A Christian Philosophy of Education by Gordon Haddon Clark

Author:Gordon Haddon Clark [Clark, Gordon Haddon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Philosophy
ISBN: 9780940931206
Amazon: B004YLOWX2
Goodreads: 128575
Published: 1987-06-01T04:00:00+00:00

If we agree that egoism does not counsel shady actions, and that virtue is the best policy precisely because God rewards it, we are ready to consider the position assigned in this scheme to the good of others, for egoism in general and Christianity in particular have been attacked as selfish.

This is not quite the same problem as that usually raised about the compatibility of the good of all people. An egoist, Christian or not, will find quite a little difficulty in proving that the good of one individual harmonizes with the good of all other individuals. As a matter of fact the Christian might well conclude that had Judas done what was best for him, it would be too bad for us. Apparently, then, the good of some people is incompatible with the good of others. But whether we accept this conclusion or not, that the good of two people may under given conditions conflict, it does not follow that egoism teaches selfishness. And yet Christianity has been assailed as selfish. That one must save his own soul first, and only afterwards turn his attention to others, and that his helping others reacts again to benefit himself, Hastings Rashdall, for example, frankly considers “nauseous.” But is not the attempt to help others before attending to one’s own condition a case of the blind leading the blind? And why is there anything disgusting in regarding one’s own development as a motive in Christian activity? We sing about stars in our crown, we speak of souls for our hire. If, then, I may be an instrument of effectual calling in God’s hands, and if such instrumentality brings a blessing, I can see no good reason for denying that that blessing may properly be a part of the Christian motive.

Accordingly, if portions of the modem Christian community regard Kant as the last and most logical of the prophets and apostles, a polite acquaintance with the Bible would remedy their misapprehension. And when opponents claim that Christianity is a selfish, soul-saving, egoistic religion, the Christian should not be apologetic in the colloquial sense of the word but in the technical sense, and, with the aid of oranges and carbolic acid, follow the examples of Christ and the apostles in holding out to men the hope of heaven and the fear of hell as legitimate motives for availing themselves of Christ’s gracious redemption.

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