Lecture XXXVI (Nr. 0479)

[474] And, there, was that conflict between the humanistic and the introductory point of view. QN: [Earl Scott]: All factors considered, economic and otherwise, what is your feeling about the question of the Protestant parochial school on the American scene? PT: Yes, it is very hard to say. I personally dislike it, because it produces the intensification of the denominational conflicts. Of course these conflicts are still very powerful in relationship to Rome and Protestants. They are not very powerful in Protestants, except in some fanatics in every denominational group who prevent real union. But the actual life in most communities is a matter of adaptation to each other. That is a different situation. But you see, I am not expert about these special sections of America because I don't come from the "grass roots," I come from the grass roots in GERMANY. And I was very happy to have this kind of education, but

I know that others were not, and that the conflict was going on and then changes came after the First World War, and the Republic was declared, etc. It was a long history. One thing I must anticipate: there is no society without an ultimate concern, and symbols of ultimate concern. The question is whether in the American society any of the special religious denominations can be useful, in the present conflicting situation, all providing for the symbols of ultimate concern in the context of the school. And here I am very doubtful. The actual symbol of ultimate concern in this country is the Constitution, and its quite meaningful that this is the basis for the religious education.--Where "religious," of course, is meant in the largest sense of the word, namely being ultimately concerned. And here we have the foundations. But to replace this unity in the present