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God & the Art of Happiness

Reviewed by Philip Joy.

This is a theology of happiness, a doctrinal study of a subject which ought to be central in view of its obvious pastoral significance, but which has received patchy treatment over the centuries and is regarded by some Christians with misgivings. It is a most welcome, thorough and relevant book, written with the authority of one whose personal life has known deep sadness through bereavement. It is divided into two parts - a historical theology of the subject, and a proposal for a new doctrine of Happiness. Here is an abstract.

Charry begins with the Greek philosophical tradition. The Epicurians found happiness in hedonism and the Stoics in asceticism; neither, however, locate happiness in God nor in obedience to God. Conversely, Neo-Platonism denied the body and located happiness solely in one-ness with the divinity. Armed with these ideas, Augustine of Hippo laid primary emphasis on an ontic, God-centred happiness and an eschatological hope of happiness, but also permitted room for ordinary secular and material happiness. Hyper-spiritual Boethius emphasised only the happiness at the heart of God. Aquinas, however, took happiness doctrine to its height with his visio dei - which delights in the being of God both now and at the eschaton. The Reformers did not really progress beyond Aquinas; Luther retreated into a happiness found exclusively in the forgiveness of sins, though Calvin did at least allow also for temporal, material happiness. The Philosophical Egoism of Hobbes et al, held that human beings are primarily selfish in their pursuit of personal happiness. In refuting this, the theologian Butler developed a doctrine of self-love with a rounded theology of happiness as a useful by-product. At this point, Charry notes two pressing themes: Christian wariness of happiness this side of glory; and the disconnection between academic and pastoral theology. Christianity, in short, lacks a doctrine of human flourishing.

In the second half of the book, Charry develops this doctrine which she calls “asherism” (based on the Hebrew for ‘happy,’ ‘blessed.’) Genesis offers a mandate to be creative and glad as God is creative and glad. In the Pentateuch the covenant rests upon Israel’s thriving in God’s pleasure of her. In the Wisdom Literature, walking in the LORD’s way is Israel’s salvation and greatest pleasure (Psalm 1). Like Job, we will encounter grief, but happiness is “a tool for fighting tragedy and rebounding from it.” In John’s Gospel the Old Testament concept of happiness is translated into the New Testament concept of eternal life, which is Love: “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15.11). To love Jesus is to possess abundant life. This is happiness. Through the gift of the Spirit, there is joy in mastering the way of love. This cumulative weight of biblical evidence forces us to abandon our wariness of happiness, and to address it as a primary doctrinal issue. Charry concludes with three real-life examples. I like especially the anecdote about the woman who took time out to return an escaped and confused dog and found joy in obedience to that simple but God-given call! These anecdotes take theology out of its ivory tower and show how happiness theology can make an impact on real lives. In sum, happiness, though not unaffected by material concerns, is an enjoyable, obedient life, resting on Christian self-love. It is an art, for it requires collaborating with the Creator in creativity. God himself is Happy and our happiness rests on enjoying his happiness. Happiness is not perfectable in this life, but through happiness a rewarding, wise and healing life can be lived now.

I admit to finding the second half of the book more difficult to read than the first. Perhaps this is about my ability to accept new ideas; I suspect, however, that Charry is a bit better at the job of analysis than the more creative, analogical task of communicating a new perspective. But she is on to something which stands the test of the entire biblical corpus, the writings of great theologians, and the acid test of the real world. It is a very positive way of presenting the Gospel and is real food for thought if you have the money.