Veterans Day Letter 2021

November 11, 2021

Dear Veteran,

After serving in WWI, C.S. Lewis wrote a book about the significance of universal values (peace, freedom, courage) in contemporary society. In the book he included an essay about “men without chests.” Published during WWII, his point was to “critique modern education which, Lewis says, fills students’ heads with knowledge and their bellies with passion but does nothing to cultivate the chest.”¹ He was arguing that the chest needs to be developed by teaching ‘virtue.’ The belly is filled by feeding its passions.

In our world today, too often education has catered to a worldview that allows students to decide what is true for themselves, rather than what is objectively true. Practically, that means that students must come to understand that a free society cannot survive if each individual thinks he is free to do what he wants. What he speaks, and how he practices his faith, cannot violate those same freedoms for others. So, being concerned for one’s neighbor and his way of living allows a society to flourish. Living self-centered lives enslaves men to their passions. At Immanuel Christian School, we work hard at helping students understand that the moral absolutes of God’s truth form the foundation of a free society.

Veterans Day is an opportunity for us to honor those who have served their country to preserve those freedoms. We wanted to express to you our thanks for that service. May God bless you richly for your self-sacrifice in the cause of true freedom.

Because of the King,

Mr. Kelly Knowlden

Chancellor

Immanuel Christian School

¹ John Stonestreet: “A Guided Journey Into One of CS Lewis’ Most Important Books” https://www.breakpoint.org/after-humanity-an-interactive-study-of-abolition-of-man/