Inherit the Wind

We are warned over and over again through Scripture to strengthen our minds. II Corinthians 10:5 states, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” We are further warned by St. Paul in Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Are we prepared to effectively influence our culture? Are we truly the “salt” and “light” that God would have us be? I believe that our Lord would have us both understand and biblically challenge the philosophy and legitimacy of all media messages. Inherit the Wind is a powerful and compelling courtroom drama that is both highly entertaining and deeply challenging. It is my prayer that this play will be viewed carefully, thoughtfully, and critically by our University family and our guests. God’s message of love and hope can be seen in our production. In his text The Liberated Imagination , Christian philosopher Leland Ryken argues that Christians must understand and use art as a means to deepen understanding of and appreciation for God’s truth. However, he also states, “Artists depend on the response of an audience to complete the meaning of a work.” So, as does any director, I leave the response to the play to you. It is my prayer that God will use it to deepen your desire to know Him and His Truth as revealed through His infallible Word, the Bible. Sincerely, David H. Robey, Ph.D. Director Further notes on Inherit the Wind by Richard M. Cornelius, Ph.D. Richard M. Cornelius is emeritus professor of English and Bryan/Scopes liaison officer at Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee. He has written, edited, designed, and published more than 20 articles, booklets, books, and audiovisual materials relating to William Jennings Bryan and the Scopes Trial. In addition, he has lectured throughout the country and has served as a consultant for a number of books, articles, museum exhibits, films, and radio and television programs in the U.S. and Europe. The following notes are taken from William Jennings Bryan, The Scopes Trial, and Inherit the Wind by R.M Cornelius (printed with his permission). In spite of the hundreds of journalists who visited the Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton, Tennessee, during the Scopes Trial and in the years since, very few accurate accounts of the event have been published. The authors of Inherit the Wind (Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee) state the following in the Preface: “ Inherit the Wind is not history. … Only a handful of phrases have been taken from the actual transcript of the famous Scopes Trial. Some of the characters of the play are related to the colorful figures in that battle of giants; but they have life and language of their own—and, therefore, names of their own. ... So Inherit the Wind does not pretend to be journalism.