“…a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout.”
From A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift
It is considered one of the great works of satire. In 1729, Jonathan Swift published A Modest Proposal to critique the inattention of the English rich and powerful to the poor of Ireland. This along with works like Gulliver’s Travels have secured Swift’s position in English literature.
What is lesser known is that Swift, when he wrote both A Modest Proposal and Gulliver’s Travels, was dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin from 1713 to 1745. He was the head pastor and preacher.
Swift hated hypocrisy, and he hated putting on airs. That certainly is reflected in his writing. Swift could be acerbic and cynical. it also meant that he could be a bit reticent about his own piety. In fact, some contemporaries questioned whether Swift was even Christian. Nonetheless, his humility hid a deep abiding faith. There are reports about his great devotion to prayer and the eucharist. His personal generosity and care for the poor were well-known.
Rather than being a misanthrope, Swift simply had a healthy understanding of the doctrine of Original Sin. All had fallen short of the glory of God. Most cynics that I know are disappointed reformers. At least Swift had a clear understanding of God’s mercy and goodness to balance his critique of human institutions. The Sermon on the Mount declares, “blessed are those that mourn” (Matthew 5:4). The curmudgeons of the world are blessed because they know that this is not the way things are supposed to be.
Swift lived out his Christian faith by revealing the foibles and follies of human beings. He poked fun at traditions and institutions with a mind for their reform. Behind his wit was hope.
Pastor 139 