural Renewal, a project of 1819 News. To comment on this article, please email [email protected]. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News.
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