Aristotle & Spiritual Formation

I will examine the key philosophical concepts of Aristotle, as recorded in Nicomachean Ethics, and propose applications for their adaptation in the practice of Christian spiritual formation.

The use of a Greek philosopher to inform Christian practices may be questioned by some, and justifiably so. After all, an authority no less than Saint Paul warned that, “…the wisdom of the world is foolishness in God’s sight” (1 Corinthians 3:19 NIV). A closer examination of this verse within the context of the epistle, however, makes it clear that he is addressing divisions in the Corinthian church caused by immature individuals who were idolizing different teachers. Saint Paul was evidently schooled enough in philosophy to address the Areopagus in Athens. Furthermore, he demonstrated a willingness to use Greek philosophy to explain some aspects of the Gospel in a way that the Athenians could understand. (This is recorded in the Book of Acts, chapter 17.)

It is true that Aristotle’s thought differs in some respects from traditional Christianity. This is reason enough to disqualify his body of work entirely in the estimation of some Christians. This need not be. As Michael Joseph Brown wisely points out, “Scholars do the best they can in analyzing the evidence at their disposal, but sometimes their analysis is wrong…Regardless of the reasons for a mistaken analysis, being wrong on some issues does not make one wrong on all issues” (128-129).

Perhaps the most compelling reason for practitioners of soul care familiarize themselves with Aristotle is that perhaps no one else in history has so extensively explored and defined the philosophy of human nature. As Richard J. Foster addresses in Celebration of Discipline, “Superficiality is the curse of our age…The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people” (1). In a culture where wearing a Christian t-shirt passes as an example of righteous living, we desperately need the seminal writings of Aristotle to both challenge and inform our thinking about virtue and moral knowledge.

The meaning of life is a riddle that people have pondered throughout history. Perhaps the answer has become even more elusive in our postmodern age. Aristotle offers a response to the age-old question: happiness (Aristotle 3). That answer may appear too simplistic, or maybe even naive, but this most likely results from a misunderstanding of the philosopher’s definition versus a contemporary colloquial understanding of the term. Happiness—eudaimonia in the original Greek—means “living well and doing well” (Aristotle 3). It is “a life directed toward worthwhile goals” (Pojman 64) and is characterized by excellence.

Incorporating the Aristotelian view of life’s purpose into a spiritual formation context could be transformative for Christians. An unfortunate characteristic of Evangelicalism is that it often utilizes guilt as a motivating factor for change in its adherents. This has resulted in a kind of deficit thinking norm among Christians in whom there is much obsession with defeat and inadequacy. However, adopting a vision of life motivated towards excellence in all things would result in a thriving individuals captivated more by the possibilities of new life in Christ than the prospect of “slipping up.” It is the difference between putting a car in drive versus just sitting there staring in the rear view mirror. After all, Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10 NIV). A life devoted to Christ should be one characterized as living well and doing well!

Often Christians appear to value altar experiences and beliefs more than the actual lived out experience of obedience. Aristotle argues that the highest good is a lived out reality. “…It matters quite a bit whether we suppose that the best good consists in possessing or using…For someone may be in a state that achieves no good—if, for instance, he is asleep or inactive in some other way—but this cannot be true of the activity; for it will necessarily act and act well. And just as the Olympic prizes are not for the finest and strongest, but for the contestants—since it is only those who win…The same is true in life…only those who act correctly win the prize” (Aristotle 11). The philosopher’s deliberations can inform and enlighten our teaching on holy living, as we, like Saint Paul encourage people to “Run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24).

Nicomachean Ethics is not an easy read, but the diligent reader will be rewarded with much insight into subjects such as justice, friendship, truthfulness, and generosity. The book exposes how shallow is much of our thinking. Often people hold beliefs without ever delving beneath the surface of a topic. In the context of religion, this often results in a faith that sounds great in the confines of the church but is inadequate for the complexities of life. Incorporation of this kind of introspection should be a goal of every spiritual formation program.

George Barna writes in Growing True Disciples that, "...most born-again adults are limited in their ability to grow spiritually because they have failed to set any goals for their spiritual development..." (36) Adopting Aristotle's concept of excellence (living and doing well) as the goal of life is an excellent strategy for stimulating Christian growth.


WORKS CITED

Barna, George. Growing True Disciples. Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook, 2001.

Brown, Michael Joseph. What They Don’t Tell You. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2000.

Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline. San Francisco, CA: Harper & Row, 1988.

Life Application Bible (NIV). Grand Rapids, MI, 1991.

Pojman, Louis P. Who Are We? Theories of Human Nature. New York, NY: Oxford, 2006.

Aristotle and Irwin, Terence (tran.). Nicomachean Ethics. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett, 1999.