G.K. Chesterton “On Progress”

The word progress is meaningless on the lips of a modern relativist. A culture can make no progress unless it has a cast-iron creed and unchanging code of morals that provide a vision of what the world ought to be. Progress by its very name indicates a firm direction; and the moment we are doubtful about the direction, we become, in the same degree, doubtful about the progress. If we do not have a definite end or goal in view, how can we know we are making progress? The modern relativist, however, forbids dogmatic conclusions about how things 'ought to be.' So he can never know if he is making progress. What he calls progress could be regress and decline.

If dogmatic conclusions are forbidden, people begin to mistake "broad-minded" skepticism and a disdain for dogma as signs of progress. Broad-mindedness and a dislike of dogma, however, are evidence of mental decline, not mental progress. “Trees have no dogmas. Turnips are singularly broad-minded.” If there is such a thing as mental growth or progress, it must mean growth into more and more definite convictions, into more and more dogmas, not a growing resemblance to turnips.

Without an infallible and unchanging vision for life, progress is impossible. If, however, we have an infallible, unchanging standard, even our failures to achieve that ideal are progress. If a painter makes many sketches of a subject and tears up twenty portraits, he can learn from each failure and make progress. If, however, he looks up twenty times, and each time sees a new person sitting placidly for his portrait, all hope of progress ends. Thus, it does not matter (comparatively speaking) how often humanity fails to imitate its unchanging ideal, because it can learn from its old failures and make progress.

Progress, consequently, is only possible for people focused upon the unchanging ideal found in the infallible word of God. God tells us how He thinks the world 'ought to be' and by His grace, we are required to pursue that ideal. The more we are conformed to His ideal image and live according to his perfect law, the more progress we make. So it turns out that Christians are the only true progressives.

#chesterton #progress #relativism #dogma