David Gushee: Sacredness of Human Life

Life. How the church views human life is a difficult thing to explain. Not least of all because the church lies in a fractured state of disagreement, but also because it is difficult to explain how the church has arrived at the point that it has, or rather points. Inextricably interwoven with the rise of western culture, is the understanding of human life as sacred. This is what David Gushee's book The Sacredness of Human Life sets out to explain. This paper intends to review Gushee's work by identifying the book’s central thesis, evaluating the author’s success in defending his thesis, and reflecting on the significance of the book for Christian ethics.

            Gushee's central thesis is towards providing a survey of the historical development of the value of human life throughout the centuries involving the church in order to provide a framework for understanding and responding to the current atmosphere surrounding the issue. The first chapter addresses the prolegomena of defining terms. The terms sanctity and sacredness have become rather conflated regarding the particular issues of human life and the contemporary context. Ultimately, Gushee resolves to use the term sacredness and applies it to the entirety of human life as something given and prescribed by God and no one else. The rest of the book goes through various stages throughout history as they are relevant to the context of Christianity while addressing various 'puzzles' throughout that seem to need resolution, namely the Old Testament, Jesus and the New Testament, the early church, Christendom, enlightenment, Nihilism, the Nazi controversy, post-WWII and the contemporary atmosphere.

            The rest of this paper will address some particular arguments made by the author, by attempting to evaluate how the author goes about defending his thesis, as well as providing feedback about the strengths and weaknesses of his argument. As such, I will deal with the book as I see it as laid out in three distinct sub-sections: Scripture and the early church, Christendom and the church's transition into enlightenment, and Nietzsche to the present.

            As presented by the author, the chapters regarding the Old Testament, Jesus and the New Testament, and the early church appear as a rather cohesive sub-section on the grounds of how each particular movement understood the sacredness of human life. Even if how that sacredness is protected in the definably different sections, it is clear that human life is thought of differently compared to the various cultures surrounding the community and person of God. In the Old Testament, from the beginning of creation and the bestowing of divine image on humanity, to the Yahweh who cares for those in slavery, for those who are marginalized, to the prophetic yearning for a universal shalom, God establishes his concern for his creation. This motif is continued in the New Testament through God's incarnation, of the creator ineffably participating in the driection of his creation toward that shalom spoken of in the Old Testament. Through his radical redirection of morality and constant efforts to reach out to those who are marginalized by raising them and in consequence all of humanity to glory through his death, resurrection, and ascension, we see God is primarily concerned with how we treat each other. The point could be made based on Jesus' teachings and actions alone, which were seen as continued in the early church as the early Christians struggled under various periods of persecution and enmity by the dominant surrounding culture.

            It is difficult to disagree with his thesis at this point. Considering the various texts we have opportunity to consult, there is no doubt a significant difference between the approaches of the canons and early church from that of how the surrounding cultures operated. I am reminded of passages like Deuteronomy 21:10-14, where it is stated that if at the end of a war you take a female captive and you take a liking to her, you should give her 30 days to mourn the death of her mother and father and only then can you go and make her your wife. I can only imagine that this law has been put in Deuteronomy because rape and pillaging were things that happened in war. Even in these drastic circumstances, Yahweh provides the means by which mercy can be given to those who have lost everything. As this is carried forward in the New Testament we see that almost everything that Jesus did was different than how the surrounding culture operated. Continuing on into the time of the early church, there is an assumed difference regarding the community of the church and the Roman empire, what with all the persecution and death that was being dealt to the church in it's earliest years. Given the overwhelming evidence that Gushee provides for the way in which these three pillars of testimony speak towards the question of the sacredness of human-life, there is not much provided that a reader can argue against.

            Beyond this first sub-section, the direction of the church as the author presents it becomes increasingly more complex as it attempts to balance the position of authority that has been thrust upon it. As the author exemplifies, with the introduction of Christendom in the mid fourth-century, we see a definable shift in thinking regarding various aspects of the church. No doubt then that we also see a shift effecting the church's approach towards matters of human life. However, as stated in his clarifying synthesis-hypothesis, "that in Christendom, the sacredness ethic was both negated and advanced; everywhere that Christian civilization traveled, so did the elevating and the desecrating of human life."(121) Gushee goes on in the proceeding few chapters to explain what exactly that shift entailed and how it affected the direction of the church's thinking, as well as the thinking of much of western society.

            The church's transition from early Christianity into Christendom, as explained by Gushee, presented a variety of complicated changes with regards to how human life was understood. As Gushee points out, the adoption of Christianity by the Roman empire purported the church into positions of privilege before unheard of. As such, it becomes increasingly more difficult to understand 'human life' as seen by the church apart from the citizenship of the empire and what later came to be the european states. The devastation of the crusades, the atrocities of colonizing attempts of European states, and the barbarism directed towards Judaism all throughout Christian history present some of the more shameful periods in the Church's history. Such posturing from the church of privilege eventually paved the way into the enlightenment and the consequent rejection of the Church or our God's right to participate in the conversation regarding the rights of humanity.

            It is precisely these times of shameful conduct that clears the fore for the enlightenment. with the constant abuse of positions of authority and the strange mingling of church and state, it is no wonder that the atmosphere developed in a way that lead people like John Locke and Immanuel Kant to produce the works they did and draw the conclusion they drew. These two figures provide a window to the transition from a morality and understanding of human life that is founded and based on at least a vague understanding of God.

            However, this rejection of the foundations upon which the sacredness of human life were built, as seen in Nietzsche, also paved the way for Nazi Germany to devolve to the point where Jews could be seen as less than human and consequently formed the grounds for the holocaust. The evident devoltion of morality that lead to the destruction of so many in recent centuries and the continual subsequent desire of many to avoid such devestation leave us here, now, in the twenty-first century with many questions to address and many problems that demand some sort of solution. Abortion, capital punishment, nuclear weapons, and human rights are real matters of inquiry for us in the contemporary ethical climate. Just like the history of the church and the intermingling progression of human rights with the surrounding culture, none of these questions are simple. However, just as Christianity and the church have been part of the development of these problems, we as the earthly representation of God's kingdom are just as much a part of the solution.

At this point it would be good to comment on the grace and elegance with which the author deal with these periods. The author(as I see it) does an excellent service to the periods involving Christendom and into WWII. There is no simple way of explaining the transition from Christianity's early roots to the current atmosphere. As is stated throughout the book, the tendency to cast various figures and situations in either a positive or negative light tends to do more for distancing a book or writing from those of the opposite opinion. As such, Gushee has presented a rare opportunity for the unbelieving and believing reader alike, to both recognize the obvious mistakes and failures of past Christians in the church while also providing opportunity to continue to participate in the conversations regarding rights and ethics in ‘public’ spheres.

            As for how this book has contributed to my own ethical formation and understanding, I must of course express my appreciation the author's handling of the sections from the introduction of Christendom through to the throngs of enlightenment. Since, I have become increasingly more aware of the obvious differences between the early church and our contemporary situation, yet have never understood what the transition between those two periods really entailed, I have found these sections particularly helpful. I have often felt as though the rejection of the Christian's participation in the conversation regarding human life and ethics as somewhat unfair. After all, if those who deny the Christian participation in the conversation would only know the value that Christ and the church places on human life, surely they would assume the necessity of having God be included in the conversation. However, after reading through this survey on the matter I feel as though I am closer to agreeing with western society could possibly produce a thought process that seeks to dethrone the Church from its place of privilege and detach the conversation regarding the rights of humanity from the value placed upon life by God, but rather to a point of obvious understanding.the restricition of the Christian is such conversation. Such shameful handling of the sacredness of human life on the part of the church should in effect lead the reader not to a point of bewilderment of how

            Recently I watched a news story that covered the devastation brought on by the typhoon in the Philippines. I watched as the reporter interviewed countless people left to mourn the loss of their loved ones and struggle through the confusion that such powerful 'natural' disasters leave in their wake. The reporter, a self-professed athiest continued asking why God could have allowed such horrible things to happen. What I could not help from thinking was why God could allow us to do much more horrible things to each other. I often feel quite helpless in searching for a response to such questions. I feel as though things will not get any better. It is hard to imagine that we as humanity can continue much longer in such enmity and strife with one another. However, such situations do not lead me to believe that there is no God, rather that I hope he comes back with all haste. I cannot help but see some of the truth in what Nietzsche writes and perhaps I have been subconsciously influenced by him, but I cannot help but think that the only hope there is for humanity rests in humanity's end or rather a new humanity. Not only inaugurated by consummated.

            In conclusion, while I am not sure that enjoyment is the proper response to such a discourse, I am quite thankful for this work that Gushee has written. It has been both thought provoking and formative. The development of the way in which human life is viewed throughout western society is not a simple discourse, a reality that David Gushee illuminates well. While the author has not developed an extensive response for the church to the various puzzles and problems that have emerged throughout the centuries, he has certainly established a framework for beginning that work for the contemporary Christian. Through the author's arguments I continue to be persuaded towards the sacredness of human life. Although, I find myself more than ever overwhelmed. I can think of no response other than to show the world that it's creator cares for it, and has shown such care through the incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of God's Son Jesus Christ. I eagerly and earnestly await his return.

Gushee, David. The Sacredness of Human Life: Why an Ancient Biblical VIsion is Key to the World’s Future. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdman’s Publishing Company, 2013.