Last year the French Government tried to start up a debate on what it means to be French. In the end the media got hold of the issue and turned it into a superficial discussion and some mud-slinging accusing different people of racism. It's a shame, because this country needs an honest look at the subject with a wide range of opinions and experts to help us move toward a reasonable point of view! Christians, Muslims and atheists should all be involved in the debate. The Bible talks about belonging, identity, foreigners, allegiance. We Christians would have a lot to add to this subject.
In a weekly Catholic magazine that we used to receive, there were a series of articles by well-known intellectuals discussing this very topic. What does it mean to be French ?
Alain Finkielkraut (where does that name come from ???) is the son of Polish immigrants, a writer and philosopher .(Get a look at the bookcase behind him - in the photo he had a whole wall of books. I consider that to be Paradise!! I want a wall of books in our new house!)
Anyway, in this article (La Vie 21st January 2010), he states that to be French is first of all to accept an inheritance and to agree to transmit it with the freedom to add to it or to make it evolve or to leave it exactly as is. He regrets that the all-powerful television now dictates general culture and ascertains that the rich heritage of the French culture lies in its literature. He quotes a German specialist in the study of language through literature, Ernst Curtius (first half of 20th Century): "Literature plays a capital role in the way France perceives herself and her civilization. No other nation gives literature such an important place. It's only in France that the entire nation considers literature as the means of expressing her destiny."
And that's my experience as well. Many sections of French society define themselves through their literary heritage. One of Claire's former Primary School teachers gave me a book that recounts the existence of a book club in the middle of nowhere in Ardèche. It's hard to tell if it's autobiographical or simply a story. It's chock-a-block full of literary references as if the reader has read them all and knows exactly what the group is talking about! The book was a thank you gift for me because I accompanied the class to Lyon last school year (see blog article The School Trip 30th May).
What about us Christians then? We are supposedly defined by our love of THE BOOK. The Holy Bible, living word of God. Does this collection of 66 different literary works define our identity as the people of God?? Yes and no, because a Christian is not defined by a cultural allegiance, but by his or her relationship to the living God, revealed in the person of Jesus Christ, alive through the action of the Holy Spirit.
The challenge for us is to be authentically disciples of Christ. Knowing and understanding the culture we live in is vital in order to construct our Christian identity and to be able to 'translate' the Good News for those around us.
