The Post & Email by ProfDave 1/17/2022
What is a Human Being?The American constitution, arguably the most durable and successful in history, rests upon some fundamental assumptions about the nature of mankind. Assumptions ultimately derived from Christianity. The French Revolution, by way of contrast, which produced unsuccessful constitutions, changed like underwear, rested upon different assumptions, derived from Enlightenment and Greek sources.
What is a human being? Two American assumptions: 1) he/she is of intrinsic value and 2) he/she is not to be trusted. Two French assumptions: 1) he/she derives extrinsic value from the people, and 2) he/she (most of them) is basically good. Note: “the people” are always right, not every individual. Hmmh. A sweeping generalization, of course, but a fundamental difference of worldview.
American Assumptions. American democracy, as defined in its founding documents (as distinct from its modern function) rests on distinctively Christian assumptions about human nature. First, that each human being has primary and intrinsic value. By that I mean, their value is in their being human itself, independent of their status or usefulness, and they are more valuable than anything else. “Inalienable rights” are built in – resting on the Christian doctrine of creation in the “image of God.”
Implications: liberty – each individual is responsible to God to conduct themselves virtuously according to their conscience and should be given the liberty to do so. And equality – each has equal standing before God and, by implication, should be treated so by the state. This, in the 18th century, did not mean equal social, let alone economic conditions, but the old world distinctions of nobility and commoner passed away (sadly, not slavery). “In Christ there is no Jew nor Gentile, slave or free, male nor female” etc.
Second, no human being can be totally trusted. This assumption was based on the Judeo-Christian doctrine of the fall and of universal depravity. And there is a good deal of historical and empirical evidence for that assumption! Mankind may have been created good, and still have good intentions, but human nature is fundamentally flawed. Every man has his price. The best of us are all vulnerable to corruption of one kind or another. “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton).
More:
https://www.thepostemail.com/2022/01/17/constitutional-assumptions-make-a-difference/
