In this engaging talk, Paul Kingsnorth, a distinguished novelist and essayist, shares profound insights from his 2024 Erasmus Lecture. He reflects on cultural loss and personal trauma, drawing from a visit to Little Bighorn. Kingsnorth discusses the displacement of Native Americans and the struggle to retain identity amidst cultural erasure. He critiques the decline of Christianity in Western society, contrasting true Christian values with today's materialism. Ultimately, he advocates for transformation through repentance and a return to love as the heart of Christian civilization.
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Little Bighorn Reflection
Paul Kingsnorth visited the Little Bighorn battlefield, reflecting on the Native American experience.
He imagined the trauma of cultural loss, including land, metaphysics, and their understanding of the world.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Ohiesa's Bridge
Kingsnorth discusses Charles Alexander Eastman (Ohiesa), a Native American who navigated cultural change.
Ohiesa became a doctor, writer, and advocate, bridging white and Native American cultures.
insights INSIGHT
No Christian Civilization
Ohiesa concluded there's no such thing as Christian civilization.
He believed Christianity and modern civilization are fundamentally opposed.
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In this episode, R. R. Reno brings you the recording of the 2024 Erasmus Lecture Presented by Paul Kingsnorth, which you can find in the January 2025 print edition of the magazine. Please subscribe at www.firstthings.com/subscribe in order to access this and many other great pieces!
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