Christian Hedonism
I believe that to be a Christian is to pursue true hedonism. Hedonism, as opposed to Stoicism, is the belief that life is to be pursued for the sake of pleasure. Now for some, this may sound contrary to the Christian faith or even against the grain of basic Christian teachings of self-denial and the martyrdom of one’s own life and desires; but the two, in reality, go hand in hand. Many at first may have furrowed brows accompanied by disapproving eyes when reading about the idea of Christian hedonism, but before such disapproval takes place, let me give my reasons for such a belief.
Defining and Defending Christian Hedonism
First, it is important to briefly explain through three points what I am not affirming, followed by what I do affirm. I am not affirming the idea that the Christian life is lived for the sake of worldly pleasures and the abuses of sex, food, and drink which are often associated with a traditional understanding of hedonism. I am also not affirming that the Christian life is chiefly or solely pursued for the gifts God gives humanity to experience pleasure in this life. Lastly, I do deny the idea that the Christian faith does not require a radical call to self-denial and the mortification sinful passions.
Rather, I am affirming that the Christian life is lived for the sake of a path that leads to infinite pleasure. Secondly, I affirm that the Christian life is pursued chiefly for the encounter of God’s presence and attributes (energies), which are given to us through various gifts that God bestows on man. These include, but are not limited to, the sacramental life of the Church and ordinary gifts such as friendship, fellowship, a simple meal, or even laughter. Lastly, I affirm belief that the radical call of self-denial and the martyrdom of sinful passions is a requirement of the Christian faith. However, alongside this, I also affirm that the martyrdom of sinful passions inevitably leads to the fullest experience of joy one can know. Here are a few quotes followed by an explanation that will flesh out this claim:
“It is not sufficient for a man to know what is right, he must love what is right. If a man does not love what is right, his stomach will bully his mind. If the heart does not work in concert with the mind, a man will lay down for temptation like an obedient dog.”
~Joshua Gibbs
The mortification of sin not only entails outward obedience, but the love of something more glorious than the sin one desires to put to death. True death of sin is done for the sake of something greater. For example, the death of pride, or the opposite extreme, self-loathing, is for the sake of obtaining humility, which brings true joy and exaltation from the Lord. The death of gluttony is for the sake of self-control, which gives man true freedom to pursue what he desires with gratitude rather than slavery. The death of lust is for the sake of chastity, which allows for a meaningful love that is chosen and given, rather than a compulsion demanding to be satisfied for the sake of oneself.
With this being said, all virtues, including those mentioned above, have their source in God. As Scripture teaches, “The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). This means that God does not have goodness, joy, love, or peace as parts of Him, but rather He is the living source of all virtue and these virtues and all others live in Him as one reality. These are not merely ideas, but the ways in which God makes Himself known to us. Therefore, when we become humble, self-controlled, or loving, we are participating in the divine life of God, which necessarily brings true and lasting joy.
Or as King David puts it:
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
~Psalm 16:11
The problem with worldly hedonism is not that it seeks pleasure, but that the pleasure it seeks is neither ultimately satisfying nor capable of giving true peace. C.S. Lewis writes:
"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at sea. We are far too easily pleased."
In summary, to be a Christian is to be a hedonist in the truest sense, by denying lesser, worldly pleasures for the sake of something infinitely greater: the presence of God. This is experienced through the many gifts of life that communicate His attributes or energies within the Christian life. While this is encountered most fully in the sacramental life of the Church, it is also present in simple gifts such as a fire with friends or a hot cup of coffee in the morning.
With all of this being said, I will leave you with a question from St. Basil the Great:
“What, I ask, is more wonderful than the beauty of God? What thought is more pleasing and wonderful than God’s majesty? What desire is as urgent and overpowering as the desire implanted by God in a soul that is completely purified of sin and cries out in its love: I am wounded by love? The radiance of divine beauty is altogether beyond the power of words to describe.”
~St Basil the Great
