Christendom College in Virginia, US, is a flagship of conservative Catholic thought. The college of 550 students and 35 full-time teachers provides a number of courses in the field of humanities. The institution, established in 1977, has a driving motive of sending erudited Christian students to the American public square of aggressive secularisation. Nándor Birher, Dean of Pázmány BTK, received Patrick Bracy Bersnak PhD., associate professor of the Department of Political Science and Economics, Christendom College, in his office. In this interview, Mr. Bersnak spoke about the cancel culture prevalent in public opinion and about the tasks of Christian people.
Your field of research is political theory and modern European history. What is your take on Francis Fukuyama’s famous line that History has ended?
I think he is wrong. I actually use that text in contemporary political theory course because it captures a precise moment in our hisroty where we were triumphant with the cold war and we said we’re going to have peace and prosperity in the future. And we did for a while, but it is kind of utopian… we have an expression that it is in the water and people get influenced by it. But I think history never left, and we are being reminded that this is the case.
What reminds you of that?
Of course the war in Ukraine is a chrystal clear example of this. And the second Iraq war and Afghanistan too, when we thought that America brings democracy and everything will be nice and easy.
What does identity politics mean in your understanding of political theory?
Identity politics are false and harmful because they teach people who focus on just one aspect of their identity that is not even fundamental to who we are as human beings; what is fundamental that we are created in the image and likeness of God, not that we are black or white, man or woman. And it turns out very frequently that these identity groups manipulate other groups or the majority to give them something they want. So I think this is deeply pernicious especially in the United States where it completely infected the lead opinion. There is no more push-back against this without being cancelled. The other thing is that the more diverse your society is, the more harmful it is because it sets different society groups against each other.
Universities in the US now exist in the so called safe space. But ironically, the question of free speech and freedom of conscience linger on the surface. What is the situation on catholic university campuses in this respect?
I think Catholic universities are not as bad as secular and Protestant institutions. They are catching up, unfortunately… but there is still less gender and critical race theory there. They are pervasive in the culture and we to be more resistant to it. Therefore Catholic institutions should be able to play a role here precisely because we are created in the image of God not because we are part of a particular identity group. And also that we should have charity towards one another and forgiveness.
Asking questions, going after answers and truth have a long tradition in the course of reflexive thinking and give the frame of classical thinking. You as a thinker, a political theory teacher also ask questions and try to find answers. How could mankind alienate itself from this attitude that much, and how is it that it does really take courage to question majority opinions?
Cardinal John Henry Newman in his treaty The Idea of a University says that if you have a philosophical habit of mind you should be able to analyse these questions. And he says that arguing with people that is respectful, fruitful is possible. So I try and teach my students how to think so that they can do that. My students are mainly conservative Catholic students but one day they have to go out to this world and face these challenges and they have to have prudence in taking their battles. But here is another thing. Plato says that philosophy is preparation for dying. So the idea is that we do philosophy to figure out the ultimate end of our life but also how to live a good life to be judged by God. Especially in America we don’t often talk about dying, we rather say passing. I always like to make my students think about because this makes you think about the ultimate end of your life, to shape their life and what you want people to say about you when you die. And I think this way it is easier to have courage!
What is your own explanation of the motto of Christendom College: dare to be great!
Actually, our original motto is Restore all things in Christ, because we believe ultimately in the idea of Christendom. But with our new motto, we encourage our students not to remain in their safe little conservative Catholic niches but to fight their battles we are just talking about.
What do you think the role of a Catholic educational institution should be in the Western culture?
I have two answers here. First we have to go back to cardinal Newman and teach people their philosophical habit of mind and to teach them how to think well. He points out that you can best cultivate this in a religious environment. Because you know that truth exists and life’s end goes towards the truth and this way you have the proper moral environment to study and to reflect. I think that it is imperative that Catholic institutions teach people how to think well to not be intimidated by any of the woke politics or political correctness or by any of their different manifestations. And to contribute to hand on the faith we receive through the Church in evangelizing our society.
