“We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.”
–Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution.” Speech given at the National Cathedral, March 31, 1968.
Note: primary scripture passages and notes are from The Jerusalem Bible (JB), with additional translations from the King James Version (KJV), Revised Standard Version (RSV), and Vulgate.
Like Dr. King, I believe in the long arc of history. The problem is that it is not a smooth arc. Lately it has resembled the fluctuations of a hospital monitor charting the vital signs of a patient on life support, appearing hopeful and then, inexplicably, taking a dive into negative territory. It does us no good to ask why this should be so; progress has never been steady and smooth. We must simply deal with it.
Across the landscape of philosophical thought, the field of ethics is met with skepticism, if not outright disregard. One gets the impression that some would be relieved if the subject did not exist. Some writings contain more questions than answers. This is not surprising. Ethical philosophy has suffered from a fractured approach, fueled by doubt. Perhaps the task would be easier if any absolute value(s) could be discerned, but this, too, has proved elusive.
No post of this length can serve as a comprehensive ethical survey, so its focus here is mainly upon (1) the Judeo-Christian tradition and (2) its development in the modern age in a more universal form. There are, of course. illustrious predecessors we must consider. Together with Moses, the history of philosophy and religion includes “law-givers such as Confucius and Hammurabi. Confucianism featured what is called “filial piety”. He felt that if rulers were honest and children respected their parents, an ordered society would follow. Each person has a role to follow. In the family, the father has a role similar to the governmental ruler. The ruler must be what he wants his citizens (or family members) to be: intelligent, patient, graceful, and similar virtuous qualities. The Code of Hammurabi, discovered inscribed on a stone stele in 1901, featured 282 injunctions, guided the Babylonian society of his day. Hammurabi declared his purpose in creating this body of laws was to ensure that justice was carried out in the land so that the strong could not oppress the weak. It is evident that such a code is still needed today!
Buddhist practice adds its own emphasis. It aims only at liberation from the world and is no way involved in it. “Tilling the fields of merit” is in Buddhism the “bodhisattva ideal”, a common term of which all Buddhists are aware, “whereby, having achieved a certain measure of realization for oneself (‘returned home’), on should dedicate oneself to the liberation of all other sentient beings.” “Sentient beings”, of course, includes animals. It will be developed later in this post.
Many modern Christians and Jews may not think of a God of vengeance, yet even in the modern understanding the idea that one reaps what one has sown cannot be dismissed. Our conscience is our judge; history is our judge; the universe is our judge. This is the context for the large body of scripture illustrating this Hebrew concept of God. At its core is how we are to think of how that which departs from the path of righteousness is dealt with. Recompense for evil as a part of divine justice must be grappled with. I have come to understand more and more that judgment is something that we bring upon ourselves, and there is an accountability that I call “the great uncovering” before which we must all inevitably stand. In extended times of being alone, I have been made aware, as perhaps you have, of my misdeeds, poor judgment, moral failures and inadequacies. They lie there waiting to confront us, and we cannot avoid them. They can scare us to death.
The Old Testament view of God’s anger must be acknowledged in terms of its stage of development at that time. It is valuable because it sheds light on our own internal conscious process. The key verse, perhaps, is contained in Deuteronomy 32:35-36: “Vengeance [Vulgate: “revenge”] is mine, and requital [KJV, RSV “recompense”], for the time when they make a false step [KJV: “their foot shall slide in due time”; RSV “their foot shall slip”]. For it is close, the day of their ruin [RSV: “calamity”]; their doom comes at speed. (For Yahweh will see his people righted, he will take pity on his servants.) For he will see to it that their power fails, that, serf or freeman, there is not one remaining.” Sirach 35:18-20 concludes this train of thought: “Offer him [God] no bribe, he will not accept it, do not put your faith in an unvirtuous sacrifice; since the Lord is a judge [JB notes: “a God of justice”] who is no respecter of personages [RSV: “with him is no partiality”]. He shows no respect of personages to the detriment of a poor man, he listens to the plea of the injured party.” Concerning that long arc of justice, “He does not ignore the orphan’s supplication, nor the widow’s as she pours out her story. Do the widow’s tears not run down her cheeks, as she cries out against the man who caused them? The man who with his whole heart serves God will be accepted, his petitions will carry to the clouds [JB notes: “where God dwells”].” And in the concluding passage is supplied the means of deliverance, whereby the Lord’s mercy may be called upon: “The humble man’s prayer pierces the clouds, until it arrives he is inconsolable, nor will he desist until the Most High takes notice of him [RSV: “until it reaches the Lord”; Oxford RSV notes: “Or until the Lord draws near ”], acquits the virtuous and delivers judgment. And the Lord will not be slow [RSV: “delay”], nor will he be dilatory on their behalf, until he has crushed the loins of the merciless and exacted vengeance on the nations, and broken the scepters of the wicked, until he has repaid each as his deeds deserve and human actions as their intentions merit, until he has judged the case of his people and made them rejoice in his mercy. Mercy is welcome in time of trouble, like rain clouds in time of drought.”
Within the Old Testament framework exists a mechanism by which the inevitable effect of one’s deeds (in Hindu/Buddhist terminology, karma) is visited upon those who do evil: their very consciousness screams out against their deeds and haunts them. Job 22:6-11 describes the experience whereby one is confronted with past evil deeds: “You have exacted needless pledges from your brothers, and men go naked now through your despoiling; you have grudged water to the thirsty man, and refused bread to the hungry; you have narrowed the lands of the poor man down to nothing to set your crony in his place, sent widows away empty-handed and crushed the arms of orphans. No wonder, then, if snares are all around you, or sudden terrors make you afraid. Light has turned to darkness [RSV: “your light is darkened, so that you cannot see”], and it binds you, and a flood of water overwhelms you.” [Vulgate: “And didst thou think that thou shouldst not see darkness, and that thou shouldst not be covered with the violence of overflowing waters?”]
A major feature of the Old Testament is “the law and the prophets”. This law, these prophets, continue to cry out to us today. As much as we may like to think so, we are not that different from the children of Israel. Historical conditions may change, but people are pretty much the same. We are beset by the same capability for error and evil as our spiritual ancestors. The model, being a good model, can be expected to change and evolve over time, as it did moving forward to the time of Jesus and from there the establishment of the first Christian community through the modern age. It shifts in topic and emphasis over time, but it is still the model. Jesus sought not to remove one thing from the old covenant but only to build upon and refine it into a higher righteousness. He, like his brother James, was deeply aware of and worked in the teaching of the Law and the prophets. The Law and the prophets, along with poetry and wisdom, continue to speak to us, and in a vitally important way. Their writings form precepts which guide individuals and the society in which they live. The writers from Genesis through Malachi speak of the outward expression of faith. Discovering exactly what they said and the themes of this teaching which arose from the writers of the Old Testament was an exciting process, and not so much in the historical sense. This was no museum collection—much of what was said has a vital relationship to our daily lives. There is real value in searching the scriptures for these vitally important precepts which continue to speak to us is time well spent. You may wish to read a more detailed account in the post, “A Prophet-able Experience”.
We may look upon God not only as a judge, founded in eternity and therefore possessing righteousness unending, but also as a teacher of righteousness to mankind. In Psalm 10:17-18 this righteous God listens to the wants of the humble, gives them a hearing, brings them strength, and judges in the favor of the exploited and providing protection. Learning the painful lessons of history, we may conclude that, while this justice may not be immediate, it will ultimately triumph. We now behold the ashes of numerous 18th and 19th century imperialisms, German, Italian, and Spanish fascism, the Holocaust, Soviet Russia, the killing fields of Cambodia, South African apartheid, and numerous other evils which have burned themselves out. The dreams of empire are soaked in bloody violence. The pain and bloodshed of the First World War were still fresh memories when Clifford Bax asked plaintively in his hymn “Turn Back, O Man”, “Would man but wake from out his tortured sleep?”
Buried within all the violent linguistic baggage of the Old Testament is a core of righteousness. We can acclaim that there is nothing which can go against the righteousness of God and survive, for this righteousness is truly the source of life itself. God freely gives of the knowledge of righteousness to those will learn from him, in the words of Proverbs 1:4 “teaching sound judgment to the ignorant, and knowledge and sense to the young {KJV: “to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; to give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.” Proverbs 2:6-15 further describes God as teacher: “For Yahweh himself is a giver of wisdom, from his mouth issue knowledge and discernment. He keeps his help for honest men [KJV: “layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous”], he is the shield of those whose ways are honorable; he stands guard over the paths of justice, he keeps watch on the way of his devoted ones [KJV “and preserveth the way of his saints”]. Then you will understand what virtue is, justice, and fair dealing, all paths that lead to happiness. When wisdom comes into your heart and knowledge is a delight to you, then prudence {KJV, RSV: “discretion”] will be there to watch over you, and discernment be your guardian [KJV: “understanding shall keep thee”] to keep you from the way that is evil, from the man whose speech is deceitful, from those who leave the paths of honesty to walk the roads of darkness: men who find their joy in doing wrong, and their delight in deceitfulness, whose tracks are twisted, and the paths they tread crooked.”
For a nation consumed with controversy over immigration reform (or the lack of it), Americans would do well to study the Hebrew scripture record regarding “the stranger” (RSV “sojourner”), as the course of moral teaching specifically addressed them. Exodus 23 reads: “You must not oppress the stranger; you know how a stranger feels, for you lived as strangers in the land of Egypt.” The “humane legislation of Deuteronomy 1 includes the immigrant as well as the native-born in the system of justice: “You must give your brothers a fair hearing and see justice done between a man and his brother or the stranger who lives with him.” Deuteronomy 10 describes God’s impartiality, as a God “who loves the stranger and gives him food and clothing”, and commands, “Love the stranger then, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Deuteronomy 24 addresses treatment of the immigrant laborer: “You are not to exploit the hired servant who is poor and destitute, whether he is one of your brothers or a stranger who lives in your towns. You must pay him his wage each day, not allowing the sun to set before you do, for he is poor and is anxious for it; otherwise he may appeal to Yahweh against you, and it would be a sin for you.” In Leviticus 19 and 23, vineyards and fields are not to be stripped bare, but a portion (“the gleanings of the harvest”) left for the stranger. Deuteronomy 24 describes the actual method by which this is done: “When reaping the harvest in your field, if you have overlooked a sheaf in that field, do not go back for it. Leave it for the stranger, the orphan and the widow, so that Yahweh your God may bless you in all your undertakings. When you beat your olive trees you must not go over the branches twice. Let anything left be for the stranger, the orphan and the widow. When you harvest your vineyard you must not pick it over a second time. Let anything left be for the stranger, the orphan and the widow. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt. That is why I lay this charge on you.” Job, in protesting his own righteousness, includes “The stranger’s case had a hearing from me” and “no stranger ever had to sleep outside.”
Habakuk 2:5-14 condemns the evils and problems connected with wealth: “Wealth is indeed a treacherous thing. Haughty and unable to rest is he who is as greedy as Sheol, who is like death, insatiable, who assembles all the nations for his own ends, collects all the peoples to his own advantage. On him, will not all men make satires, and turn an epigram [taunt] against him? They will say: Trouble is coming to the man who amasses goods that are not his, (for how long?) and loads himself with pledges. Will not your creditors suddenly rise will not your duns awake? Then you will be their victim. Since you have plundered many nations, all that remains of the peoples will plunder you; for you have shed men’s blood and ravished the country, the city and all who live in it. Trouble is coming to the man who grossly exploits others for the sake of his House, to fix his nest on high and so evade the hand of misfortune. You have contrived to bring shame on your House; by making and end of many peoples you have worked your own ruin. For the stone from the very walls cries out, and the beam responds from the framework. Trouble is coming to the man who builds a town with blood and founds a city on crime. Is it not the will of Yahweh Sabaoth that the laboring of peoples should end in fire, and the toiling of the nations come to nothing [KJV “the people shall weary themselves for very vanity”].” If these conditions are met, a blessing will follow: “For the country shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh as the waters swell the sea.”
There is a power of association with ideas and habits, with what you love, and who you prefer to be with. The Spanish proverb says, “Dime con quien andas, y te dire quien eres”, “Tell me with whom you walk, and I will tell you who you are”. Our parents have most likely warned us of the same, and concerned themselves with the friends we chose. It is not that we should shun those whose values and practices are different, but rather seek out and learn from those with whom we can make our spiritual journey. Sirach 9:16 instructs us, “Have virtuous [RSV “righteous”] men [people] for your table companions, and let your pride [RSV “glory”] be in fearing the Lord.” The Hindu and Buddhist traditions attest to the power of the satsanga, described as“the assembly of persons who listen to, talk about and assimilate the truth”. This is why the community of faith is important. It is not the assembly of those who proclaim that they are saved and others are not; it is a group of believers who seek encouragement and strength as they walk the path from which they often stray and struggle to enter through the narrow gate. This, then, is the power of the gathering.
This consideration must also include the topic of association with thoughts/ideas. Today, our amazing access to the internet and to the broadcast and print media is a two-edged sword. While gaining us unprecedented power to find information, it carries with it the power to fill us with all kinds of trivial, demeaning, slanderous, and downright immoral content that has the potential to divert us from our true journey and seeks instead to poison and corrupt. It is vitally important that we and our children master the tasks of critical thinking and the determination of value, of that which to cleave and that which to avoid.
The 1960s War on Poverty in the U.S. had its predecessor. In Hebrew society, the elimination of poverty was acclaimed as a societal goal (although difficult to achieve as a true reality, as Jesus noted “You will always have the poor among you). This was codified both in terms of national practice (i.e., the Hebrew calendar of events), and also as a matter of personal practice in dealing with one’s neighbors. Deuteronomy 15 states the goal unequivocally: “Let there be no poor among you then. For Yahweh will bless you in the land Yahweh your God gives you for your inheritance only if you pay careful attention to voice of Yahweh your God, keeping and observing all these commandments that I enjoin on you today….Is there a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any town of your in the land that Yahweh your God is giving you? Do not harden your heart or close your hand against that poor brother of yours, but be open-handed with him and lend him enough for his needs. Do not allow this mean thought in your heart [KJV “harden thine heart”; RSV “take heed lest there be a base thought in your heart”; Vulgate: “Beware lest perhaps a wicked thought steal in upon thee”] ‘The seventh year, the year of remission is near’, and look coldly on your brother and give him nothing; he could appeal against you to Yahweh and it would be a sin for you. When you give to him, you must give with an open heart; for this Yahweh your God will bless you in all you do and in all your giving. [And, accepting the reality of the total elimination of poverty] Of course there will never cease to be poor in the land; I command you therefore: Always be open-handed with your brother, and with anyone in your country who is in need and poor.” Leviticus 25 commands: “If your brother who is living with you falls on evil days and is unable to support himself with you, you must support him as you would a stranger or a guest, and he must continue to live with you. Do not make him work for you, do not take interest from him; fear your God, and let your brother live with you. You are not to lend him money at interest, or give him food to make a profit out of it.” Note that in addition to the prohibition against interest, there was a year, the seventh. for the remission of debt built into the Hebrew calendar, an economic invention akin to, but more liberal than, modern laws of bankruptcy.
Modern societies have statutes regulating the times at which workers must be paid for services performed. Such standards were set in Old Testament law. Of course, there were no bank accounts, automatic deposits, or debit cards so everything was on a cash basis. Leviticus 19:13 commands: You must not exploit or rob your neighbor. You must not keep back the laborer’s wage until next morning. Here in Tobit 4:14-15 is contained this specific instruction, along with other admonitions: “Do not keep back until next day the wages of those who work for you; pay them at once. If you serve God you will be rewarded. Be careful, my child, in all you do, well-disciplined in all your behavior. Do to no one what you would not want done to you. The “humane legislation” of Deuteronomy 24:14-15, addresses justice in the workplace. It is shocking how little we have learned in two millennia. In fact, many who claim to be Christians might think the following came from the radical labor or immigration agenda if its source were not the Bible. It reads: “You are not to exploit the hired servant who is poor and destitute, whether he is one of your brothers or a stranger who lives in your towns. You must pay him his wage each day, not allowing the sun to set before you do, for he is poor and is anxious for it; otherwise he may appeal to Yahweh against you, and it would be a sin for you.” Blind Willie Johnson reminds us of this in his well-known 1930 gospel song, “Everybody ought to treat a stranger right, long way from home.”
The Hebrew calendar contained events which served to regulate society, a social “pressure valve” where the needs of the poor were addressed as a matter of statute. For example, Deuteronomy 26:12-13: “In the third year, the tithing year, when you have finished reckoning the tithe of all your produce and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan and the widow, and they have eaten it in your towns and had their fill, you are to say in the sight of Yahweh your God: ‘I have cleared my house of all that was consecrated. Yes, I have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan and the widow, in accordance with all the commandments you laid on me, not going beyond your commandments, not forgetting them.
A cultural note is in order: as Hebrew society was a theocracy with far more centralized direction than our own, there was a cohesiveness of societal obligations and ethical standards. This enabled the fulfillment of these objectives to a far greater degree than that of which we are capable today. Despite the advantages, it is the downside of living in a democracy.
The scriptures teach us to be critical over our possessions lest we be misled from the true riches of life. Sirach 11:1-6 warns: “Many influential [RSV “illustrious”] men have been utterly disgraced, and prominent men have fallen into the power of others.” Proverbs 10:16, 22, 28 contain these observations: “The virtuous man’s wage affords him life, but destruction is all the wicked man earns ….The blessing of Yahweh is what brings riches, to this hard toil has nothing to add ….He who trusts in riches will have his fall [KJV “shall fall”; RSV “will wither”], the virtuous will flourish like the leaves.” Another series of observations occurs in the eleventh chapter of Proverbs: “In the day of wrath riches will be of no advantage, but virtuous conduct delivers from death….The generous man is his own benefactor, a cruel man injures his own flesh. The livelihood of the wicked is illusory he who sows virtue reaps a solid reward….One is extravagant, yet his riches grow, another excessively mean, but only grows the poorer. The generous soul will prosper, he who waters, will be watered. Proverbs 28:6 affirms: “Being a poor man living an honest life than a man of devious ways, rich though he may be.”
Sirach 7: 33-36 contains this observation: “Be generous in your gifts to all the living, do not withhold your favor even from the dead. Do not fail those who weep, but share the grief of the grief-stricken [RSV “mourn with those who mourn”]. Do not shrink from visiting the sick; in this way you will make yourself loved. In everything you do, remember your end [RSV “the end of your life”] and you will never sin.” Does this strike you as strange, as it did me? Of course we visit the sick, offer our help, and pray for their recovery. But those who have died? Are the observations we make as we visit the resting places of our loved ones an empty gesture? This scripture tells us that they are not. There is an intimate connection between the temporal world and the next. Many have observed it. Some, as we know, have been able to bridge the gap between the two, including those who have gone there and returned in near death experiences. Yes, it is better that we honor our ancestors and continue in the time-honored rituals of many spiritual traditions. It is not a wasted effort because it serves the whole reality.
“Happy is the rich man who is found to be blameless and does not go chasing after gold.” Though we know that there are those who leave charitable foundations as their legacy (in our era Nobel, Pulitzer, Rockefeller, Ford, Gates, etc.) Sirach 44:7-15 teaches that one’s primary memorial and legacy is the name one leaves, which in many cases (Gandhi, Chavez, King, Mother Teresa, Albert Schweitzer) is not tied to wealth: “Some of them left a name behind them [RSV “All of these were honored in their generations”], so that their praises are still sung. While others have left no memory, and disappeared as though they had not existed, they are now as though they had never been, and so too, their children after them. But here is a list of generous men [people] whose good works have not been forgotten. In their descendants there remains a rich inheritance born of them. Their descendants stand by the covenants and, thanks to them, so do their children’s children. Their offspring will last for ever, their glory will not fade. Their bodies have been buried in peace, and their name lives on for all generations. The peoples will proclaim their wisdom, the assembly will celebrate their praises.” I wish to add here that the many who have labored in obscurity are remembered in the mind of God, who, as attested by the Sirach 15:19, “notes every action [RSV “knows every deed”] of man”, for indeed “his eyes are on those who fear him”. Their legacy is secure in the mind of the Creator.
From here the teaching focuses on the disposition of material resources. As previously mentioned, a special emphasis is placed on almsgiving. A generous society is a prosperous society. If this is not a law of economics, it should be. I call it the “reciprocity of wealth”. It has taken us a long time in the history of capitalism (and many still don’t get it) to discover that the foundation of a prosperous society is to enable the widest number of people to purchase the necessities of life, thus driving the engine of prosperity by this invigorated consumerism. If we had only enquired more seriously into the scriptures, we would have discovered that which the prophets did. This is not just a theory; it was tested by the experience of Hebrew society. The prophets, and the Hebrew people, were not deluded by the speciousness of “trickle down” economics, nor did they erroneously overestimate the importance of the 1% at the expense of the other 99.
Exodus 22:22-27 commands us to be compassionate as God is compassionate: You must not be harsh with the widow, or with the orphan if you are harsh with them, they will surely cry out to me, and be sure I shall hear their cry; my anger will flare and I shall kill you with the sword, your own wives will be widows, your own children orphans. If you lend money to any of my people, to any poor man among you, you must not play the usurer with him: you must not demand interest from him. If you take another’s cloak as a pledge, you must give it back to him before sunset. It is all the covering he has; it is the cloak he wraps his body in; what else would he sleep in? If he cries to me, I will listen, for I am full of pity [RSV “for I am compassionate.”] Psalm 112:9 affirms this virtue: “Quick to be generous, he gives to the poor, his righteousness can never change. Men such as this will always be honored.” Tobit 4:7-10 provides this very specific advice: “Set aside part of your goods for almsgiving. Never turn your face from any poor man and God will never turn his face from you. Measure your alms by what you have [RSV “make your gift from them in proportion”]; if you have much, give more; if you have little, give less, but do not be mean in giving alms. By doing so, you will lay up for yourself a great treasure for the day of necessity. For almsgiving delivers from death and saves men from passing down to darkness.” So then there is an internal benefit as well as an external one alone. And further in verses 15-16: “Do not drink wine to the point of drunkenness; do not let excess be your travelling companion. Give your bread to those who are hungry, and your clothes to those who are naked. Whatever you own in plenty, devote a proportion to almsgiving; and when you give alms, do not do it grudgingly” Tobit 12:9-10 (spoken by Raphael the angel) provides additional insight into the dynamic of almsgiving: “Almsgiving saves from death and purges every kind of sin. Those who give alms have their fill of days those who do sin and commit evil, bring harm on themselves. Proverbs 28:27 observes: “He who gives to the poor shall never want, he who closes his eyes to them will bear many a curse.” In Proverbs 29:7: “He who gives to the poor shall never want, he who closes his eyes to them will bear many a curse.” And in this much-loved and poetic passage from Ecclesiastes, chapter 11, verses1-2: “Cast your bread on the water; at long last you will find it again. Share with seven, yes with eight, for you never know what disaster may occur on earth. Sirach 3:30 observes: Water quenches a blazing fire, almsgiving atones for sins.” And in Sirach 7:32: : “Stretch your hand out also to the poor man, that your blessing may be perfect [RSV “complete”]. Sirach 29:8-13, in a passage titled “Generosity”, reads “Nevertheless, be patient with those who are badly-off, do not keep them waiting on your generosity. For the commandment’s sake go to the poor man’s help, do not turn him away empty-handed in his need. Better let your silver go on brother or friend do not let it go to waste, rusting under a stone. Invest your treasure as the Most High orders, and you will find it more profitable than gold. Deposit generosity in your storerooms and it will release you from every misfortune. Better than sturdy shield or weighty spear, it will fight for you against the enemy.” Truly, this is the key to the prosperous society we seek. Sirach 34:21-22 is brutally honest: the denial of economic justice is an act of violence. “A meagre diet is the very life of the poor, he who withholds it is a man of blood. A man murders his neighbor if he robs him of his livelihood, sheds blood if he withholds an employee’s wages.”
Finally, there is the theme of the vigilance, the watchfulness, the inner control exhibited by those who possess “the fear of the Lord”. This encompasses speech as well as action. Proverbs 17:27 tells us: “A man who can control his tongue has knowledge, a man of discernment [KJV “understanding”] keeps his temper cool.” Sirach 22:27-23:6: (in the Jerusalem Bible titled “Vigilance”) asks: “Who will set a guard “upon my mouth, and seal of prudence on my lips, to keep me from falling, and my tongue from causing my ruin? Lord, father and master of my life, do not abandon me to their whims [RSV “counsel”], do not let me fall because of them. Who will lay whips to my thoughts, and the discipline of wisdom to my heart [RSV “over my mind”], to be unmerciful to my errors, and let none of my sins go unchecked in case my errors multiply, and my sins increase in number, and I fall before my adversaries, and my enemy gloats over me? Lord, Father and God of my life, do not give me proud eyes, turn lust away from me, do not let lechery and lust grip me, do not give me over to shameless desire.” Sirach 28:8-12 warns of the dangers which come with speech: “Avoid quarreling and you will sin less; for a hot-tempered man provokes quarrels, a sinner sows trouble between friends, introducing discord [RSV “and inject enmity”] among men at peace. The way a fire burns depends on its fuel, a quarrel spreads in proportion to its violence; a man’s rage depends on his strength, his fury grows fiercer in proportion to this wealth. A sudden quarrel kindles fire, a hasty dispute leads to bloodshed. Blow on a spark and up it flares, spit on it and out it goes; both are the effects of your mouth.” And in Proverbs 10:19: A flood of words is never without its fault, he who has his lips controlled is prudent. These very specific prescriptions provide the means for those who will walk the path of peace, a flowing through life which builds up and strengthens relationships, edifying the whole. The outward flow of righteousness will bear its fruit.
As the considerations of the Old Testament period close, we are left with a pivotal question which disturbs us with its serious implication: Is there really such a thing as an ethical component to life, or is it all just an evolutionary survival of the fittest? Is this only a cultural/philosophical construction divorced from reality? Many naturalistic scientists and philosophers have opted for the latter. Yet in the meticulous documentation and the coherence of their reasoning, there is the haunting suspicion that something may be missing. Those who seek wisdom know this, for that which lies beyond the power of human thought is often inscrutable, hidden, and alien to the cleverness and logic of the cognitive mind. The sages not only of the Judeo-Christian traditions but of all times and religious cultures witness otherwise. Furthermore, if only on a societal level, it can be shown that the ethical solution really works. Without law and ethics the evolutionary path might well end in destruction. Finally, there is the criterion of purpose: this is the argument made on the level of consciousness. Existence must have a purpose. Ethical philosophy and practice must provide a practical framework whereby this may be carried out, and not only for the fulfillment of purpose but perhaps for our very survival. The heavy-handed Old Testament message of the judgment of God can be seen as the inevitable workings of cause and effect. This is not mere speculation—there is a real danger in straying from it. It is true that, on a personal level, one may occasionally “dodge the bullet” and escape, if only temporarily, the consequences of his or her action, but on a larger scale the forces of destruction accrue and lead eventually be reckoned with. We have seen and experienced that what has been sown must eventually be reaped. History has taught us that.
We move to the time of Jesus, which could be described as the higher righteousness or the righteousness of the heart. It is expected that the existing framework of ethics, firmly rooted in Jewish thought and tradition, would remain a part of Jesus’ teaching and outlook as this was the cultural setting into which he was born. However, his teaching was strong and original. He breathed new life and vigor into the tradition by notably placing emphasis on the higher calling of the spirit of the law and not the fulfillment of the “letter” only. It is manifested in qualities such as equanimity, sharing of resources, seeking of justice for those at all levels of society, and standards of humane treatment, which not only transforms our relationship with others but is expressive of the evolving nature of God. It also describes the nature of Christ’s judgment (view) being that of God.
The theme of righteousness serving and its role in human conduct has been discovered by those who have come to see that that the inner submission to the Way should at some point bear the fruit of service to others. The motivation for this movement is recorded in other spiritual traditions. A 19th century, Chinese Buddhist nun, Daoquian wrote the following, entitled “Convent Life”:
“You’ve been earnestly studying the Way year after year / And now no longer cling to either existence or nonexistence. / But having come home, you should not just sit around / But instead go out and till the fields of merit for others” (Beata Grant, Daughters of Emptiness: Poems of Chinese Buddhist Nuns)
“Tilling the fields of merit is the “bodhisattva ideal”, “whereby, having achieved a certain measure of realization for oneself (‘returned home’), on should dedicate oneself to the liberation of all other sentient beings.” This is echoed by the apostle James’ statement (James 2:14-17) which bears the title “Faith and Good Works”. Presenting his case like a lawyer, he compares two individuals, focusing on the one “who has never done a single good act but claims that he has faith. Will that faith save him? If one of the brothers or one of the sisters is in need of clothes and has not enough food to live on, and one of you says to them, ‘I wish you well; keep yourself warm and eat plenty [KJV “depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled”]’, without giving them these bare necessities of life, then what good is that? Faith is like that: if good works do not go with it, it is quite dead.” Jerusalem Bible notes explain the condition further, that literally, “it is dead by itself”. The KJV includes it is its text: “if it hath not works, is dead, being alone”. This underscores the need for an outward expression in order to achieve completeness.
The starting point of the Christian ethical consideration must begin with the righteousness of Jesus himself. The incarnation of Christ was the manifestation of God’s love to the world. And, not only God’s love but his wisdom and righteousness, imparted to us in Christ. We can be good because God is good, and the manifestation and righteousness of Christ comes from that of God. All are related here; there is no independent field of action. This was foretold in the prophecy of Isaiah, who announced the Messianic era. He notably emphasizes the qualities of righteousness, justice and peace, and equating them with those of God. Furthermore, the prophecy attests to the newness and power of his manifestation and teaching, in Isaiah 9:6-7: “For there is a child born for us, a son given to us, and dominion is laid on his shoulders; and this is the name they give him: Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God, Eternal-Father, Prince of Peace. Wide is his dominion in a peace that has no end, for the throne of David and for his royal power, which he establishes and makes secure in justice and integrity. From this time onwards and for ever, the jealous love of Yahweh Sabaoth will do this.” [JB notes: “A prophetic proper name….the child possesses to a supreme degree the qualities of all the great figures of his race: the wisdom of Solomon, the valor of David, the virtues of Moses and the patriarchs….Christian tradition and the Christmas liturgy apply these titles to Christ, presenting him as the true Immanuel.”]
And in Isaiah 11:1-5, 10: “A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse, a scion thrusts from his roots: on him the spirit of Yahweh rests, a spirit of wisdom and insight, a spirit of counsel and power, a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Yahweh. (The fear of Yahweh is his breath.). [KJV “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord”]. He does not judge by appearances, he gives no verdict on hearsay, but judges the wretched with integrity, and with equity gives a verdict for the poor of the land. His word is a rod that strikes the ruthless, his sentences bring death to the wicked…..That day, the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples. It will be sought out by the nations and its home will be glorious. ” Jeremiah, too, prophesies, in 23:5-6: “See, the days are coming—it is Yahweh who speaks—when I will raise a virtuous Branch for David, who will reign as true king and be wise, practicing honesty and integrity in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel dwell in confidence. And this is the name he will be called: Yahweh-our-integrity.” This vision is repeated in 33:15-16: “In those days and at that time, I will make a virtuous Branch [KJV “the Branch of righteousness”; RSV “a righteous Branch”; Vulgate: “the bud of justice”] grow for David, who shall practice honesty and integrity in the land. In those days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell in confidence. And this is the name the city will be called: Yahweh-our-integrity.”
Jesus as the teacher of the higher righteousness tackles the true demands of the Law, differentiating from that of “the letter” and that of the higher calling of the spirit in Matthew 5:20-48. The Jerusalem Bible title for this passage is “The new standard higher than the old”. This is a righteousness which seeks to manifest itself to the ultimate degree, being satisfied with nothing less. The value is also intrinsic without thought of reward, reflecting the loving nature of God, “for he [the Father] causes his sun to rise on bad men and well and good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike.” The goodness of God is universal and all-encompassing; it is for us to respond likewise to that which we have been given. “For I tell you, if your virtue goes no deeper [KJV “shall exceed”] than that of the scribes or Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court….So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering….You have learnt how it was said: You must not commit adultery. But I say this to you: if a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye should cause you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than to have your whole body thrown into hell. And if your right hand should cause you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than to have your whole body go to hell….You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away. You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say this to you; love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men and well and good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your Father is perfect.” The shorter variant in Luke 6:27-35 (Love of enemies) is worth quoting in its entirety for it contains additional details not present in Matthew: “But I say this to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. To the man who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek too; to the man who takes your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic [RSV “and from him who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt”]. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your property back from the man that robs you. Treat others as you would like them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what thanks [RSV “credit”] can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks can you expect? For even sinners do that much. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners lend to sinners and get back the same amount. Instead, love your enemies and do good, and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward, and you will be sons of the Most High for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.” These are hard sayings but the way shines clear as to the sacrificial living which must take place if we are to achieve union with the Divine.
No single teaching better illustrates the higher righteousness than Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16-24 and Mark 10:17-31. The young man is desirous of inheriting eternal life and enquires what he must do, acknowledging that he has kept the commandments from his youth. Jesus replies that to “be perfect” he must sell all his possessions and give to the poor. The young man departs sorrowfully, unwilling to part with his great wealth. Jesus then uses this to instruct his disciples, telling them that “a rich man shall hardly enter the kingdom of heaven” and that “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” This is a serious demand indeed and shows the serious commitment that we must make to become true disciples.
Matthew 6:1-4 [parallel passage in Luke 16:15] reminds us that we are not to seek human approval for any good we do—all that matters is the approval from the Father: “Be careful not to parade your good deeds before men to attract their notice; by doing this you will lose all reward from your Father heaven. So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win men’s admiration. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.” Luke 16:15 provides an interesting turn of phrase, “You are the very ones who pass yourselves off as virtuous in people’s sight, but God knows your hearts. For what is thought highly of by men is loathsome in the sight of God.”
The Good News is the forgiveness not only of our sins but of the sins of others. Matthew 18:21-22 [parallel passage in Luke 17:4] gives a real-life application, revealing that what is given to us we must give to others as well: “Then Peter went up to him and said, ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times [KJV, RSV “seventy times seven”].” The parallel passage in Luke (Brotherly correction) provides additional details, making the teaching seem more like a real conversation: “If your brother does something wrong, reprove [KJV, RSV “rebuke”] him and, if he is sorry [Vulgate “repent”], forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times a day and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I am sorry’, you must forgive him.”
Matthew 16:24-26 contains the memorable command that if anyone were to follow Jesus, that person must “deny himself and take up his cross”. Now there are those who say that these words were inserted into Jesus’ mouth after the crucifixion event. It makes no difference: they are nonetheless true. The passage from Mark 8:34-37 adds that “whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses it for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” This is the priceless treasure of renunciation, life itself, for which there can be no substitute. Luke 9:23-25 adds that “whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed”. Thus we must be bold in our acknowledgement of Christ’s power and teaching. Luke 14:26-27 not only commands the bearing of one’s cross, but also the “hating” of father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters. While this is not literally true, it is true that the spiritual path is frequently a lonely and demanding one, and that to do so successfully, one must divert attention to one’s human family. In Hinduism this is a stage of life, where, approaching the end of one’s years, a person enters the renunciate stage. Luke 17:33 contains the paradox “Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.” If we master this hard teaching, if we can really see the fruit it bears, we will have life indeed. Luke 18:24-30 affirms the previously mentioned difficulty of wealth and possessions, the camel passing through the eye of a needle. Our worldly status and what we have may bar us if we are not critical of them.
A key theme of Jesus’ preaching is “die to live”. It appears in John 12:23-26 (JB passage titles: The condition of following Christ / the reward of renunciation / die to live”). Not only does Jesus speak of his impending death and its meaning but imparts an indelible image to his disciples and to all believers who would follow: death is not to be avoided. It is part of the process. It is fuel for the fire of devotion. It is the means of transcendence and new life. Its teaching is echoed elsewhere in the scriptures but in itself it is unique: “Jesus replied to them: ‘Now the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you most solemnly, unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest. Anyone who loves his life loses it; anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If a man serves me, he must follow me, wherever I am, my servant will be there too. If anyone serves me, my Father will honor him.’ ”
Finally, Jesus examines the proper role of those who lead, using his own life as an example. The proper comportment of humility is key; without it lies the path to destruction, as has been seen again and again in human history. Matthew 20:24-28 reads: [parallel passages contained in Matttew 23:11-12; Mark 10:41-45; Luke 14:11; 18:14; 22:24-27]: “When the other ten heard this [the request of the mother of Zebedee’s sons to sit at Jesus’ right hand] they were indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that among the pagans the rulers lord it over them [KJV “Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them”], and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, [KJV “but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.”; RSV “servant…slave”] just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’ ”
It is well-documented that the teachings and practices of religious traditions, following the departure of their founders, experience extensive doctrinal additions, sectarian developments, power struggles, and a host of other changes which would be unrecognizable to the originator of that faith. Nevertheless, progress in ethical philosophy was made in the early Christian era, and benefitted from new developments..
Acts 2:44-45 describes the members of the early church closely bonded together, sharing their resources so that no one was in need. Call it socialism if you will, but what they did is what they did: “The faithful all lived together and owned everything in common [KJV, RSV “were together, and had all things in common”]; they sold their goods and possessions and shared out the proceeds among themselves according to what each one needed.” The narrative continues in Acts 4:32,34-35 (JB title: The early Christian community): “The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul [KJV, RSV “were of one heart and soul”]; no one claimed for his own use anything that he had, as everything they owned was held in common….None of their members was ever in want, as all those who owned land or houses would sell them, and bring the money from them, to present it to the apostles; it was then distributed to any members who might be in need.”
Acts 10:34-35 proclaims a universal, just, impartial God : “Then Peter addressed them: ‘The truth I have now come to realize’ he said ‘is that God does not have favorites [KJV “God is no respecter of persons”; RSV “shows no partiality”; Vulgate: “But Peter began, and said, ‘Now I really understand that God is not a respecter of persons…’.”] but that anybody of any nationality who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him. [KJV “But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. This teaching is continued in Romans 2:9-11: “Pain and suffering [KJV “tribulation and anguish”; RSV “tribulation and distress”] will come to every human being who employs himself in evil—Jews first, but Greeks as well; renown [KJV, RSV “glory”], honor and peace will come to everyone who does good—Jews first, but Greeks as well. God has no favorites.” [KJV “For there is no respecter of persons with God.”; RSV “for God shows no partiality”]
Romans 12:5 illustrates the power of the body of believers where there is social cohesion : “ Just as each of our bodies has several parts and each part has a separate function, so all of us, in union with Christ, form one body, and as part of it we belong to each other [RSV “so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another”].”
Romans 12:9-21 is best described by its Jerusalem Bible title: Humility and charity/Charity to everyone, including enemies: “Do not let your love be a pretense [KJV “let love be without dissimulation”], but sincerely prefer good to evil [KJV “abhor evil; cleave to that which is good”]. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great eagerness of spirit [KJV “not slothful in business; fervent in spirit”; RSV “Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord.”]. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying. If any of the saints are in need you must share with them, and you should make hospitality your special care. Bless those who persecute you; never curse them, bless them. Rejoice with those who rejoice and be sad with those in sorrow. Treat everyone with equal kindness [KJV “be of the same mind toward another”; RSV “live in harmony with one another”]; never be condescending but make real friends with the poor. Do not allow yourself to become self-satisfied [KJV “be not wise in your own conceits”]. Never repay evil with evil but let everyone see that you are interested only in the highest ideals. Do all you can to live at peace with everyone. [KJV “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”; RSV…so far is it depends upon you”] Never try to get revenge; leave that, my friends, to God’s anger [note: back to the Old Testament concept of God]. As scripture says: Vengeance is mine—I will pay them back, the Lord promises. But there is more: If your enemy is hungry, you should give him food, and if he is thirsty, let him drink. Thus you heap red-hot coals on his head. Resist evil and conquer it with good.”
Romans 13:8-10 (JB title: Love and law) affirms the greatest commandment: “Avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love. If you love your fellow man you have carried out your obligations [RSV “for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law”]. All the commandments: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and so on, are summed up in this single command: You must love your neighbor as yourself. Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbor; that is why it is the answer to every one of the commandments.” [RSV “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”; JB notes: “Lit. ‘that is why love is the law in all its fullness’.”]
Galatians 5:13-15 cautions that liberty is no excuse for self-indulgence: “My brothers, you were called, as you know, to liberty; but be careful, or this liberty will provide an opening for self-indulgence [KJV “for an occasion to the flesh”]. Serve one another Vulgate: “only do not use liberty as an occasion for sensuality, but by charity serve one another”, rather, in works of love, since the whole of the Law is summarized in a single command: Love your neighbor as yourself. If you go snapping at one another and tearing each other to pieces [KJV, RSV “bite and devour one another”], you had better watch or you will destroy the whole community [RSV “take heed that you are not consumed by one another”].”
Galatians 6:2 places emphasis upon bearing the burdens of others: “You should carry each other’s troubles and fulfil the law of Christ.” [KJV: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”]
Ephesians 6:9, while addressing obligations to slaves could, in my view, be applied in the modern sense to employees: “And those of you who are employers, treat your slaves in the same spirit; do without threats, remembering that they and you have the same Master in heaven and he is not impressed by one person more than by another.” [KJV And ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him”; RSV “he who is both their Master and yours…there is no partiality with him”] In a different sense, Colossians 3:23-4:1 addresses the obligations of servants [or employees]: “Whatever your work is, put your heart into it [KJV “do it heartily”] as if it were for the Lord and not for men, knowing that the Lord will repay you by making you his heirs [KJV “the reward of the inheritance”; RSV “the inheritance as your reward”]. It is Christ the Lord that you are serving; anyone who does wrong will be repaid in kind and he does not favor one person more than another [KJV “and there is no respect of persons; RSV “and there is no partiality”]. [and returning to the obligation of masters] “Masters, make sure that your slaves [employees] are given what is just and fair, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.”
1 Timothy 6:17-19 contains a warning to rich Christians (remember the rich young ruler?). “Warn those who are rich in this world’s goods that they are not to look down on other people [KJV “be not highminded”; RSV “charge them not to be haughty]; and not to set their hopes on money, which is untrustworthy, but on God who [KJV “nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God”], out of his riches, gives us all that we need for our happiness [KJV “who giveth us richly all things to enjoy”; RSV “who richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy”] . Tell them that they are to do good, and be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share—this is the way they can save up a good capital sum for the future if they want to make sure of the only life that is real.”
In 2 Timothy 4:6 Paul applies the “die to live” philosophy of Jesus to his own life: “As for me, my life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone [KJV “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.”; RSV “I am already on the point of being sacrificed.”; ”Vulgate: “I am already being poured out in sacrifice, and the time of my deliverance is at hand.”] Hebrews 13:12-16 offers a related teaching: “…and so Jesus too suffered outside the gate to sanctify the people with his own blood. Let us go to him, then, outside the camp, and share his degradation [Vulgate: “bearing his reproach”]. For there is no eternal city for us in this life but we look for one in the life to come. Through him, let us offer God an unending sacrifice of praise, a verbal sacrifice that is offed every time we acknowledge his name [KJV “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”] Keep doing good works and sharing your resources, for these are sacrifices that please God [KJV “God is well pleased”; Vulgate: “And do not forget kindness and charity, for by such sacrifices God’s favor is obtained.”].” The teaching continues in 1 John 3:16-20: “This has taught us love—that he gave up his life for us; and we, too, ought to give up our lives for our brothers. If a man who was rich enough in this world’s goods saw that one of his brothers was in need, but closed his heart to him, how could the love of God be living in him [KJV “dwelleth”; “RSV “abide”]? My children, our love is not to be just words or mere talk, but something real and active.” [KJV “let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and truth”; RSV “let us not love in word and speech, but in deed and in truth”]; only by this can we be certain that we are children of the truth and be able to quieten our conscience in his presence, whatever accusations it may raise against us, because God is greater than our conscience and he knows everything.” [KJV “And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For it our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things [RSV “and reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”; Vulgate: “Because if our heart blames us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.”
James 2:1-9,12-13 provides a mandate for equal treatment of all and provides an example: “My brothers, do not try to combine faith in Jesus Christ, our glorified Lord, with the making of distinctions between classes of people [KJV “with respect of persons”; Vulgate: “My brethren, do not join faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with partiality toward persons.”]. Now suppose a man comes into your synagogue, beautifully dressed and with a gold ring on, and at the same time a poor man comes in, in shabby clothes, and you take notice of the well-dressed man, and say, ‘Come this way to the best seats’; then you tell the poor man, ‘Stand over there’ or ‘You can sit on the floor by my foot-rest. Can’t you see that used two different standards in your mind, [KJV “are ye not then partial in yourselves”] and turned yourselves into judges, and corrupt judges at that [Vulgate: “and do you not become judges with evil thoughts?”]? Listen, my dear brothers: it was those who are poor according to the world that God chose, to be rich in faith and to be the heirs to the kingdom which he promised to those who love him.” [KJV “Hearken, my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?] In spite of this, you have no respect for anybody who is poor. Isn’t it always the rich who are against you? Isn’t it always their doing when you are dragged before the court? Aren’t they the ones who insult the honorable name to which you have been dedicated? Well, the right thing to do is to keep the supreme law of scripture [KJV “the royal law according to the scripture”]: you must love your neighbor as yourself, but as soon as you make distinctions between classes of people, you are committing sin, and under condemnation for breaking the Law….Talk and behave like people who are going to be judged by the law of freedom, because there will be judgment without mercy for those who have not been merciful themselves, but the merciful need have no fear of judgment.”; Vulgate: “So speak and act as men about to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to him who has not shown mercy; but mercy triumphs over judgment.”].”
James 3:5-6 warns us to be watchful of the consequences of our speech: “So the tongue is only a tiny part of the body, but it can proudly claim that it does great things. Think how small a flame can set fire to a huge forest; the tongue is a flame like that. Among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a whole wicked world in itself [KJV “a world of iniquity]; it infects [KJV “defileth”; RSV “staining”] the whole body; catching fire itself from hell [KJV, RSV “set on fire by hell; Oxford RSV notes: “Greek Gehenna”], it sets fire to the whole wheel of creation [KJV “course of nature”; RSV “cycle of nature”; JB notes: “Lit. ‘inflaming the wheel (var. course) of nature’ (i.e. of the world) ‘and being inflamed by Gehenna’.”; Oxford RSV notes: “Or wheel of birth”].”
James 3:16-18 warns of the danger of jealousy and ambition to the social order: “Wherever you find jealousy and ambition, you find disharmony, and wicked things of every kind being done [KJV “there is confusion and every evil work”]; whereas the wisdom that comes down from above is essentially something pure; it also makes for peace, and is kindly and considerate; it is full of compassion and shows itself by doing good; nor is there any trace of partiality or hypocrisy in it [RSV “is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity”]. Peacemakers, when they work for peace, sow the seeds which will bear fruit in holiness.” [KJV “And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”; RSV translates “harvest”; Vulgate: “But the wisdom that is from above is first of all chaste, then peaceable, moderate, docile, in harmony with good things, full of mercy and good fruits, without judging, without dissimulation. The fruit of justice is sown in peace by those who make peace.”].”
1 Peter 1:17 develops the idea that the temporal world is not our true home, and for this reason we should not live by temporal values: “If you are acknowledging as your Father one who has no favorites and judges everyone according to what he has done, you must be scrupulously careful as long as you are living away from your home [KJV “And if we call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.; RSV “And if you invoke as Father him who judges each one impartially according to his deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile.”; Vulgate: “conduct yourselves with fear in the time of your sojourning”].” Ac 15:8 reminds us of a God who is not only righteous, but who “can read everyone’s heart”, and to those who are pure in heart “showed his approval to them [the pagans] by giving the Holy Spirit to them just as he had to us [Jewish Christians]. [KJV “And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us.”] A righteous God, who is also impartial “made no distinction [KJV “put no difference”] between them and us, since he purified [RSV “cleansed”] their hearts by faith.” So then it is by faith that God conducts this cleansing and makes us righteous, as he first was and is righteous.
1 Peter 3:8-9 prescribes humility as the key to harmony: “Finally, you should all agree among yourselves and be sympathetic; love the brothers, have compassion and be self-effacing [KJV “be pitiful, be courteous; RSV “a tender heart and a humble mind”; Vulgate: “be all like-minded, compassionate, lovers of the brethren, merciful, humble”]. Never pay back one wrong with another, or an angry word with another one; instead pay back with a blessing. That is what you are called to do, so that you inherit a blessing yourself.” [KJV: “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous; Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” ] This teaching continues in 1 Peter 5:5-8 (JB title: To the Faithful) “To the rest of you I say: do what the elders tell you, and all wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud and will always favor the humble. Bow down, then, before the power of God now, and he will raise you up on the appointed day [Vulgate: “that he may exalt you in the time of visitation”]: unload all your worries on to him, since he is looking after you. Be calm but vigilant because your enemy the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to eat.” [KJV: “Likewise, ye younger, submit. yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject to one another, and be clothed with humility; for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant….”]
1 John 4:11-16 provides a fitting conclusion to New Testament teaching, dealing with the subject of love: ”My dear people, since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another. No one has ever seen God; but as long as we love one another God will live in us and his love will be complete [KJV, RSV “is perfected”] in us. We can know that we are living [KJV “dwell”] in him and he is living in us because he lets us share his Spirit [KJV “Hereby know that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.”; RSV “of his own Spirit”; JB notes: “It is God himself who through his Spirit produces charity in us.”] We ourselves saw and we testify that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. We ourselves have known and put our faith in God’s love towards ourselves. God is love and anyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in him. [KJV “lives” replaced by “dwelleth” in vss. 15-16; RSV “abides”]
The philosophy for our age is rooted in the old. Indeed, the prophets continue to cry out to us today as people beset by the same capacity for error and evil as our ancestors. It shifts in topic and emphasis over time but is still the ideal. Jesus, in fact, sought not to remove one thing from the old covenant but only to build upon and refine it. For a consideration so great as this, the best plan of presentation has been to begin with that of the Old Testament prophets continuing to the time of Jesus, to the early Christian Community, and from there to the present day. This, I hope, has provided a sense of development, a greater clarity of the shifts in their time, and a basis for comparison and contrast. As might be imagined, much of what appears to be new will be only in the sense of emphasis.
An ethical development of this sort is vital for us not only in the historical and personal realm but as a key to survival as our world continues to grapple with problems, which if not correctly addressed, spell doom for the inhabitants of this planet. The ethical impulse, as we shall see, provides the very balance and sustainability of life here and now. In the famous “Choose Life” admonition of Deuteronomy 30:19-20, Yahweh sets before us a choice: “I call heaven and earth to witness [KJV “to record this day”] against you today: I set before you life and death, blessing or curse. Choose life, then [KJV, RSV “therefore choose life”], so that you and your descendants may live, in the love of Yahweh your God, obeying his voice, clinging to him [KJV, RSV “cleaving”; Vulgate: “and adhere to him”]; for in this your life consists [RSV “for that means life to you and length of days”; Oxford RSV notes: “Life is not the mere extension of days. It is loving, obeying and cleaving to the Lord instead of pursuing the ways of idolatry.], and on this depends your long stay in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob he would give them.” To this it may be added, on this depends our own stay on this fragile planet. Proverbs 12:28 summarizes: “Life lies along the path of virtue, the way of the vicious leads to death.” [KJV “In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.”; RSV “but the way of error leads to death”]
On the intellectual/psychological level, our need for a new ethical revolution has been made painfully evident by our modern society which seeks to create heroes and then destroy them by slander and innuendo. Our information society constantly violates the privacy and sanctity of individual lives. As a culture we are rude, we are crude, we are invasive. An industry of exploitation exists because we support it because we eagerly consume what we are asked to buy. A much more circumspect, less invasive, holier mode of conduct is urgently needed and must be restored for society to be regulated and for us all to feel safe. Identity theft exists on a massive scale, but there are things far more important being stolen, and from which much hurtfulness comes. What will it take to reign in our prurient interests? What will it take to restore our footsteps to the path of righteousness? A deep, inner humility, now as in times before, is the only key.
I have identified several key developments as ethics has evolved and will suggest them to you:
(1) The social gospel and the progressive movement: What may be called the Social Gospel is a product of the late 19th century Progressive Movement, which came to fruition in the dawn of the Twentieth Century. Just as Robert La Follette, Lincoln Steffens, and others were its political proponents, Walter Rauschenbusch was the major spokesman for the social gospel. He sought to win others to “a new birth in Christ”. How does Rauschenbusch interpret the Bible? His interpretation of the Bible there hearkens back to the prophets, citing “a very specific economic and political right that the prophets try to emulate through their preaching and actions.” And so, the old presages the new. He adds, “Everyone is instilled with an instinctive sympathy for those who are marginalized and impoverished.” What is the theology of the Social Gospel? In A Theology for the Social Gospel, he makes the point that the individualistic gospel (i.e., “you must be saved”) has made sinfulness of the individual clear, but it has not shed light on institutionalized sinfulness: “It has not evoked faith in the will and power of God to redeem the permanent institutions of human society.” He urged Christians to rediscover the “social wealth of the Bible” and Jesus’ concern for the poo and emphasized the need to equalize wealth and power, making the point that unchecked competition makes a mockery of the Christian ideal of brotherhood. This, of course, has been played out in the union movement, then and now. Unionization has enjoyed a resurgence in response to the increasing concentration of wealth, and rightly so. I must remind readers that, indeed, we “vote with our dollars” and that we have a strong voice when we choose not to support businesses who suppress worker rights and working conditions. Having lived and worked in the Salinas Valley, I am reminded that the victory of the United Farm Workers was made possible by the consumers who supported a worldwide grape boycott.
Condemned at the time for what was perceived as socialism, I would reply to his critics, then and now, is that socialism is what you get when private enterprise is not responsible. I am reminded of the hymn (and pardon the sexism) by Frederick J. Gillman, “God send us men whose aim ’twill be, Not to defend some ancient creed, But to live out the laws of Christ In every thought and word and deed. God send us men alert and quick His lofty precepts to translate, Until the laws of Christ become The laws and habits of the state.” This is a far cry from the Christian Nationalism now in vogue, which trumpets bigotry and narrowness—far from it.
“Third stream” economics is a current concept. It arose, I think, from the failure of both the capitalist and socialist visions to ease the suffering of much of humanity and to provide economic adequacy for the poorest of the world’s citizens. It has the potential to serve as a recipe for the recovery of our world. The “stream” is the contributions of those more fortunate not for relief projects and charity alone, but to fund economic development banks giving micro-loans to individual proprietors to develop small businesses which become sustainable, pay back the loan, and make these funds available for others. It is meeting with much success. We should be mindful that this is a stream not only of financial opportunity but of hope, which much of the world needs.
(2) The civil rights movement in particular and the expansion of human rights in general: From the earliest times in our nation, long and painful struggle for equality still continues. It is by no means a smooth arc—its ups and downs are painfully apparent and the struggle goes on. Did anyone in the 1960s envision that we would again be dealing with voter suppression and be fighting a (losing) battle in Congress for a renewed voting rights act? Like Nelson Mandela, who “lived for the struggle”, this, too, should be our attitude, our goal, and the struggle should not stop. The Constitution is not a document of realized conditions as much as it is one of those to yet be achieved.
(3) Animal welfare: These refine and amplify the fullness of the ethical path, and all three are epitomized in Albert Schweitzer’s “Reverence for Life”. The real-time existential reality of his ethical vision is, for me, the apex. (For those who wish to explore his philosophy and example further, see the post “The River Must Flow”). Societal evolution continues to fine it, though threats abound.
The outflowing of care must extend to animals as well as humans. Their welfare must be a part of the struggle. This consideration of animal life is not a side issue—it is part of the central theme. The animal rights movement is a natural outcome of the human rights movement. Our consciousness has evolved to include them. It could not be otherwise. Schweitzer spoke of how he recoiled at an event when as a boy he killed a bird. This change in his consciousness towards animals is identical to my own. When visiting relatives in Florida, I went out with my cousin Richard, who had taken his shotgun with him. We reached a clearing, where a bird was sitting in a palmetto tree. He handed me the gun. I aimed at the small bird and fired. No contest. The path of the shot flying through the air could bring down anything within a fairly wide arc. The bird fell lifeless to the ground. I was suddenly struck with the needlessness of taking this life, and have not hunted since. The rapidly disintegrating global climate change is certainly bringing home this message of how we have needlessly and carelessly exceeded our ground and how we have strayed in our stewardship of the ecology.
The Buddhist ideal regarding sentient beings must be revisited here. Animals have feelings much as we do, and their pain and suffering must be taken into account, especially when used for food (or as many have decided, not used for food). It should come as no surprise that this attitude of callousness to animal suffering in the factory farms frequently resembles that of those who turn a blind eye to the conditions under which humans struggle.
It must be pointed out that the presumed separation between humans and animals was not always so. Freud writes in Moses and Monotheism that “the gulf which man created later between himself and the animals did not exist for primitive man.” This is underscored by the relationship with children perceive between themselves and animals. It is not relevant here to go into such topics as totemism, the animal sacrifice as the substitute for the human, or the representation of a god by an animal. The focus here is simply upon the relationship and the commonality possessed by both as living beings, and one which must be recovered in order for us to become truly human.
English moral philosopher Jeremy Bentham framed his argument for animal rights using the same grounds, that the rights of animals do not depend upon their ability to reason or talk, but that they have the capacity to suffer. This obligates us to give them equal consideration because, like us, they feel pain, pleasure, fear, frustration, loneliness, and the entire range of emotions we describe as human. It is, again, encompassed by the bodhisattva ideal, which is now elevated to a universal and not a specifically Buddhist term.
And it is not only our thinking that has undergone an evolution. So have the animals to whom we relate. Animals we claim as companions penetrate our consciousness as we penetrate theirs. Our circles intertwine and we live in a shared space. They perceive our vocal cues and we perceive theirs. Scientifically, we have been able to codify the sounds of both wild and domestic animals, into systems. The dog who sits beside me on the sofa each night was, eons ago, a wolf. But he is more than a wolf now, and my domestic cat is more than the feral relatives of his lineage. Look into the eyes of your beloved pet and you will see reflected back the quality of love.
Some go as far as to say that, if Jesus were to be incarnated in the present age, he would be a vegetarian. Many look toward the day when meat eating is obsolete. The current cultural context in this regard has taken a quantum leap in recent decades, embracing scientific research, legal standards, and philosophy, among others. That is the current milieu in this time and place. It is sometimes difficult to remember that, co-existent with his divine reality as world savior, Jesus’ incarnation was that of a first century Palestinian Jew, with all its attendant religious and cultural trappings. These, too, were a part of who he was. Fast forward two millennia and imagine, if you would, the Son of God born in this time and place. How different, in the day-to-day reality of his existence, would he be? What aspects of our contemporary culture would he shun and what would he embrace? What causes would he espouse? Would animal rights be among them? I do not think that it is too unreasonable a stretch of the imagination to believe it would.
A pamphlet entitled “Would Jesus Eat Meat?” contains this argument. All avatars are incarnated into the historical and cultural conditions of their times. Jesus, a first century Palestinian Jew, was no exception. How would his outlook, his values, be different if he lived in our times? And, if he lived among us now, what would his valiues be? What would he bid us to do? It is a question worth considering.
We all know the story of St. Francis and the stories of his relationship to animals, preaching to birds, befriending ferocious beasts, talking to and helping even the smallest of God’s creatures. He saw the goodness of God extended to all his creatures, and was in mystic union with the sphere of creation which did not include humans alone. In fact, the concept of creation is not complete without taking into account how all of created life fits into the divine order. Genetic research shows us the close relationship of man to chimpanzee—the old William Jennings Bryant quote about being “a monkey’s uncle” causes us to consider the link we have these. Many of us have felt the strong bond between ourselves and our animal companions. Think of the dog, who was once a wolf and the domestic cat which was once a wild creature, and how these beings have evolved in their relation to us. They have moved much closer to us and, while still animals, have acquired some of our humanness. It cannot be denied that a change has taken place.
In a surprising little book titled I Will See You in Heaven (Brewster, Mass., Paraclete Press, pp. 1-103) Franciscan Friar Jack Wintz writes for those whom have lost animal companions. He uses as his foundation the Psalms which declare the goodness of all creation. Jesus, he writes, elevates the dignity not only of humans but of animals. He goes on to make the case that, in a mysterious but real way, animals, along with minerals and plants, will take their place in the restored Garden of Eden as “The New Heaven and the New Earth” is unveiled, citing Revelation 5:13 where “all the living things in creation—everything that lives in the air, and on the ground, and under the ground, and in the sea” cries out to the glory of God and to Christ, who in John’s vision is even portrayed as the Lamb. Interestingly, there are “dog” and “cat” versions of the same book, virtually identical except for the creature they address.
The world of social media reveals an amazing number of interactions of animals with humans and with each other, including those of different species. Is this an example of evolution or has it been in their nature all along? There is more to their makeup as beings than we might suppose. We are also made aware of the benevolent acts of many who aid animals, as well as those of incredible cruelty. This cruelty has always existed but is now visible through our electronic media on a worldwide scale.
In Mama’s Last Hug primatologist Franz de Waal casts aside the notion that only humans have the capability for consciousness and free will, much as the earlier view of man’s monopoly as a tool maker was dispensed with. Examples such as pride, remorse, shame, disgust, and hope are illustrated. The significance of this study is given in the last sentence of its review in the New Yorker magazine: “Although the absence of language renders animals’ subjective experience inaccessible to us, de Waal argues passionately that mounting evidence of their free will makes it unacceptable to demand definitive proof: for him, taking the measure of their wordless consciousness, and wordless pain, is a moral imperative.”
(4) The care of the earth: To use the title of Russell Lord’s book of several decades back, this is no longer a mark of higher consciousness alone, but is an urgent and necessary key to our survival. Environmental consciousness, conservation, new technologies, sustainability, and scientific solutions to the global climate crisis: Pope Francis has recently said there is an urgent need to act “for the sake of the environment” and that it is not enough to simply increase spending. Rather, “We need to change our way of life and thus educate everyone to sober and fraternal lifestyles.”.
We are becoming more aware, I think, of the fragile web of life (the title of the book by John Storer) and our part in it. This awareness includes a consciousness of our relationship to all animal and plant life, and to refrain from hurting any of it needlessly. This was developed to a high degree in Albert Schweitzer and in other moral philosophers before and after him. He speaks of sadness at seeing a field of flowers mowed down. When you are attuned to plant life, your moral sense is finely focused indeed. Hindus speak of praying for forgiveness from the tree before cutting it down to use as wood. Castaneda’s Don Juan says, “The worms, the birds, the trees, all of them can tell us unimaginable things if only one could have the speed to grasp their message….This is the reason why we must talk to plants we are about to kill and apologize for hurting them; the same thing must be done with the animals we are going to hunt. We should take only enough for our needs, otherwise the plants and the animals and the worms we have killed would turn against us and cause us disease and misfortune.” (Carlos Castaneda. A Separate Reality: Further Conversations with Don Juan: New York, Simon and Schuster, 1971, p. 224)
Reducing our personal “footprint” is a necessary task, much as industrial societies are now seeking to reduce their carbon “footprint”. Unlike the indigenous people of our planet, we walk with too much heaviness on the earth, something they learned to avoid and in increasingly rare and vanishing instances are still practicing. We may return to this practice without forsaking technology; in fact, the wise use of technology is enabling us to do so and is now one of the great fields of invention.
As environmental consciousness has developed, it is natural for more people to reduce, re-use and recycle. We come to the point where it is simply not right to us to do otherwise. There are, of course, degrees to which this is taken. A movement called “deep ecology” seeks to extend this practice to the limit—a thorough and radical re-ordering of life patterns and practices to maximize the care of the earth. I would maintain that other areas of care must also be deep such as a deep benevolence in third stream economic activities, a deep commitment to daily spiritual practices, and a deep commitment to our relationships. All of these depths are interrelated. It is how the channel of our river deepens as it develops and grows.
(5) Unionization and worker advocacy: The thrust toward unionization (once declared illegal) is tied to the progressive era and has re-emerged with a new urgency in our own time. Corporate greed and the obscene concentration of wealth demand an answer. This includes efforts to address working conditions and worker safety. We may have moved beyond what Sinclair Lewis chronicled in The Jungle, but by no means is the task completed. It is important to remember that Cesar Chavez’ final crusade was for farmworker pesticide safety. As a result, California has the strongest and most effective regulations in the nation, and other states have followed suit as its influence has spread to national (EPA, OSHA) regulation as well.
(6) Post-World War II initiatives toward international cooperation, development and sharing of resources, and the universalization of human rights: This era was one of hope and opportunity as international organizations, particularly the United Nations, were created to avoid the tragic events earlier in the twentieth century. Efforts were made to aid emerging nations and to extend to them the benefits of democracy and technology. Alliances of democratic nations were forged. Former colonies were aided and supported on their way to independent government. Granted, there have been tragic missteps (Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan). Although overshadowed by these conflicts and political counter-reaction, a positive direction was set. It was the right move at the right time and its promise still shines.
(7) The need for decency: The level of public discourse, and most glaringly, of those in authority, has sunk to an incredible low. Somehow is has become permissible to express rudeness, bigotry, and hatred. In a recorded interview with Richard Nixon following the Kennedy assassination, he stated that, although he and John Kennedy were political rivals, they were personal friends. How many of our Senators and Representatives say this today? What was once considered common courtesy is common no more. Stores even have placards advising customers that this behavior, including threats of violence, will not be tolerated. One need only look to the interactions of our congressional representatives to observe how this decorum, even in high places, has diminished. From road rage to neighborhood wars to social media bullying, this has filtered down to our daily lives and we are all poorer for it. We long for the time when people had their differences, but could still be polite.
(8) Advocacy for immigrants and minorities: Maybe you saw this in Sunday School or somewhere else: a picture of children, all different in appearance, holding hands in a circle.. This has always been the goal and will always be: to relate openly to those of other races, nationalities, skin colors, cultural traditions, and religions. It shines before us and at times is met, but we often fall short. It is there nonetheless and we have made progress, although that progress is never steady. We can point with satisfaction that the armed services and workplaces in general are integrated. Hiring and employment practices have changed and the workforce is more diverse. Most neighborhoods now resemble the composition of our society in general, though enclaves concentrated by race, religion, and nationality still exist. This “self-segregation” is to be expected in communities needing a supportive structure for newly arrived immigrant groups. We see mixed and interracial families appear on TV and in films. Integration in what is called public accommodation (transportation, restaurants, hotels, entertainment venues) is now the rule rather than the exception. I would suggest that, on the whole, most of us feel more comfortable with those who are different from ourselves. The job is not over, but much work has been done.
The current age of indecency has seen an increase in anti-immigrant and anti-minority hatred, allowing it to play out in physical confrontations and violence. Statistics do not lie. The FBI reports that between 2021 and 2022, the number of antisemitic hate crimes increased by 36 percent to a total of 1,124 – the highest ever recorded. This is an undercount because, although the FBI collects and publishes hate crime data, reporting is voluntary and only about 80 percent of agencies submit data. Compliance changes from year to year. Further contributing to the undercount is that fewer than half of hate crime victims report to police. This dismal number has increased an additional 400 percent since the October 2023 Israel-Hamas conflict. We have also seen a rise in anti-Muslim incidents since 2015, with even more in 2016 than after the 9-11 attacks in 2001 Somehow, in some way, we must claw back the person to person working relationships which characterize a culture of respect. We must resist being inflamed by the fires of hatred.
A slight increase in personal humility would yield a quantum social benefit. Our interactions would flow much more smoothly and we would waste less time and energy in confrontation and built-up animosity. Our culture wrongly focus upon aggressiveness, where we so frequently bounce off one another instead seeking commonality, minimizing self-importance, and dedicating ourselves to that which we truly seek. Only if we were to have that grace to move into and through the stream of life, to be nourished and defined more by it than by that exalted sense of I that carries with it the fruit of destruction. The very presumptuousness by which we often act gets in our way. We become an enemy, a stumbling block, to ourselves as well as others, and defeat the very purposes we claim to seek. Far better to hide our overanxious self-importance and act like the wise merchant who hides his wealth and seems poor, or like the noble, when times are bad, who goes where the wind blows, forgetting his pretensions to wealth and power.
What we consider to be “new” is older than we may think. I will close with some quotes from a contemporary translation of the ancient and venerable Tao Te Ching (Man-Ho Kwok, Martin Palmer, and Jay Ramsay. The Illustrated Tao Te Ching) which extol qualities similar to those recorded in the Judeo-Christian scriptures. This small but mighty book is filled with wisdom that guides both our internal and external paths. Putting aside our “ownership” is perhaps a starting point in our recognition of a common life, a common humanity, a common purpose:
Life is made—and no one owns it. / The Tao is neither selfish nor proud.
True leadership requires humility. Many leaders learn this when it is too late. Seeking the welfare of those who are lead is the secret to success of many business and organizational leaders. The very success we seek lies in a humble immersion in the stream of life, a de-emphasis
The sage guides his people / By putting himself last.
Our very wealth may work against us. Much sadness and turmoil is caused by the ostentations of wealth.
Are you strutting your wealth like a peacock? / Then you’ve set yourself up to be shot. / You bring about your own disaster / Because you’ve got too much.
The mahatmas, the great souls, live for others and serve the world. To some this may seem to be foolishness, but to those who commit to the life of service, who are grounded in the ethical field, the course is clear. The lives of Jesus, Albert Schweitzer, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, and Cesar Chavez display a common thread of the pouring out of life in the service of others, and in doing so in such a way that, if you were to ask them, they would be perplexed that any other way of life could be considered.
“If you can put yourself aside / Then you can do things for the whole of the world. / And if you love the world, like this / Then you are ready to serve it.
In a prayer which matches the eloquence of the Psalms, South African author Alan Paton offers this prayer, wrought from the suffering chronicled in his work:
“O God, open my eyes that I may see the needs of others; open my ears that I may hear their cries; open my heart so that they need not be without succor; let me not be afraid to defend the weak because of the anger of the strong, nor afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich. Show me where love and hope and faith are needed, and use me to bring them to those places. And so open my eyes and my ears that I may this coming day be able to do some work of peace. Amen.”
Repentance may seem like an old-fashioned value, but its value is perennial. The Old Testament prophets, along with the apostles of the New, have consistently called for it. The “horribleness” of which we are capable should cause us to recoil in shame. This action, this turning, is what God requires. Only then can our misdeeds be dealt with and properly dispatched.
We must strip off our excess. We must re-focus our attention. We must re-establish our priorities. We must eliminate what is vulgar, trite, ineffectual, and unworthy. We must achieve a simple lifestyle. This is not a new demand. In a prophetic statement made in 1980, sociologist Anthony Campolo of Eastern Baptist College told a meeting of Southern Baptist educators: “In the next 20 years, Americans will either be dragged screaming into a lifestyle and social order that is more simple, less wasteful, and more responsible, or they will be led into such a future by responsible Christian leaders.” We are certainly not there yet, though significant steps have been taken.
May I offer at this point a proposal which lies at the intersection of ethics and rationalism: Our present, fragmented, illogical age is characterized by the chasing after wild conspiracies and unfounded notions. We are inflamed by a sensationalist media which knows few bounds. The test for truth has become secondary to that which is exciting, new, or radical. Science and the scientific method are “on the ropes”. Sadly, this is aided and abetted by religion. This is not the Middle Ages. Who said that religion should be anti-science and that religious rulers should have the last word? Considering their dismal track record, many of the current crop of leaders are the last people I want to influence civil society. Their influence has escaped the bounds of faith alone. Many current politicians have been bitten by the theology bug as Christian nationalism rears its head, claiming to speak for God. Entire nations have been taken over by such movements and common citizens become refugees to escape them. This, in turn, breeds resentment from the nations to which they flee, a vicious circle of immigrant hatred. Can there be an end to this madness? It will only stop when education, and philosophy in particular, turn once more to sober, logical consideration of the world around us and to govern with an even hand. In short, it is ethical to be logical. We must passionately, dare I say religiously, advocate for the light of logical scrutiny and detailed analysis to shine on all aspects of social and intellectual life. If truth is to prevail, it must do so only in this manner. The chaff must be burnt away and the light of reason which has been painfully dimmed must shine again.
I will add one more observation before concluding: our economics must match our ethics. Much that is wrong with the social order stems from the unmitigated greed of a few. Nor does it lie with them alone. A world of incredible excess contrasted with abject poverty is not only a recipe for revolution; it is a threat to the entire economic order. The prevailing socioeconomic systems are all lacking in one way or another. Fortunately, we are seeing an explosion of charitable organizations, some focused on medical care, some on economic development, some on animal welfare, some on education, and so on. They are attracting not only contributions, but volunteer workers, along with social consciousness in general. The battle is not lost, though the present times may seem dark indeed. The ethical flame has not been extinguished, and in many places and with many individuals burns bright indeed. So may it continue.
Divinepersonhood 