It is strange to think that the major, and as yet unreconciled, difference between the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox is one little word, ‘Filosque’; I am of course ignoring all the more cosmetic differences such as the choice between pleated or A-line skirts worn by the differing priests.
To those unschooled in theology the difference is, on the surface at least, a very minor one; certainly not enough to schism over, I mean it’s not like they’re Coptic or Cathars!! The offending word appears at a crucial part of the Profession of Faith (or ‘Christian Mission Statement’ as some of those annoying “forward thinking” evangelists who think by using managerial-techno-babble they will somehow eschew people’s disgust at the over doctrination of the major denominations). It is a statement on the Holy Trinity, essentially explaining who gets the extra pork chop at dinner time, Catholics say they believe that the Holy spirit came from ‘Pater filosque’, Eastern Orthodox however believe that the Holy Sprit comes from Pater alone. Every other word is identical, and the churches are, on the scale of things, indistinguishable in terms of core beliefs.
Now if you are bemused as to what I am on about (and its not because either you are not a Christian or just have never care that much about your faith to investigate it a little), then you my friend are missing a vital part of your education; not R.E. (or R.S. in state schools), but Latin.
The ignorant who dismiss the study of Latin because “its dead”, obviously never went to a good school. To dismiss the unknown because you weren’t smart enough to do it yourself is the stock-in-trade of school bullies everywhere who mock their betters to compensate for their own failings. Latin is alive and well all around us and to ignore the immense gift that studying such an important language provides is a grievous error. I know the obvious argument that is wheeled out again and again is that it helps one study the romantic languages, and yes, Latin is a major help in such things; allowing one to infer meaning quite easily from modern Italian and Spanish (and less so French). But Latin is everywhere, from medicine to law to the words we make up from new technology. I even find that with newly encountered words of some length a workable definition can be extracted by simple applying a bit of the old ‘amo-amas-amat’ to it.
I am ashamed that today my on-the-tounge latin vocab is pretty much restricted to reciting the Pater Noster, singing my old school song, and reeling of the conjugations of Amo and Capio! But I find so frequently that a word here, a legal term there, and it all comes back. Especially when one is used to the Latin mass (which sounds so beautiful compared to the vulgar vernacular) one prefers the sound of Latin hymns and prayers, especially –come Christmas time- Adeste Fideilis which is aurally more pleasing and emotive than plain old “Come all ye faithful.”.
So why can’t we bring back the good old 11+ system where bright individuals get the chance to get a good education, regardless of class, social background or family income. Yes of course the rich will still be able to send their kids to Public School, so what!? Unfortunately of course there will always be those busy-body parents who think their child is the second coming and how on earth didn’t he get that grammar school place he deserved!? Embittered parents of only average children spoil everyone’s day when they protest about the local grammar not taking local (thick) students, instead preferring to take people (hard working, intelligent people) from miles around who don’t even pay their taxes to the same local borough. It’s a travesty, in the eyes of the unfortunate average income, average intelligence populous, that some school should strive to recruit only the best staff and students to give those bright enough the encouragement they need to realize their full potential.
If ‘New’ Labour would stop worrying so desperately about equality and instead recognize the individuality and personality of every one of its electorate it would see that the best seeds for a fruitful economy are a well educated and trained elite to command and control the unthinking masses. Giving the rough diamonds some polish, and putting the trash where they belong (inner-city comprehensive anyone?), they would stop all this traditional underachievement by those from a poorer background by leveling the field and letting individuals stand out by their personal merit alone.
I apologize if you are poor and or thick ,(so most likely not at Manchester hehe) but if you have neither blessings you should just hurry up and get pregnant with that guy in the Burberry cap and gold sovereign ring. Settle down to a life of pot noodle, ITV, hoped earrings and wearing sporting clothing for all occasions. Why waste what precious few neurons you have on worrying about what will never affect you.
[Post Scriptum: for anyone interested ‘Pater’ means ‘father’, ‘Filos’ means ‘son’, ‘que’ means ‘and’, and ‘Noster’ means ‘Our’. Apologies to Classics Scholars for any poor conjugation, declination, or spelling!]
