We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
These famous words
began the declaration of independence for thirteen colonies from the British
Crown. Ever since, citizens of these former colonies and their descendants have
struggled to understand their meaning. While the text declares that it should all
be self-evident, the internal struggles that have characterized our body
politic ever since say otherwise.
Who are “men”? In
July 1776, these “men” included white, largely Protestant, land-owning males –
a rather narrow interpretation by today’s standards. Thus, from the moment ink was
laid on parchment, our nation began a journey that continues still.
The roiling
controversies of the last few years have tested and strained the institutions
that arose from these words – institutions that nearly all Americans hold
sacred, since, we believe, they exist to safeguard those “inalienable rights.”
But rights are
slippery things. Our national discourse is suffused with “rights talk.” Yet, as
they say, talk is cheap. The real test comes when we seek to balance rights
with one another. It is often said, “Your rights end where mine begin.” That is
not a bad formulation, but it is just as vague as the concept it tries to
illuminate. So, we end up back where we began.
After years of
careful study, I would assert that the balance is not so much between the
rights of individuals but in the relationship between the exercise of one’s rights
and the common good. Seeing it
from this perspective diminishes the emphasis on individualism – that
worldview that say “I” am the most important consideration and only “I” can
judge what is good (for me).
I think most of us
who seek to follow The Way of Jesus already recognize the difficulties with such
obvious individualism. Regrettably, our society is infused with this perspective,
and it is difficult not to fall prey to its traps. Most of us, at some level,
will act in an individualistic manner – usually unconsciously. This makes it
all the most important to step back and reflect before we make an assertion
like, “It’s my right to . . .” Upon reflection, we may see that often, we use
the cover of “rights talk” to mask what are merely our own desires and
preferences.
This idea about
rights and the common good has its root in our baptismal covenant. Perhaps we
might find less rancor, less division in our civil discourse if we took the
space and the time we needed to reflect on these realities. We might begin by
asking ourselves, “How does the assertion of my ‘right’ have an impact on the
common good?” Beyond that, we, as Episcopalians, might specify that question further,
“How does asserting my ‘right’ help me to strive for justice and peace and to
respect the dignity of every human being?” Imagine how the various elements of
our society’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic might have been less divisive
and less rancorous if we simply took the time to think and to formulate a
reasonable idea about what we were feeling by asking these questions.
As followers of The
Way, Christ commands us not only to strive for justice but also to grow in love.
While rights are ultimately about justice, love moves us beyond merely what is
owed (the arena of rights), to that which is freely given (the arena of love). While we, as citizens, must uphold those
inalienable rights of which the Declaration speaks, we, as Christians, must go
the extra mile. In so doing, we create not merely the “shining city on the
hill” envisioned by many of our nations forebearers, but the kingdom of God
itself – the new Jerusalem, where God becomes all in all.
I hope that you
all have a safe and happy Independence Day celebration.
