John Teevan, director of Henry and Francis Weber School at Grace College (Winona Lake, Ind.), is published today on the Acton Institute PowerBlog. A portion of his essay appears below. Click here to read the complete article.
Liberty in Two Keys
When we think of our freedoms and how they are basic to our society yet . . . seem to be out of control in so many ways since the 1960s, we probably need to pull back and consider those freedoms from a new perspective. So let’s consider playing the piano. I am free to play the piano in that pianos are available, piano teachers are available, and there is no regulation or social stigma that prevents me from acquiring or learning the piano.
I have liberty when it comes to pianos. However, I am not currently free to play the piano well nor can I demonstrate any such ability nor can I know the joys of learning, memorizing, and playing a piece such as I heard at a Second Sunday concert this month. I have two liberties here: the freedom to acquire a piano and the freedom to do the hard work of learning to play it well. I must not confuse the two liberties.
Click here to read the complete article.
