(Tim, w/thanks to James) Who are my heroes from the last half of the twentieth century? Among others, Mother Teresa, John Cardinal O'Connor, Francis Schaeffer, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Joe Sobran, Iain Murray, Dad and Mom (Ken & Margaret) Taylor, John Piper, Dad and Mud (Joe & Mary Lou) Bayly, Elisabeth Elliot, Erwin Raphael McManus, Paige Patterson, Mrs. Kent (Barbara) Hughes, Doug Wilson, and
Alexander Solzhenitsyn. (One of these is a joke--you figure it out.)
About twenty years ago, I read Michael Scammell's Solzhenitsyn: A Biography
"Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
So it was with great sadness that I read of Solzhenitsyn's death this week. Here's his last interview published in The Independent. It's a fascinating view of Russia from a wise man deeply in love with his country. Read it for a helpful explanation of the challenges facing Russia today and the misunderstandings that dog her relations with the West. The interview concludes with this poignant exchange:
Q: In 1987 you said it was really hard for you to speak about religion in public. What does faith mean for you?
Solzhenitsyn: For me faith is the foundation and support of one's life.
Q: Are you afraid of death?
Solzhenitsyn: No. When I was young, the early death of my father cast a shadow over me – and I was afraid to die before all my literary plans came true. But between 30 and 40 years of age my attitude to death became quite calm and balanced. I feel it is a natural, but no means the final, milestone of one's existence.
Q: Anyhow, we wish you many years of creative life.
Solzhenitsyn: No, no. Don't. It's enough.
