Freedom

This summer certainly has had theme. This has been one of those seasons of life where God has definitely been trying to teach me something. It began with a term paper I wrote back in the spring. I daringly chose to discuss the theology of the Declaration of Independence. Also, in my Ethics class we discussed the the topic of freedom as part of the Christian ethical system. Then the church I have been interning at this summer has had the over arching theme of freedom guiding its Bible studies, ministries and worship services.

All that is to say, I’ve thought, talked, and heard a lot about freedom. And it’s something that we need to examine. Long before the School House Rock taught us all about the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World,” people were talking about freedom. The American Founding Father’s didn’t actually invent it. But, consider what political freedom actually is. What do the talking heads mean when they say they want freedom for a country or for the American people?

At the heart of every definition of freedom is choice. The ability to be responsible for our own lives.

In our individualistic, materialistic culture that choice means the right to chose Pepsi or Coke, paper or plastic, Democrat or Republican. It’s a smorgasbord type freedom which takes us through life like a buffet; we take what we want because it satisfies in the moment. And hey, it’s a free country.  At the end of the day when you’re on the couch having eaten 2 plate fulls of what felt good an hour ago at “Big Pet’s All You Can Eat” chances are you’re not going to feel very free. It leads us to read “the Pursuit of Happiness” as “the pursuit of whatever I feel like” or “the pursuit of whatever idea or goal I have at whatever expense.” That’s not freedom.

“The Pursuit of Happiness” is not whatever I feel like or want. It’s not the Lexis or promotion. It’s the end at which all life aims. It’s why we’re all here on earth. It’s what we’re all striving for.

As Paul Wadell explains in his book Happiness and the Christian Moral Life, our political, social and economic systems give us the capacity for freedom. They are the structure that allow us to chose, but those choices can lead us right back to a spiritual slavery if we’re not careful.  They do not formulate the Virtue of Freedom.

In his book Wadell asks “who is the freest person you know?”  Jesus is the freest person I know. Free from death and shame and sin. And when we follow him we chose a life not of Pepsi, paper and Republican, but of self-sacrificing service and humble devotion to God.

For the Christian, freedom is not just the ability to chose, but is a virtue practiced and perfected in community as we love one another and love God. We need freedom. It is the key to our dignity and person-hood, and true freedom is only found in following Jesus. And in that freedom there is Joy.