In the Christian classic, The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis pens one of the great lines regarding the battle of Truth and relativism, “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done’ (The Great Divorce, Ch. 9). This passage shows the essence of relativism, that is the denial of objective truth and the replacement of it with one’s own idea of truth and good. As a result, objective truth is denied and injustice reigns supreme. That is why relativism is especially problematic when those who have authority adhere to it.
This philosophical outlook is not just a modern phenomenon, a logical outcome of modern philosophers, but can be seen since time immemorial. Even some of the Old Testament authors write about this outlook on life and the dangers it entails. The first book of the Pentateuch warns against this viewpoint and describes how the Fall of Man ushers in the Culture of Death. But the question remains: just how is philosophical relativism seen in this account? Very simply, it is seen in the Serpent’s words with Eve, “No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is bad” (New American Bible, Genesis 3: 5).
Now the Serpent’s words need to be broken down properly in order for the reader to properly understand what exactly is going on here. Firstly, one must dismiss the myth that somehow Adam and Eve are naïve as to what “good” and “bad” are. That is simply not the case. Neither the Jewish Yahwist writer would have seen it that way when it was written nor have Catholic theologians throughout the centuries. The implication is clear that both Adam and Eve have an understanding of moral and immoral, especially since Eve uttered just a moment before the commandment that God had given not to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. They certainly have an understanding that to follow God’s word is life and to disobey means death. Secondly, the reader must also understand that the tree’s name could be properly interpreted as the Tree of Experiential Knowledge of Good and Evil. As has been just shown, Adam and Eve have intellectual knowledge, so the type of knowledge being explored is different. God does not intend His creation, man and woman, to experience evil. Thirdly, the Serpent is intentionally trying to make them think that they will become more “god-like” with this forbidden knowledge. It is already known that both man and woman were created in the likeness of God and that God declared them to be “very good”, a descriptor that is not given to any other created thing. Both Adam and Eve would have understood this, but nonetheless, the Serpent is trying to make them think that they can become rule makers on the level of God.
As it is known, both Adam and Eve chose to disobey God’s commandment and wished to place their own rule (that it is they believe it is a greater good to know the experience of good and evil), which they hold as better than God’s, in its place. Strange given the fact that God gave them dominion, that is authority as king and queen to care and provide stewardship over the Earth (see Genesis 1: 28-30). Their act brings utter disorder and chaos to the kingdom. For Adam and Eve, the rejection of God meant that they become mortal. But not only have they caused a spiritual death with God since they are no longer worthy to be in full communion with Him, they have also caused Death and all of its attributes to plague humanity. The first parents essentially cause the murder of themselves and their descendants. Here we see how they literally reject life by implementing their own relativistic rules.
Mankind certainly did not learn the lesson very well. Relativism still rears itself frequently throughout the history of the Bible. However, one of the more notable events where this philosophy can be seen is in the exchange between Christ and Pontius Pilate, “So Pilate said to him, ‘Then you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’ Pilate said to him, ‘What is truth?’” (John 18: 37-38). While it is clear that Pilate did not see Jesus as Truth Incarnate, his last question reveals his relativism. Truth, for Pilate, is clearly subjective. While he is uncomfortable with condemning the Messiah, he certainly takes no definitive stand to save him. Instead, Pilate’s “truth” was to be politically expedient to an increasingly hostile crowd and as a result he denies true justice to the Word who is the way, the truth, and the light.
The comparison and contrast of the two authority figures in the aforementioned account is insightful in many ways. Firstly, it is Christ, who has authority over Creation, who points out that Pilate is given authority from above (John 19:11) and, just prior to the “fall” of Pilate, reminds the Procurator of his mission, “For this I was born and this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice” (John 18: 37). Pilot’s arrogance and pride blind him to the Truth. Pilate rejects his proper role as an authority and instead places his own rule in place of justice. As a result, Jesus, the Word of God, is then left to be killed on a cross. No doubt, a rather stark contrast to the humility of Christ who stated, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as ransom for many” (Matthew 20: 28).
The inspired writers of Holy Scripture are trying to make an important point and that is simply that holding to a philosophy of relativism leads to a Culture of Death. Death surrounds the philosophy since it does not recognize the dignity of the human person. Pilate’s lack of fortitude leads to his lack of justice. It also shows his lack of prudence in so far as he puts unreasonableness in action. Adam and Eve’s lack of faith in the Word of God (objective truth) allows destruction into the world. Pilate, Adam, and Eve all share the same problem—they suffer from the “dictatorship of relativism” as then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger stated in his homily just before he was elected to the Papacy. Their disloyalty certainly brings the words found in Deuteronomy to light, “Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, obeying his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you…” (Deuteronomy 30: 19-20). By not heeding the voice of God and placing your own rule (or will) in place of God’s, one: 1) accepts the essence of relativism ,2) denies the dignity of human person, and 3) allows for the potential (or actual) destruction of God’s highest creation—human life. “They will be done” is indeed an important phrase in placed in its proper context. C.S. Lewis is right in pointing out the difference. One leads to true life, the other leads to destruction, physical death, and spiritual death.
Joe Kral has been involved in the pro-life movement since he has been in college. His MA in Theology was completed at the University of St. Thomas where he specialized in bioethics. From 1996-2003 he was the Legislative Director for Texas Right to Life. During that time he was also a lobbyist for the Department of Medical Ethics at National Right to Life. From 2004-2007 he consulted the Texas Catholic Conference on pro-life legislative initiatives. In 2006 he was awarded the “Bishop’s Pro-Life Award for Civic Action” from the Respect Life Ministry in the Diocese of Dallas. He currently is an adjunct professor of Theology at the University of St. Thomas, teaches FTCM courses for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, and also serves as a voluntary legislative advisor to Texas Alliance for Life. He has been married to his wife, Melissa, since 2004 and attends St. Theresa’s Catholic Church.
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