Criticism
Some evangelical Christians object to Christian hedonism's controversial name. It has little historic commonality with philosophical hedonism, however; Piper has stated that a provocative term is "appropriate for a philosophy that has a life changing effect on its adherents." Critics charge that hedonism of any sort puts something (namely, pleasure) before God, which allegedly breaks the first of the Ten Commandments: "You shall have no other gods before me." In response, Piper states in Desiring God that "By Christian Hedonism, we do not mean that our happiness is the highest good."
Other evangelical Christians reject the doctrine because of a possible misinterpretation of Christian hedonism's premise. To say "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him" suggests that God is somehow reliant on the satisfaction of human beings for His objective glorification. It is apparent however that this cannot be the case because this is not concerning objective glorification but rather God's glorification in the lives of individuals. Evangelical theologians since the Reformation have consistently taught that God's infinite glory is a personal attribute of God, distinct and independent of the existence of any other beings, and therefore not subject to human feelings for its definition or degree. Furthermore, to delight in Him (Psalm 37:4) is to accept with delight that which a sovereign God wills for our lives. If we willingly accept His will with enjoyment, we are aligning our hearts and minds with that which He decides is best. In Romans 9:22-23, we see that the purpose clause of his mercy is to bring glory to Himself. It follows then, that our enjoyment of His will aligns with a greater will of His to bring glory to Himself as we accept His choice for us to be His vessels of mercy.
Read more about this topic: Christian Hedonism
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