Christianity and Eudaimonia, Luck and Eudaimonism. Issue 1 (19th February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Simmons, Frederick V.
• Is Part Of: Journal of religious ethics. Volume 47:Issue 1(2019)
• Page Start: 43
• Page End: 67
• Publication Date: 2019-02-19
• Subjects: eudaimonia -- eudaimonism -- Christian love -- moral luck -- eudaimon luck -- living well and faring well -- virtuous activity; Ethics -- Periodicals; Religious ethics -- Periodicals; Morale religieuse; Religion; Théologie; 205
• DOI: 10.1111/jore.12249
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0384-9694

Abstract

Abstract: I argue that Christians have at least two reasons to reject eudaimonism, interpreted as the view that attaining eudaimonia—or happiness—is what fulfills the moral life. First, I contend Christian conceptions of eudaimonia should encompass more than realized moral excellence and its requirements. Second, I claim Christians should construe the love at the heart of their moral life as fully realizable even if it is not evidently reciprocated. Both affirmations contradict eudaimonism by implying that eudaimonia depends on more than fulfilling the moral life—the former by rendering eudaimonia more subject to luck than eudaimonists can allow, the latter by depicting the moral life as less subject to luck than eudaimonists can accept. These affirmations also enable Christians to regard God's love integral to eudaimonia apart from its role in realizing moral excellence and to deny all inability to attain eudaimonia manifests moral failure.