Page 20 - Pakistan Link - January 29, 2020

P20 – PAKISTAN LINK – JANUARY 29, 2021 COMMENTARY
n By Dr Gary Scott Smith religion, they have presented him in very dif-
PA Author Q&A with Dr Gary Scott Smith ferent ways—as a traditional Anglican, a con-
ventional Christian, a “God-haunted man,” a
Editor’s Note: The “Author Q&A” is an deist, a secularist, a skeptic, a “stalwart non-
e-publication from the Institute for Faith & believer,” an agnostic, “a lifelong freethinker,”
Freedom at Grove City College. Each issue will a “critic of organized religion” who possessed
present an interview with an a “somewhat murky” religious faith, a propo-
author of an intriguing new nent of the “Religion of Health-Mindedness,”
book that we hope will prove and even a potential convert to Islam.
illuminating to readers every- IFF: How would you summarize
where. In this latest edition, Churchill’s religious beliefs and practices?
we sit down with Dr Gary Smith: Churchill was not religiously
Scott Smith to discuss his new devout or personally pious. At no time in
book, “Duty and Destiny: The his adult life did he attend church services
Life and Faith of Winston Churchill,” which is regularly; he visited cathedrals primarily in
available as a print book, a Kindle book, and an connection with state occasions and rites of
audible book narrated by Richard Perry Turner. passage—baptisms, marriages, and funerals.
IFF: You have just published “Duty Despite intellectual doubts about Christianity
and Destiny: The Life and Faith of Winston that persisted throughout his life, Churchill
Churchill” as part of a series of religious biog- valued the Christian faith and frequently drew
raphies issued by Eerdmans. What prompted on its resources, especially when facing per-
you to write this book? sonal and political trials and troubles.
Smith: The faith of Winston Churchill, IFF: What role did religion play in
arguably the most important person in 20th- Churchill’s leadership during World War II?
century world history, has largely been ig- Smith: After he became prime minister
nored or misconstrued. Let’s talk first about in 1940, Churchill’s use of religious rhetoric
his significance. increased substantially. Many of Churchill’s
Churchill is frequently credited with al- most memorable wartime speeches are laced
most single-handedly slaying the dragon of numerous historical surveys. He even won the ceived? with biblical terminology and references to
totalitarianism and with saving Western civi- 1953 Nobel Prize in Literature. Smith: In a 2002 BBC poll, Churchill was God. Like his ally and friend Franklin D. Roo-
lization from the diabolical plans of Adolf Hit- IFF: What political positions did named the greatest Briton of all time, beating sevelt, Churchill framed the struggle against
ler. As the British journal the Spectator suc- Churchill hold? out William Shakespeare and Charles Dar- Nazism in scriptural terms. Some authors
cinctly stated when he died in 1965, “we are a Smith: Churchill was first elected to Par- win. His life has been the subject of numerous suggest that he did so because the urgency
free people” because of Churchill. Churchill’s liament in 1901 and spent 62 years as a mem- movies and television shows, including the and bleakness of Britain’s situation evoked a
stirring addresses lifted the morale of the Brit- ber, the second-longest tenure in British histo- BBC’s series The Crown, which began in 2016, deeper faith within him, whereas others insist
ish people and steeled their determination to ry. He held numerous cabinet posts, including and the motion picture Darkest Hour (2017). that he was simply using language that many
withstand Nazi bombing blitzes and fight val- home secretary and first lord of the Admiralty. Public fascination with Churchill’s exploits Britons expected, understood, and found mo-
iantly in the face of tremendous odds. The en- As the political head of the Royal Navy when and legacy is almost insatiable. tivating and comforting.
tire free world is indebted to his indomitable World War I erupted in 1914, Churchill was IFF: Tell us about Churchill’s religious IFF: Please give us a final assessment of
courage and brilliant strategy. After World thrust upon the world stage. The failure of An- views. Churchill’s faith.
War II ended, Churchill denounced dictators, glo-French forces at Gallipoli in 1915, his de- Smith: In making a case that the United Smith: In the final analysis, Churchill’s
most notably in his “Iron Curtain” speech at cision as chancellor of the exchequer to return States should put an “unapologetic atheist in faith is an enigma. Like most people, he pro-
Fulton, Missouri, and helped strengthen the Britain to the gold standard in 1925 (which the Oval Office,” Max Boot, a Washington fessed stronger faith at some times (typically
West’s resolve to resist the spread of commu- was a financial disaster), and his opposition to Post columnist, recently used Churchill as his in periods of distress and danger) than at oth-
nism and to assert the moral and spiritual su- limited self-government for India discredited prime exhibit. Boot argued that Churchill il- ers. Churchill clearly believed that he was des-
periority of democracy. him. As a result, by 1931 the possibility of his lustrates “how righteously a nonbeliever can tined to make a difference in the world, and
IFF: Tell us more about his fascinating again holding a high political office seemed act.” Citing biographer Andrew Roberts, Boot he often attributed this to God’s direction. The
life. very unlikely. insisted that Churchill “was a nominal Angli- story of Churchill’s faith, like that of his life, is
Smith: Churchill’s gifts, interests, and ac- IFF: What brought about his political res- can” who “had no belief in God,” adding, “If complex, colorful, and compelling.
complishments are very impressive. He was urrection? atheism was good enough for Britain’s greatest (Gary Scott Smith is Professor of History
the closest thing to a Renaissance man in his Smith: Churchill’s strident opposition to prime minister, it should be good enough for a Emeritus at Grove City College and is a fellow
age: a courageous soldier, talented artist, ex- Nazism during his wilderness years (1931– US president.” But what Churchill actually be- for faith and politics with the Institute for Faith
ceptional journalist, best-selling historian, 1939), his military experience, and his per- lieved is much more complicated and disputed and Freedom. He is the author of “Duty and Des-
spellbinding orator, and renowned statesman. sonal traits led members of Parliament to ap- than what Boot suggests. tiny: The Life and Faith of Winston Churchill”
He has also been depicted as an adventurer, point him prime minister in May 1940 when IFF: How has Churchill’s faith been por- (January 2021), “A History of Christianity in
internationalist, Zionist, imperialist, big-game they lost confidence in Neville Chamberlain. trayed? Pittsburgh” (2019), “Suffer the Children” (2017),
hunter, spy, and sportsman. Often dictating Despite his heroic leadership during the war, Smith: Most biographers have paid scant “Religion in the Oval Office” (Oxford Univer-
8,000 words a day to a secretary, Churchill Churchill shockingly lost a general election in attention to the role religion played in any sity Press, 2015), “Faith and the Presidency
wrote more than 800 articles for magazines July 1945 and was replaced as prime minister. aspect of Churchill’s life—his upbringing, From George Washington to George W. Bush”
and newspapers, three short stories, 150 pam- However, he served again as Britain’s leader military service, work as a journalist and au- (Oxford University Press, 2009), “Religion in
phlets, a movie script, and 50 books, including from 1951 until 1955. thor, or political career. When scholars and the Oval Office” and “Heaven in the American
a novel, two biographies, three memoirs, and IFF: What recognition has Churchill re- popular writers have discussed Churchill’s Imagination” (Oxford University Press, 2011)
n By Khurram Husain Farewell Roosevelt Hotel ties in a BVI court, where the said
Karachi companies of the national carrier are
BVI Company … b) 100% of the ous “financial requirements” of the incorporated.
et me start with an apology. shares in the capital of PIA Hotels hotel. By October, the news broke Those hearings began in No-
If you’re still busy absorb- Limited ... c) 40% of the shares in the that the hotel would be closing its vember 2020 when the TCC sought
Ling the full magnitude of capital of Minhal Incorporated….” doors permanently, fixed on their enforcement of the international
the sheer stupidity that went into It continues: “To the extent that website along with a sentimental tribunal’s order and asked a high
the making of the the Shares yield or pay income, divi- farewell note. The news was denied court in BVI to ‘charge’ PIA proper-
Broadsheet scan- dends or other forms of value, the vehemently at first, the notice on the ties in response to an arbitral award
dal, I have more provisional charge shall extend to” website removed, but later it proved that gave them the power to seize
bad news for you. all of these as well. The court has to be true. A few weeks later, the government of Pakistan properties
The Roosevelt scheduled a hearing on this “provi- CEO of PIA told a Senate commit- around the world. Hearings around
Hotel in Manhat- sional charging order” for March 15, tee that the hotel will be closed for that are now in progress and the
tan as well as the and the Attorney General’s office is “renovation” on Dec 31. attorney general is on record with
Scribe Hotel in Paris, both iconic already on record saying they will But today, the hotel’s website is robust statements of confidence,
landmarks in their respective cit- fight the order. PIA is a listed com- barren, carrying only a note that says saying they will challenge this order
ies and prized assets of the na- pany and has not yet made any an- “[w]e thank you for letting us be part and hope to win.
tional airline, have been seized nouncement to its shareholders via of the very best of New York for the One wishes them the best of
(or ‘charged’ in legal language) by the Pakistan Stock Exchange web- last 100 years. We leave you with this luck. But in the meanwhile, it is
a court order in the British Virgin site about this provisional charging thought….” and there follows some worth noting that massive plans
Islands (BVI) as settlement of the order. But the order itself is public sort of an inspirational quote from have been upended, and even more
liability to the Tethyan Copper information. Hotel and making the investments Theodore Roosevelt. This doesn’t importantly, massive assets are now
Company (TCC) to whom Paki- In July, plans were finalized for necessary to convert it into a mixed sound much like a “closed for reno- on the verge of being seized. Let’s
stan lost an international arbitra- a joint venture under a long lease via use facility. Some reported estimates vation” type of announcement to recall that in both cases — that of
tion case after cancelling the con- a cabinet committee decision and that fluttered through the news flow me, but who knows. And what does Broadsheet as well as the Reko Diq
tract that awarded them the Reko the Roosevelt Hotel was placed on during these days said the required it matter anymore anyway? mines — what brought us to this
Diq gold and copper mines. the active privatization program. By investment could approach $1 bil- In the meanwhile, the com- pass is when some crusading indi-
Here is what the BVI court said. August, they were talking about a lion. This was no small transaction mittee arbitrating Pakistan’s dispute vidual at some point in the distant
“The following property in the Ter- proposed transaction structure, hir- they were seeking to undertake. with TCC ruled in October that the past thought that they will embark
ritory be provisionally charged … to ing of financial advisers and inviting In September, the Economic copper mining firm could proceed on a personal drive to rid the coun-
secure the sum of $3,114,339,607.50 expressions of interest from domes- Coordination Committee, another with collecting half of the award try of corruption.
namely a) 100% of the shares in the tic and international parties for in- cabinet body, approved the alloca- amount and the next month TCC This might sound like a noble
capital of PIA Investments Limited terest in a long lease on the Roosevelt tion of $142 million for settling vari- filed for attachment of PIA proper- ROOSEVELT, P28
www.PakistanLink.com