"This We’ll Defend!"
Theological Reflections on the Lessons and Warnings from Victor Davis Hanson
Ours is a saeculum—an era, a season in time—characterized by embarrassingly unwarranted arrogance compounded by historical hubris—what C. S. Lewis memorably termed chronological arrogance. To have occupied a place amongst others on this earth for just a few generations is to witness the Preacher’s divinely inspired insight abundantly proven as lived truth: “There is no new thing under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9, Coverdale Bible, 1535).1
Suppose I am correct in my assessment of the times (never a given with any of us fallible creatures). In that case, such a situation undermines common sense and sound decisions and introduces danger at every level. This self-delusional condition necessarily exists at the individual level and consequently manifests at the progressively expanding tiers of human experience. After all, unless totalitarian, a nation is never more than an individual, family, community, state, and region writ large. That means I am subject to the deadly “historical hubris” just as much as a collective body like a nation. Open borders (which Dr. Peter Lillback addresses in Lost and Found: Public Theology in the Secular Age) is a theological issue as much as a humanitarian and national security nightmare. Defense, racism, illiteracy, social order, and education are, likewise, matters that concern the soul and the body. And I am more than interested in these issues before humanity. If they involve the human spirit, then such matters must, by definition, concern the preacher of God’s Word and God’s Kingdom. We have been lectured in the past to “stay out of politics,” only to see the most heinous and invasive cultural and societal evil unleashed. We shall not be quiet anymore.
Mercifully, there are still informed voices expressing well-studied insight and warnings. We need them now more than ever.
Such wisdom is offered in the new book by Professor Dr. Victor Davis Hanson: The End of Everything. Hanson’s reputation as a classicist and military historian needed no further polishing. Yet, the proliferation of podcasts and influencers like Tucker Carlson have made the retiring farmer and educator somewhat of a scholar of ancient Greece, Macedonia, and Rome a household name. He might even be a gentleman farmer-scholar who is a rock star. If so, I am a groupie. Hanson, of Swedish and Welsh heritage, is, in fact, a fifth-generation farmer in California and a professor of classics and military history. In my opinion, he is not afraid to apply his knowledge to current challenges and does so with uncommon wisdom.
A Victor Davis Hanson I am not—I am simply one preacher. Nonetheless, even the most modest herald must act as a “watchman on the wall,” alerting to potential dangers. Therefore, I aim to apply the lessons and warnings of history to our current circumstances. Let us take this moment to explore a few of these insights.
In reading Dr. Hanson’s work and applying his discernment through the pastoral lens, I am concerned about the following features of our time (in the West, especially the Anglosphere, and in the United States).
Self-Delusion
Dr. Victor Davis Hanson’s remarkable new book begins by examining the Macedonian defeat of Thebes and Athens at the Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC), marking the end of the classical Greek era. Dr. Hanson attributes this defeat, in part, to a disastrous naiveté on the part of Thebes. His insights into this naiveté resonate deeply with my research, which spans the 17th-century English Civil War, the American Revolutionary War, and the American Civil War. In these conflicts, the same repeatable patterns emerge. As a Christian clergyman, I have seen this fateful vanity in the human heart. As an educator and military officer, I have studied how careless naivety about oneself, enemies, and one’s allies is a self-destructive potion consumed with morsels of conceit. Yet, time and again, nations toast, “Bottoms up!” And are crushed by their own arrogance.
“This above all: to thine own self be true/ And it must follow, as the night the day/ Thou canst not then be false to any man” is not the Bible but the Bard. The famous admonition comes from the line from *Hamlet* (Act I Scene III). It is nevertheless bathed in studied divinity. Falsehood to others is a sin, but falsehood to self is a sin unto self-destruction. Naiveté about oneself includes the idea that since we have not experienced all-out war on our continent—except for the war with our Mother Country, the regional crises on the southern border, and the horrible series of bloody battles among ourselves—we have received a merciful historical exemption from continental warfare. Some imagine it could never happen. This notion is flawed on several levels. Wars happen in the most unexpected places at the most unpredictable times. We overestimate our ability to control multiple factors that are, in fact, entirely out of our hands. To imagine that war will never touch our cities and countryside is to suppose that divine blessings have secured our defense. While it is true that God has guarded our shores in the past, it is also true that such guardianship can be withdrawn because of an ungrateful and unbelieving spirit.
America was established as a “city on a hill” rooted in the Reformational Christian faith, allowing all religions to flourish freely. Our ancestors’ prayers seemed to form a covenantal bulwark against invaders. We were an imperfect people striving for a more perfect union. And who would deny that America was blessed? Yet, when unbelief supplants the faith of the Pilgrims, that city on a hill reverts to the tower of Babel, defying the God who blessed us. This age-old human hubris contaminates even the purest wellspring, turning sweet water bitter; it becomes a Marah “bitter water” Exodus 15:22-26) in the American experience. Drinking such polluted water leads to blindness to the true nature of things, and this naiveté results in deadly miscalculations. How faithful are the enduring words of Tertullian: “The wood that restores the sweetness to water is Christ.”2 O to throw the Gospel log into the bitter waters of our day and be able to drink from the old wells.
Understanding the Enemy
A nation can also be naïve in its consideration of the enemy. We can underestimate an adversary’s strength and discount the effect of morale, even when that morale is grounded in contempt. The American Revolutionary War taught us that an army of irregulars made up of farmers and merchants could overwhelm the mightiest army in the world using guerrilla warfare tactics. If there was ever a war where morale became a decisive factor, it was the American Revolutionary War. But is that morale in place now? And if so, is it strong enough and grounded in righteous indignation tethered to transcendent ethics? Take enemies at their word. Work for peace, but be prepared for war.
Overestimating Allies
We might also be naïve about our allies. The United States continues to have a doctrine of fighting two wars simultaneously. This post-World War II Department of Defense two-theater doctrine is regularly defended before Congress. While our military is undoubtedly superior to most in the world, it is nevertheless diminished in crucial demographics, morale, armament, and strategic force. We count on an alliance of primarily English-speaking nations, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Additionally, we see NATO Article 5 as a guarantee for British and EU support in case of such an attack. However, NATO has proven to be a very Eurocentric organization. Whether European Union nations could effectively aid the United States in a North American battle (apart from Britain) is questionable. Since “Brexit,” only France and Italy have a current naval force projection capable of effectively responding to far-flung threats or attacks. Except for the English-speaking alliance, relying on the European defense of North American shores is irresponsible. However, if one considers gambling a reliable variable for Homeland Defense, one should consult with Victor Davis Hanson first. Or Thebes. Or Constantinople. When push comes to shove, human beings return to tribes, and tribes are based on language as much or more than other features. The US and Canada must calculate support from the Anglosphere. If continental Europeans respond, all the better. But history says, “Just to be careful, for self-preservation, don’t count on it.”
Disregarding Signs
Nations surprised by invading armies invariably fail to heed warning signs. One such sign is the enemy amassing strategic and material presence. The Greeks believed that the Macedonians outside their gates were merely eager merchants wanting to enjoy their classical Greek culture. However, these “merchants” were superior warriors, and the Macedonians were patient—time was on their side.
The open southern border has become a veritable ten-lane highway ushering in every conceivable kind of villain and madman. Instead of labeling our fellow Americans as “a basket of deplorables” or “MAGA racists” (or categorizing all liberals as cultural Marxists), we should focus on the actual existential enemies—those coming into our country illegally. Within one week, we read of illegal migrants, criminals from all parts of the world, raping our mothers, wives, and daughters, killing our sons, and demonstrating utter disdain for our nation.
This is also a warning to the men of this nation—and I mean able-bodied males. What man would allow an evil intruder to come into his house and abuse his family without responding? Why would he even consider allowing for the possibility of such an invasion? Men need to recognize their God-given role—shame on those who avoid their responsibilities. Stop with the weak and dishonorable attack on American manhood. It is time to stand up on our “hind legs” and be men. There will not be time to get in shape and strengthen your mind and spirit when the cry of invasion is heard. Now is the time to secure our homeland by strengthening ourselves.
The United States has earned a unique and splendid place in world history. But we would be unwise to the point of extinction to suppose that we can continue without nobly safeguarding all that is good and true. To ignore the warnings before us is to write a new chapter in world history, the headlines of which would be the worst nightmare come true.
— Michael A. Milton, PhD
Promoting citizenship or citizen-like status to illegal aliens is another suicidal act of foolishness. The notion that our nation, divided by diversity without unity, can stand is absurd. History shows that invading armies enlist the support of indigenous and embittered groups within the objective nation. A Sino-Russian offensive against the United States could include unpatriotic groups within our borders who have no loyalty to our country. Diverse groups within the United States who disdain the majority population might also be available for enlistment with the enemy.
Ignoring the destructive naiveté of nations that have fallen or failed to respond to warnings is deathly foolish. It is high time to strengthen ourselves in body, mind, and spirit and always be prepared to defend our home. The United States has earned a unique and splendid place in world history. But we would be unwise to the point of extinction to suppose that we can continue without nobly safeguarding all that is good and true. To ignore the warnings before us is to write a new chapter in world history, the headlines of which would be the worst nightmare come true.
But it does not have to be so. Awaken now, ye who sleep. Affirm with our forefathers that our strength cometh from the Lord. Let unheeded warnings be gone. Let naiveté be spat out with the bitter and poisonous hubris that sours our stomachs and clouds our minds.
Wear the Patch
In 32 years of military service, I have known many outstanding Americans. No group within the Armed Forces surpasses those who are called to be drill instructors, preparing the next generation of warriors. Their service is commemorated by a patch in the Army. Even after they have completed their tour of duty, these courageous leaders continue to wear that badge that says, “This We’ll Defend.”
Today, that maxim must be a defiant battle cry of every American, particularly our American men (I wrote this before the assassination attempt on President Trump; there are few images more illustrative of my thesis about “This we will defend” than that of one of Donald J. Trump crying, “Fight, fight, fight” as he is bleeding from an assassination attempt). I planted three churches and shepherded a congregation through revitalization. The old saying among pastors, “If you win the men, you will get the women and children, too,” is not just experientially proven but biblically based (e.g., think of the Philippian jailer and the household baptism that followed) and, therefore, valid. So, to my fellow patriots, I turn with a word of encouragement.
Men: Refuse to eat and drink the sacrifices made to the gods of leisure and entertainment. Take up the mantle left by your grandfather and your great-grandfather and wear the patriarch’s armor with the same attitude of submission to God, chivalry among women, guardianship over children, respect for those who have gone before, and patriotism to your home and community, state, and nation. Take your stand. Do what you must at the voting booth. Do what you must in your community. But for the sake of the generation to come and in gratitude for the nation we have inherited, guard what is ours by birthright. Turn to the Man, Christ Jesus: “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5 ESV). Honor your parents. Love your wife. Place a fatherly hand of blessing upon your son and daughter. Encourage your neighbor. Hold him up if he is weak. Work for, speak out for, and pray devoutly for righteousness in our land so that we have something to cherish and something to pass along—something to fight for. Then, stand as one and cry out in unity so that even tyrants across the oceans may hear and be warned:
“This We Will Defend.”
Men: Refuse to eat and drink the sacrifices made to the gods of leisure and entertainment. Take up the mantle left by your grandfather and your great-grandfather and wear the patriarch’s armor with the same attitude of submission to God, chivalry among women, guardianship over children, respect for those who have gone before, and patriotism to your home community, state, and nation. — Michael A. Milton
Myles Coverdale, trans.(1535), The Holy Scriptures, Faithfully and Truly Translated (London: Samuel Bagster, 1838), Ec 1:9–13. (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
Quoted in Peter Ensor. “Tertullian and Penal Substitutionary Atonement.” Evangelical Quarterly: An International Review of Bible and Theology 86, no. 2 (2014): 130-142.
Regarding this: "Victor Davis Hanson I am not—I’m simply a preacher."
Dr. Milton, you are way too modest. First of all, you are more than a preacher; you have an earned doctorate and are a seminary professor in an era where it is becoming increasingly rare for evangelical pastors to go to seminary and even Bible College levels of training are becoming less common.
Second, and more relevant for this point, you are an Army chaplain and rose to the rank of colonel, and you began your chaplaincy in an era when there was a significant bias against evangelicals being promoted into the upper ranks. You know that it was difficult for evangelicals to go beyond the rank of major in the chaplaincy when you began your military service, and while that is no longer true today thanks to the collapse of the mainline denominations, you excelled in a field that very few ministers would even be interested in, and in which it was hard for evangelicals to make rank.
You combine your preaching and teaching duties with a level of knowledge of military history that most modern evangelicals, let alone modern evangelical preachers, simply do not have.
I can't think of many people who could write the article you wrote -- evangelicals who understand the military and military history from a perspective of having served in uniform.