Iain Murray says we can. In the Foreword to his new book Heroes he acknowledges that "we are all affected by examples, especially when we are young; and figures from the past, rediscovered in their biographies, may influence us deeply" (p. ix). However, a more cynical view of biography has taken hold in our culture, a view that practically disallows presenting people from the past as role models. Murray explains this modern tendency of presenting biographical subjects "warts and all," as though these people were not worthy of emulation. Even in some Christian circles if the biographer doesn't take his subject down a notch, he is suspected of hagiography, "a strange word to use in a pejorative sense" (Murray, p. x).The Bible frequently refers to believers as "saints." As you may know, the word comes from the Greek word hagios (holy, consecrated to God). Murray comments:
Every Christian believes, with the apostle Paul, that, 'In me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing' (Rom. 7:18). But Paul had not forgotten that confession when he also wrote, 'Be followers [imitators] of me' (1 Cor. 4:16; Phil. 3:17). He knew the grace of Christ was in him, and making him all that he was: 'I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not wrought by me' (Rom. 15:18). This is the focus when examples are held up for us in Scripture, and we see it in Luke's account of Paul. It does not mean that significant faults are to be hidden; but it is the outworking of what Henry Scougal called 'the life of God in the soul' that qualifies chiefly for record and for imitation.... Christ is the author and the finisher of the life of the believer. The faith given, the talents allocated, the spiritual ambition, and the measure of usefulness are all from him. This should rule out any adulation. To recognize heroes is not the same as 'hero-worship'....I agree with Murray. True Christian biography is edifying to us and honoring to Christ. So, do you have heroes? Which ones have been the most helpful to you?
That there is a danger of thinking and writing too highly of men I do not deny. It is all because of Christ that 'the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.' True Christian biography should therefore concentrate on what is edifying and for the praise of Christ. (Murray, pp. x-xi)
Iain H. Murray. Heroes (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2009)
I immediately think of George Muller, William Burns, R.M. McCheyne, and Hudson Taylor. There are others, but these four have had a huge impact upon my view of devotion and mission.
ReplyDeleteTim, I was thinking about this more this afternoon. I have noticed the "modern tendency of presenting biographical subjects 'warts and all'" that you say Murray addresses. I'm thinking of recent biographies of Schaeffer (by his son), Tozer and George Ladd. I understand that these are "warts and all" styled biographies.
ReplyDeleteMurray says that "Christian biography should...concentrate on what is edifying and for the praise of Christ," but does this mean overlooking faults that may have defined a major chapter in the subjects life? Considering how the Bible presents most subjects (Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, etc), identifying faults and failures and showing how they found victory through faith, it seems that faultless sketches of saints is unprecedented. What do you think?
Granted, the goal of a good Christian biography is to build up the saints, not to cater to our flesh's fascination with tabloids!
I don't know if Murray specifically addresses that question in this book. I'm not that far into it yet. But from his other biographical books I'm compelled to say that he probably wouldn't overlook faults that in some way defined his subjects.
ReplyDeleteFor example, in Volume 2 of his biography of Lloyd-Jones he sums up MLJ's character in a chapter titled, "The Best of Men." He points out some faults that influenced parts of Lloyd-Jones' ministry, but I get the feeling that he does so in order to give perspective to Lloyd-Jones' character. While Murray obviously admires MLJ (as I do), he deals with traits that might have hindered Lloyd-Jones in some areas, such as providing for continued scripturally-grounded leadership at Westminster Chapel after his retirement.
Murray prefaces that chapter with a J.C. Ryle quote from which he took that chapter's title: "The best of men are only men at their very best. Patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, - martyrs, fathers, reformers, puritans, - all, all are sinners, who need a Saviour: holy, useful, honourable in their place, - but sinners after all." That seems to be the balance that Murray is trying to achieve in relating MLJ's life.
I agree; attention should be drawn to the faults of saints in the same proportion that the Bible does, not for tearing them down and gratifying our voyeuristic tendencies, but to magnify the grace of God in the lives of sinners like myself.