The Holy Idiot

  In light of Jonathan’s recent post on James Watson’s assertion that there are groups of people who are genetically predisposed to be intelligent or dumb, I thought I would do a very quick review of Christian tradition and the Holy Idiot.

In 1 Corinthians 3: 18-19, Paul states:

“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God.. .” 

or 1 Corinthian 4:10.

“We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor.”

Famous American Catholic writer, Flannery O’Connor touches on the theme of “The Holy Idiot.”  In The Violent Bear It Away, her character Bishop plays a crucial role in her story.  It is ironic because Bishop is a mentally handicapped person who is murdered by the protagonist.  Bishop does not speak at all in the book.  His presence disgusts people when he goes out in public.  Worst, his presence disgusts his scientific atheist father.  Bishop is a genetic anomaly.  According to scientists, he should have been spontaneously aborted, but somehow he survived.  Yet, Bishop is crucial to her story not because he will ever score high on an IQ test (which she even mentions), but because he represents the entire Christian mystery.  We are not valued by what we can do but rather we are valued because God loves us.  Bishop’s father loves him deeply and it is this love that throws the scientist off.  He does not know what to do with this love.  He cannot explain it, he cannot understand it.  It just is.   But the father’s love for his disabled son, prevents him from killing him, even though logically, Bishop should not exist from the world’s perspective.  According to science, Bishop has zero value and is a drain on the world’s resources.  In the end, Bishop is murdered by the protagonist and the reader is left feeling that a huge crime has been committed.  Killing Bishop, is so to speak, like killing a mockingbird.

If we really want to see the tradition of the Holy Idiot, we must look East.  Eastern Christianity, particularly Russian Orthodoxy, has a deep rich relationship with the lovable Fool for Christ.  if they were not born genetically incorrect, they strived to become incorrect by the world’s standards.  The most famous Holy Idiot, is 15th Century St Basil of Moscow.  According to online zine Russian Life,

Anywhere else, these people would be locked up in mental facilities. Basil was a prophet who wore no clothing in both summer and winter. His survival in winter is one of the miracles credited to him. Holy fools are harmless and nonviolent. Everything they do and their personal presentation is intended to reflect the teachings of Christ. They are typically homeless and penniless.

So, one of the most famous images of Russia around the world, The Cathedral of St. Basil, could in reality be called, The Cathedral of the Holy Idiot.

The impact of the the Holy Idiot reaches deep into Russian literature.  Perhaps, the most famous novel is Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Idiot.  But another novelist, Tolstoy has themes and traces of giving it all for the sake of Christ in most of his works.  As a matter of fact, when we look at most Russian novelists, including 20th Century writer Solzhenitsyn, the Holy Idiot is always present and in constant conversation with the reader as a stark rejection of the world’s values.

The challenge for those of us in the 21st Century, is to become so child like that the world despises us too because we reject their IQ tests, their beliefs in the perfect child.  For we know our value does not come from what we do, but that because we are made in the image and likeness of God.