It’s going to take awhile to work my way through the more than 800 pages of From Dawn to Decadence, historian Jacques Barzun’s book which covers 500 years of Western cultural life from 1500 to the present.
The author was considerate enough to squeeze five centuries of history into one volume, not giving it six or eight, which many writers would have required. So, I feel that at a minimum I owe him the courtesy of reading the whole book. Besides, I won’t be around for much of what happens in the next 500 years.
“Dawn” begins with the world-transforming work of Martin Luther. “Decadence” arrives 500 years later, characterized by quotes such as this one from Andy Warhol: “Art is what you can get away with.” In between is nestled 500 year’s worth of interesting reading.
For instance, the book quotes from the Encyclopedia Britannica, first edition, 1768:
LAUGHTER. In laughter, the eyebrows are raised about the middle and drawn down toward the nose; the eyes are almost shut; the mouth opens and shows the teeth, the corners of the mouth being drawn back and raised up; the cheeks seem puffed up and almost hide the eyes; the face is usually red and nostrils open, and the eyes wet.
This makes laughter sound scary, and maybe a little painful, not to mention complicated. I’d be afraid to try it. I’d get it wrong for sure. Laughter was no laughing matter for whoever wrote this encyclopedia entry. Why didn’t he take the simple approach and just let it be fun?
Christians are laughing people, and with good reason. At the birth of Jesus the angel told the shepherds he brought good news of a great joy. God’s Holy Spirit produces joy in our lives. We believe Jesus is Lord, love him, and have salvation, and this brings us an inexpressible and glorious joy. I think I hear laughter in that!
As Christians, we have come to the city of