Freeeeeeedom?

Between the Christian and the liberal democratic tradition there must always be some element of enmity. What either understands as freedom the other must view as a form of bondage.

– David Bentley Hart, In the Aftermath: Provocations and Laments (2009), p. 90-91

I really like this quote. Freedom is an extremelly important idea for the Christian. In Paul’s great letters it is often one of the main ways he explains the gospel. We have been set free from fear, oppression, death, slavery to all sorts of powers, harmful ways of living and thinking. Most importantly, we have been set free to love and know God. 

Freedom is also an extemely important idea for the liberal democratic tradition, and your average joe-the-plumber living contently within that worldview. Freedom means that you can do anything, go anywhere, and develop your own life plan. You are free to come up with what you think is most important and let that orientate your life, perhaps even spend all your life chasing after it.

And here’s the animosity. The Chrisitian thinks any freedom that doesn’t free you to know and love God is not really freedom at all. The average liberal democrat (i.e. most contemporary western people) thinks that any freedom that tells you what to do and comes loaded with a conception of the good is not really freedom.

Play me off, Bob…