I admit it: I’m a man…and I like Downton Abbey.
For those who don’t know, it’s the PBS World War I-era period piece miniseries, now in it’s second season.
And I’m not alone: lots of people like it. And here’s why:
It Presents a Living Culture
A living culture is founded upon religion. The Christian religion provides the best basis for culture, but other religions also serve the purpose in varying degrees of quality.
In Downton, though religion is not front-and-center; it’s there in the background almost like an assumption: in the manner of people’s address, in their moral fiber, in the structure of the society and its mores.
Even when the local Anglican vicar gets strong-armed into performing a marriage, the connection is clear that his “living” (read: his parish and income) is dependent upon the great Downton house’s largesse and continued sponsorship.
Morals Matter
Today when someone cohabitates, people shrug. Cohabitation is not different anymore; it’s the (tragic) norm. A sibling’s poor choices in such matters only (externally) seem to affect themselves, not the entire family.
But the opposite is true in the culture of England in Downton’s time (and seen even more explicitly a century prior in the culture during Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice). In both those stories, one child’s indiscretion threatens to sink the entire family’s reputation and the fortunes of her sisters. Why? Because the external society more closely reflected the spiritual reality that sin affects the community, the body, the Church, as well as the individual.
So an illicit affair in these cultures had dramatic consequences. What we do matters, and its clear that it does. In our society, the spiritual effect happens due to such sins, but the public consequences no longer reflect it, showing the disconnect between our society and reality.
We’re fascinated by a living culture, one where the invisible connections between us all are outwardly manifested, where our actions matter, where there are sacred things as well as secular. Where there are truly good characters (and truly bad ones, and ones in between), as opposed to the modern skepticism that refuses to admit anyone is truly good (see for example the mangled characterizations of all the men in the Lord of the Rings movies).
What do you think? Have you watched the series? Hate it, love it?
