Christian hedonism

Template:Short description Template:Hedonism Christian hedonism is a Christian doctrine believed by some evangelicals. The term was coined by John Piper in his 1986 book Desiring God based on Vernard Eller's earlier use of the term hedonism to describe the same concept.Template:Sfn Piper summarizes this philosophy of the Christian life as "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."

Doctrine

The Westminster Shorter Catechism summarizes the "chief end of man" as "to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever."Template:Sfn Piper has suggested that this would be more correct as "to glorify God by enjoying Him forever."Template:Sfn Many Christian hedonists, such as Matt Chandler, point to figures such as Blaise Pascal and Jonathan Edwards as exemplars of Christian hedonism from the past, though their lives predate the term.

Christian hedonism was developed in opposition to the deontology of Immanuel Kant. Kant argued that actions should be considered praiseworthy only if they do not proceed from the actor's desires or expected benefit, but rather from a sense of duty.Template:Sfnm On the contrary, Christian hedonists advocate for a consequentialist ethic based on an understanding that their greatest possible happiness can be found in God.Template:Sfn In this critique of Kant, John Piper was influenced by Ayn Rand.

Criticism

Critics charge that hedonism of any sort puts something (namely, pleasure) before God, which allegedly breaks the first of the Ten Commandments: "You shall have no other gods before me." In response, Piper states on his website that Template:Quote

See also

• Ethical egoism
• Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, a Jewish theologian with a similar view

External links

• Articles critical of Christian hedonism