At 3,928 pages, this is the longest book I’ve ever read.
Writing elegantly, Gibbon records hundreds of stories that show through the rulers of the Roman empire, man’s inherent greed, ambition, and immorality while also presenting though much less frequently, remarkable virtue and providence. Gibbon writes from the bias of an 18th century skeptic, but he washes his work with the veneer of objectivity pretending to be neutral. His chapters on Christianity have fascinating details written with a sneer.
Some, perhaps the majority, say that Gibbon attributes the fall of Rome to Christianity, but I saw the fall of Rome clearly proved from Gibbon’s research as the lack of men who have an enduring, moral fiber. It is not remarkable that the empire fell, but that it lasted so long. Its fall should thus be attributed to the eating of the apple in the garden, and the deceitful hearts that have been passed down from father to son ever since. So his work proves the Bible, rather than cracking Christianity’s foundation. Before Gibbon’s work an unknown scribe recorded the history of the Kings of Israel which showed the same lesson. We are looking for a kingdom which cannot be shaken because the King Himself ever lives.
The same affection rose in me during Gibbon’s work that I found from the histories of Herodotus, Josephus, and even the modern Wise-Bauer. History is a constant flow of men striving for power, most of whom are immediately forgotten, and whom I imagine lived with inner turmoil. Over all, the book was a sobering reminder that even the best, richest, most powerful men will be forgotten, and that their judgment is fickle and sometimes even ludicrous when seen in the light of time. It is best therefore, to have personal godliness, a gracious family, and some service to the church as my goals in life. I saw my life as very small, and my great ambition must be to be a stone in His Temple, a worker in His field, a singer in His choir, and a younger brother to His Son.
