Christianity and the Origins of Human Rights
On the subject of human rights, today's Christians appear to be on the wrong side of history. Because of our opposition to gay marriage, transgender bathrooms, and a woman’s right to an abortion, believers seem to be indifferent to the idea of equality. To compound the problem, most modern history books omit any mention of Christianity, leaving the reader with the impression that human rights are the product of the Enlightenment and a product of humanistic thinking.
Broadly defined, human rights are fundamental principles of freedom and equality, or basic human entitlements, that are applied universally to all people. Most advocates will agree that these rights are transcendent or inherent, or as our Declaration describes, inalienable. There can be positive human rights, such as an entitlement to a fair trial, and negative rights such as a freedom from confiscation. The former demands a reciprocating act from another person or entity and the latter only requires that we be left alone.
Comparing two concepts of human rights, one can decide which worldview provides the best framework, one based on a creator or one based on a naturalistic understanding of humanity. Under the atheistic premise, everything that exists is physical in nature and therefore nothing outside the physical world exists. Concepts of justice, for example, are man-made ideas and carry no value outside of our ability to reason our way into some kind of consensus. Reason and logic itself is the product of smashing atoms and molecules and therefore only exists within us. There is no reason to think that logic or experience can take us to the most basic principle of human rights—the idea of equality. That is to say, logically speaking, we do not all appear equal. If I watch a football game, I know for sure that the players can run faster than me, I know that my wife has a higher aptitude than I do, and others have mental illnesses and serious handicaps. We can go on. The point is, given a naturalistic foundation, many will conclude that we are not all equal. In fact, almost every major violation of human rights in history was achieved using reason; from Hitler’s gas chambers to Stalin’s death camps, to the guillotines of the French Revolution, to today’s forced abortions in China. It was reason that told us we need a superior race; it was reason that said we had to sacrifice for the greater good; it was reason that told us religion poses a threat; it was reason that told us we must control the population.
On the other hand, given the Christian God, we immediately concede to the metaphysical or to a world beyond ours, as well as to a Being much more intelligent than ourselves. Universal concepts of right and wrong which transcend time now become tenable. That is to say, we can make the claim that these principles of freedom and equality are universal, transcendent and eternal, based on a God of justice and love. More specifically, we are equal because we are made in His image and His likeness, the product of His will and love, making each individual human the bearer of infinite worth. We are made of one blood (Acts 17:26) and have one Father (Mal 2:10). Not only are we all created equal, but we are all equal in sinfulness as well (Rom 3:23). Rights flowing from a creator presupposes a moral component, and with it stigmas of shame and regret that make them self-enforcing.
Christianity also avoids the two polar extremes of human rights proponents; libertarians who sacrifice the community in favor of individualism, and totalitarians who sacrifice individualism for the community. It is no stretch to see that this lays a more solid and lasting foundation than one based on someone’s rational faculties, which can easily come into question when challenged or change with the tide of public opinion or self-interest. Human rights that are bound exclusively by law are only as good as our ability to enforce those laws. We are not just clever animals, rather we are each the bearers of divinity, the recipients of God’s unwavering love, which places mankind in the highest rank of His created order.
Are Human Rights the Product of the European Enlightenment?
It seems appropriate to dispelling the modern myth that human rights are the product of the European Enlightenment (1650-1800), as if these principles just popped up during the 18th century. With the exception of democratic elections, almost all the rights discussed during the Enlightenment can be found in ancient Israel under King David. Some include property rights, presumption of innocence, separation of church and state, equality under the law, fair trials, and all kinds of equal protection for citizens, women, foreigners, and even slaves. And much like the modern universal concept of rights, all people were subject to these laws including rulers, judges, and foreigners (Lev 18:5). King David may be the only ruler in history to be convicted and punished for adultery. The Ten Commandments provided the legal framework, while the 613 specific laws found in the Torah described their practical application.
The New Testament records Paul calling for equality among all races, nationalities, and sexes (Gal 3:28). In 313 under the Edict of Milan, the Christian Emperor Constantine guaranteed religious freedom to all. By the fifth century, Saint Augustine had written extensively on limited government, while Canon Law of the Medieval Church required democratic elections for clergy and protected Christians from self-incrimination in court.
By the 13th century, the Magna Carta had been signed into law, which put forth the principles of limited government and basic human rights. The Protestant Reformation incorporated principles of democracy, free speech, freedom of religion, separation of church and state, separation of powers and more. Prior to the Enlightenment, Rhode Island had already been established as a democracy, with the full benefits of religious freedom. As for the Enlightenment, three of its greatest theorists John Locke, Isaac Newton and James Madison were devout Christians using the Bible to make their arguments. Therefore, to claim that human rights are the result of the Enlightenment is to discard centuries of history.
Conclusion: The fundamentals for universal human rights and equality under the law were well established under Biblical premises long before the European Enlightenment.
Human Rights and the Bible
The ancient world was a place where human rights, that is, those ideas which distribute fundamental value and protection evenly among all people were non-existent, where slavery was so common it was considered necessary, where kings and aristocrats were exempt from the law and given divine importance. From what we know, the first mention of equality was in the Hebrew Bible, otherwise known as the Tanakh or Old Testament. Starting from the first chapter, God creates both man and woman in his image. Although this seems common to us today, at the time it was radical because it implies that all men and women are not only equal but possess incredible value and dignity, as we are all a reflection of the Creator Himself. This simple truth elevates rich, poor, white, black, male, and female equally in the eyes of God and makes us all important in His eyes.
The Ten Commandments found in Deuteronomy cements a new principle known as the rule of law. Although civil laws were already in practice among the Egyptians and Babylonians, the rule of law is a principle in which all laws apply to all people. This had never been witnessed, as all the ruling classes of ancient societies were free from limits, while the poor and slaves bore excessive burdens. In Deuteronomy 17:18 God warns the King to be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes and not to lift his heart above his brethren. This is a huge departure from the divine rights of kings practiced in Egypt and throughout the known world. As the Hebrew text unfolds, we see that even the kings, priests, and generals of Israel were subject to God’s law and the limitations God places on human evil. God applies His standard of moral restraint and the consequence for departure from it equally to all the people of the world. As He lays out the laws of justice in the 25th chapter of Leviticus, He states, “Whoever kills a man shall surely be put to death. Whoever kills an animal shall make good….” and so on. The text ends by stating, “You shall have the same law for the stranger and for one from your own country; for I am the Lord your God.” Equal justice for foreigners, rich and poor alike, was unthinkable at the time and centuries away from universal acceptance.
In Deuteronomy 16:18-20 God commands the Jews to appoint judges and officers to administer justice. He warns them not to show partiality and never to take bribes. The concept of a fair trial would later be developed into the theory of due process, which we understand today as one of the cornerstones of a free society. Following the conquest of Canaan, Joshua divided the land among the tribes of Israel, and immediately after, he established cities of refuge. These were cities were people accused of murder can find safety from their avenger until they are given a fair trial (Joshua 20:1-9). It is here that we get the Western concept of presumption of innocence or as many refer to it as, innocent until proven guilty. It is the great Christian patron and Emperor Justinian who will forge it into common law for the first time, and the Bishop Jean Lemoine who develops it as a legal theory.
The principle of private property, or the right to own land and material things, is recognized today as essential to liberty; it emerges early in the text as well. Although it is taken for granted today in the West, it is a right that many will die for in years to come. In Genesis 23:3 we see Abraham in need of a cave in which to bury his beloved wife Sarah. He turns to Ephron the son of Zohar who has the ideal location at the end of one of his fields. Ephron not only offers Abraham the cave for free, but the field as well. Abraham refuses the jester, agreeing only under the condition that Ephron will take full price for the property. Ephron states the worth of the land and once paid, it is deeded to Abraham. Silver is used here as a medium of exchange far before coins are invented. The dialogue of this chapter is wonderful as it presents a step-by-step process of goods being exchanged under the principles of private property. Later in the text, King Ahab’s wife is condemned for taking property without compensating the owner.
In Deuteronomy 19:15-21 we see God establishing trial by jury with a stern warning against false witnesses. In Deuteronomy 15:7-11 God commands us to take care of the poor and never to shut our hands to them, as care for the poor will accompany blessings. Care for the poor is a Biblical virtue found throughout the text. In Leviticus 23:22 God commands His people saying, “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning (fallings) from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and the stranger; I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 25:35 commands the Jews to take in the poor, and warns against selling to them for profit or charging them interest. Care for the poor is required by both the state and the individual in the New and Old Testament.
Although God hates divorce, we see that the divorce regulations of the Old Testament protects the divorced woman, allowing her to return to her parents or seek remarriage in lieu of resorting to prostitution or slavery. Chapter 24 forbids the raping of women who survive the loss of their city in battle. Deuteronomy 25:5-10 provides for the protection of widows, while Numbers 27:6-11 allows inheritance to pass to the surviving daughters as well as the sons. While women are given different responsibilities in the Bible, equality as well as protection for women is never in question. In fact, during the first century, many believed that Christianity was a female religion because so many women flocked to it, given the protections it provided. As an example, it is the first known religion to prohibit male infidelity and treat it just like female infidelity.
Slavery was widespread throughout ancient times. Under Jewish law, a deliberate attempt is made to safeguard the slave against brutality. Deuteronomy 15:12-14 requires the release of slaves after seven years, and you can't send him away empty handed. Exodus 21:7-11 protects female slaves from unjust treatment and provides redemption, and Deuteronomy 16:14 tells the Israelites to treat the slave as extended family. In Colossians 4:1 the New Testament elevates the slave to something of an employee as it requires the master to give the slave that which is just and fair. Exodus 21:16 states, “He who kidnaps a man and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, shall surely be put to death." and Deuteronomy 23:15 protects the slave who has escaped, making it clear that forced slavery was prohibited. While Paul never spoke strongly against the practice, he tried to attain the freedom of Onesimos from Philemon, his master. In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul prohibits threatening slaves and admonishes masters to treat them well.
Although very unlike today’s misinterpretation, the lines separating Church and state are clearly drawn throughout the Hebrew text. The Levites were specifically and exclusively required to perform those duties related to priestly service, while the king was prohibited from such acts. The concept of separation of powers can be found throughout the text and is summarized in Isaiah 33:22. The Bible has clear duties for the king, while that of the judiciary is performed by the judges. All were to be bound and guided by Biblical law handed down by Moses and the prophets, and none were immune from God’s judgment for departing from His precepts. The Hebrew text makes references to fair hearings (Exodus 22:9), speedy trials (Ezra 7:26), the opportunity to confront witnesses (Isaiah 43:9), preventing double jeopardy (Nahum 1:9), non-discrimination in trials (Deut 16:19), and the right to life (Exodus 20:13), among others.
These statutes for moral and social life laid out by God in the Holy Scriptures were entrusted to the Jewish people. When they were followed, the children of Israel experienced God’s favor and national prosperity; when they strayed, hard times were inevitable. The historical record found in the writings of the prophets attests to God’s uncompromising demand for justice and mercy by all people, not just the Israelites. No one was exempt from the consequences of sin and injustice.
The Founding Fathers of Human Rights
St. Augustine (354-430)
Natural Law – While holding to the preeminence of divine law (Bible), St. Augustine held that certain laws and rights are inherent and universally recognizable by virtue of human reason. Thus the concept of natural law was born. The City of God, is where he began to put forth the first ideas of freedom from repressive government and its theological implications. In On Free Will he wrote, “A law that is not just should not be called so, and it is not just if it does not agree with natural law. Because natural law has been ordained by God for His glory and for the well-being of human beings, whatever laws are contrary to God’s honor or contrary to the welfare of human beings are sinful and tyrannical and should not be called laws.” Augustine wrote extensively of these natural laws, and in so doing he took the words of Jesus and the apostles and began to show their social implications.
Magna Carta - June 15, 1215,
The Magna Carta was the first limitation of government intrusion and the first security of liberties ever to be affirmed at the highest level of government. Drafted by the leading clergy, it opens with the statement: “We in the presence of God, and for the salvation of our soul, and the souls of all our ancestors…to the honor of God and the exaltation of the Holy Church and amendment of our Kingdom….” It provided safeguards against government intrusion, guaranteed rights, standards for due process of law, habeas corpus, protected commerce, widow’s debt payments, trial by jury, and subjected the king to the same laws.
St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
He was the foremost classical proponent of natural theology, natural law, and political theory. "All that is contained in the law and the Gospel; that is, the lifestyle described there, particularly that people should treat their neighbors as they themselves want to be treated, belong to natural law… and all evil and sin is unnatural." In Summa Theologiae he asserted that, “all should take some share in the government: for this form of constitution ensures peace among the people… the whole nation ought to have a share in governing itself… so far as the rulers can be chosen from the people, . . . the people have the right to choose their rulers.” It is hard to measure his contribution since he has inspired philosophers, political scientists and scholars for almost eight hundred years, but we do know it is enormous. To him, natural law agrees with God’s written law. Condemning what is evil and approving what is good, it was perfectly placed in man’s heart before the fall of Adam and now stands corrupt and elusive in all. Aquinas wrote that civil law is a reflection of natural law, as the state should maintain a legal framework to protect commerce from theft, fraud, and force, while promoting private ownership of property, which is the best guarantee of a peaceful and orderly society.
Protestant Reformation, 1516, led by Martin Luther
In On the Freedom of the Christian, Luther outlines his theological and ideological thinking on the premise of “freiheit” or freedom. He demonstrates how the human condition apart from faith is slavery to sin and the law, and it’s only in Christ that we can obtain true freedom. Prior to his writings, each person relied heavily on the Church as the path to salvation; by expressing the doctrine that we are each accountable directly to God as kings and priests (Rev 1:6), he brings us one of the great accomplishments of the Reformation, the idea of individualism. These notions of individualism and freedom became an unstoppable force and quickly came to include political and economic freedom.
Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661)
Lex Rex continues to make the connection between natural law and biblical revelation while building on the theory of limited government. “Kings like everyone else,” he wrote, “are subject to divine law; as for absolute sovereignty, it belongs to God alone and any attempt to such is tyranny and should be resisted by Christians.”
John Lilburne (1514-1557)
He is the first person in history to put forth ideas of freedom and equality in complete opposition to governing authority. In his eighty-three pamphlets, he fought for private property, religious freedom, freedom of speech, free trade, and limits on government authority via a written constitution.
John Locke (1632-1704)
The most influential writer on natural rights, which he believed derived from God, Locke wrote, “In the former way, nobody that I know, before our Savior’s time ever did, or went about to give us morality. ‘Tis true there is a law of nature; but who is there that ever did give it to us all entire, as a law…before our Savior’s time?” His writings inspired libertarian movements all over Europe, Latin America, and Asia and inspired the American Revolution. Locke rejected the arbitrary power of government in favor of the biblical principle of universal moral law, which applied equally to all mankind. Two Treatises on Civil Government with over 1,200 Bible references argued for God-given rights of life, liberty, and property and helped shape Western democratic ideas. America’s founding fathers used Two Treatises as their constitutional guide. Government exists by the consent of the people, wrote Locke, for the protection of those rights. Locke also wrote An Essay on Religious Tolerance, in which he argues for religious freedom.
William Blackstone (1723-1780)
Commentaries on the Laws of England, was the most influential book in America’s history after the Bible. The founders took their philosophy from John Locke and their passion from the Great Awakening, but they found the blueprint for a new nation in Blackstone. As an English judge and Oxford law professor, Blackstone looked to the Bible as the foundation of his legal philosophy, which is evident throughout his work. It later became the manual for every law student and judge in the United States through the middle of the nineteenth century. Most historians attribute “The Laws of Nature and Nature’s God,” found in the Declaration of Independence, to Blackstone. He established the idea of universal God-given rights for all humanity and subsequently fortifying those rights through common law.
American Revolution of 1776
The American Revolution played a significant role in the way rights would flow. Prior to the Declaration of Independence, rights traveled from the particular god to the king to the people. In declaring that men are created equal and “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights” the signers derailed centuries of tradition and put human rights on a new path—from God to the people and then to the government.
Emancipation
The first priest ordained in the Americas, Bartolomé de las Casas (1484-1566) was the first person of his time, and the only person of his century to denounce the traffic of black slaves, and although Indian slaves had advocates such as theologian and philosopher Francisco Marroquin (1499-1563) Bartholomew was the most outspoken, writing books, letters and treatises while presenting his case to kings, statesmen, clergy, and powerful commanders. For almost fifty years, he articulated the Biblical understanding of human rights, religious freedom and the relationship between salvation and social justice. William Wilberforce (1759-1833) introduced the Abolition Bill in Parliament almost every year between 1790 and 1807, when it was finally passed into law. The Abolition Bill ended slave trade on British ships, although slavery remained a reality in British colonies. He was convinced that full emancipation was the next step, but his poor health limited his influence. Abolition in American was driven by the Baptists, Methodists, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, and especially the Quakers, who organized the first abolitionist societies including the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade and the Society for the Relief of Free Negros Unlawfully Held in Bondage. They succeeded by making Biblical arguments against slavery.
United Nations Declaration of Human Rights
While the atheists like to put the UDHR and the United Nations in general on the secular side of the ledger, the truth is the UDHR was the deliberate intention of the World Council of Churches and the leadership of the theologian Dr. O. Frederick Nolde, who lobbied many years for such an international article on rights. And despite the fact that the well-known theologian Jacques Maritain played such a prominent role in its development and the fact that the delegates selected to draft the document were disproportionately Christian, including the Saudi Arabian and Lebanese delegates, it is a non-religious document. This was agreed to initially in order for the UDHR to remain inclusive.
Human Rights and other Worldviews
Fundamentally, a worldview that has us evolving from monkeys couldn’t in any way distinguish a human from an elephant in terms of dignity and value: Darwinists often refer to humans as “other animals”. It is no coincidence then that those rights consistent with the Bible endured the test of time, rather than rights based on reason alone. Of course, most religions have some kind of ethical system which begs the question as to why those in the West emerged to set the standard for the United Nations and modern civilization.
The short answer is that the Muslim religion is extremely discriminatory towards women and any person not of the Muslim faith. Sharia Law is extremely brutal, calling for the amputation of a hand for those caught in theft and stoning for women caught in adultery (even when the adultery is forcible rape). The Hindu, Buddhist and most New Age religions claim that everything we experience here in this life is an illusion, and they make little distinction between good and evil. Their adherence to reincarnation includes animals, and therefore raises the dignity of animals to human levels, or shall I say lowers that of humans to that of animals. In principle, the Hindu caste system claims that one is born into a particular social class and prohibits anyone from any kind of upward mobility. Mahatma Gandhi said that it was the Christian missionaries that brought to his attention the discriminatory nature of the caste system, something he may never have recognized given the Hindu worldview. More recent philosophies such as post-modernism or relativism would be equally incapable of producing even a glimpse of human rights, seeing their primary objective is to blur the lines between right and wrong, good and evil, leaving issues of social justice with no voice.
Conclusion: Believers can say with confidence that humans rights, freedom, and equality developed in the West because of Christianity, not in spite of Christianity.
Articles
Abortion & Human Rights Greg Koukl
Broadly defined, human rights are fundamental principles of freedom and equality, or basic human entitlements, that are applied universally to all people. Most advocates will agree that these rights are transcendent or inherent, or as our Declaration describes, inalienable. There can be positive human rights, such as an entitlement to a fair trial, and negative rights such as a freedom from confiscation. The former demands a reciprocating act from another person or entity and the latter only requires that we be left alone.
Comparing two concepts of human rights, one can decide which worldview provides the best framework, one based on a creator or one based on a naturalistic understanding of humanity. Under the atheistic premise, everything that exists is physical in nature and therefore nothing outside the physical world exists. Concepts of justice, for example, are man-made ideas and carry no value outside of our ability to reason our way into some kind of consensus. Reason and logic itself is the product of smashing atoms and molecules and therefore only exists within us. There is no reason to think that logic or experience can take us to the most basic principle of human rights—the idea of equality. That is to say, logically speaking, we do not all appear equal. If I watch a football game, I know for sure that the players can run faster than me, I know that my wife has a higher aptitude than I do, and others have mental illnesses and serious handicaps. We can go on. The point is, given a naturalistic foundation, many will conclude that we are not all equal. In fact, almost every major violation of human rights in history was achieved using reason; from Hitler’s gas chambers to Stalin’s death camps, to the guillotines of the French Revolution, to today’s forced abortions in China. It was reason that told us we need a superior race; it was reason that said we had to sacrifice for the greater good; it was reason that told us religion poses a threat; it was reason that told us we must control the population.
On the other hand, given the Christian God, we immediately concede to the metaphysical or to a world beyond ours, as well as to a Being much more intelligent than ourselves. Universal concepts of right and wrong which transcend time now become tenable. That is to say, we can make the claim that these principles of freedom and equality are universal, transcendent and eternal, based on a God of justice and love. More specifically, we are equal because we are made in His image and His likeness, the product of His will and love, making each individual human the bearer of infinite worth. We are made of one blood (Acts 17:26) and have one Father (Mal 2:10). Not only are we all created equal, but we are all equal in sinfulness as well (Rom 3:23). Rights flowing from a creator presupposes a moral component, and with it stigmas of shame and regret that make them self-enforcing.
Christianity also avoids the two polar extremes of human rights proponents; libertarians who sacrifice the community in favor of individualism, and totalitarians who sacrifice individualism for the community. It is no stretch to see that this lays a more solid and lasting foundation than one based on someone’s rational faculties, which can easily come into question when challenged or change with the tide of public opinion or self-interest. Human rights that are bound exclusively by law are only as good as our ability to enforce those laws. We are not just clever animals, rather we are each the bearers of divinity, the recipients of God’s unwavering love, which places mankind in the highest rank of His created order.
Are Human Rights the Product of the European Enlightenment?
It seems appropriate to dispelling the modern myth that human rights are the product of the European Enlightenment (1650-1800), as if these principles just popped up during the 18th century. With the exception of democratic elections, almost all the rights discussed during the Enlightenment can be found in ancient Israel under King David. Some include property rights, presumption of innocence, separation of church and state, equality under the law, fair trials, and all kinds of equal protection for citizens, women, foreigners, and even slaves. And much like the modern universal concept of rights, all people were subject to these laws including rulers, judges, and foreigners (Lev 18:5). King David may be the only ruler in history to be convicted and punished for adultery. The Ten Commandments provided the legal framework, while the 613 specific laws found in the Torah described their practical application.
The New Testament records Paul calling for equality among all races, nationalities, and sexes (Gal 3:28). In 313 under the Edict of Milan, the Christian Emperor Constantine guaranteed religious freedom to all. By the fifth century, Saint Augustine had written extensively on limited government, while Canon Law of the Medieval Church required democratic elections for clergy and protected Christians from self-incrimination in court.
By the 13th century, the Magna Carta had been signed into law, which put forth the principles of limited government and basic human rights. The Protestant Reformation incorporated principles of democracy, free speech, freedom of religion, separation of church and state, separation of powers and more. Prior to the Enlightenment, Rhode Island had already been established as a democracy, with the full benefits of religious freedom. As for the Enlightenment, three of its greatest theorists John Locke, Isaac Newton and James Madison were devout Christians using the Bible to make their arguments. Therefore, to claim that human rights are the result of the Enlightenment is to discard centuries of history.
Conclusion: The fundamentals for universal human rights and equality under the law were well established under Biblical premises long before the European Enlightenment.
Human Rights and the Bible
The ancient world was a place where human rights, that is, those ideas which distribute fundamental value and protection evenly among all people were non-existent, where slavery was so common it was considered necessary, where kings and aristocrats were exempt from the law and given divine importance. From what we know, the first mention of equality was in the Hebrew Bible, otherwise known as the Tanakh or Old Testament. Starting from the first chapter, God creates both man and woman in his image. Although this seems common to us today, at the time it was radical because it implies that all men and women are not only equal but possess incredible value and dignity, as we are all a reflection of the Creator Himself. This simple truth elevates rich, poor, white, black, male, and female equally in the eyes of God and makes us all important in His eyes.
The Ten Commandments found in Deuteronomy cements a new principle known as the rule of law. Although civil laws were already in practice among the Egyptians and Babylonians, the rule of law is a principle in which all laws apply to all people. This had never been witnessed, as all the ruling classes of ancient societies were free from limits, while the poor and slaves bore excessive burdens. In Deuteronomy 17:18 God warns the King to be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes and not to lift his heart above his brethren. This is a huge departure from the divine rights of kings practiced in Egypt and throughout the known world. As the Hebrew text unfolds, we see that even the kings, priests, and generals of Israel were subject to God’s law and the limitations God places on human evil. God applies His standard of moral restraint and the consequence for departure from it equally to all the people of the world. As He lays out the laws of justice in the 25th chapter of Leviticus, He states, “Whoever kills a man shall surely be put to death. Whoever kills an animal shall make good….” and so on. The text ends by stating, “You shall have the same law for the stranger and for one from your own country; for I am the Lord your God.” Equal justice for foreigners, rich and poor alike, was unthinkable at the time and centuries away from universal acceptance.
In Deuteronomy 16:18-20 God commands the Jews to appoint judges and officers to administer justice. He warns them not to show partiality and never to take bribes. The concept of a fair trial would later be developed into the theory of due process, which we understand today as one of the cornerstones of a free society. Following the conquest of Canaan, Joshua divided the land among the tribes of Israel, and immediately after, he established cities of refuge. These were cities were people accused of murder can find safety from their avenger until they are given a fair trial (Joshua 20:1-9). It is here that we get the Western concept of presumption of innocence or as many refer to it as, innocent until proven guilty. It is the great Christian patron and Emperor Justinian who will forge it into common law for the first time, and the Bishop Jean Lemoine who develops it as a legal theory.
The principle of private property, or the right to own land and material things, is recognized today as essential to liberty; it emerges early in the text as well. Although it is taken for granted today in the West, it is a right that many will die for in years to come. In Genesis 23:3 we see Abraham in need of a cave in which to bury his beloved wife Sarah. He turns to Ephron the son of Zohar who has the ideal location at the end of one of his fields. Ephron not only offers Abraham the cave for free, but the field as well. Abraham refuses the jester, agreeing only under the condition that Ephron will take full price for the property. Ephron states the worth of the land and once paid, it is deeded to Abraham. Silver is used here as a medium of exchange far before coins are invented. The dialogue of this chapter is wonderful as it presents a step-by-step process of goods being exchanged under the principles of private property. Later in the text, King Ahab’s wife is condemned for taking property without compensating the owner.
In Deuteronomy 19:15-21 we see God establishing trial by jury with a stern warning against false witnesses. In Deuteronomy 15:7-11 God commands us to take care of the poor and never to shut our hands to them, as care for the poor will accompany blessings. Care for the poor is a Biblical virtue found throughout the text. In Leviticus 23:22 God commands His people saying, “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning (fallings) from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and the stranger; I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 25:35 commands the Jews to take in the poor, and warns against selling to them for profit or charging them interest. Care for the poor is required by both the state and the individual in the New and Old Testament.
Although God hates divorce, we see that the divorce regulations of the Old Testament protects the divorced woman, allowing her to return to her parents or seek remarriage in lieu of resorting to prostitution or slavery. Chapter 24 forbids the raping of women who survive the loss of their city in battle. Deuteronomy 25:5-10 provides for the protection of widows, while Numbers 27:6-11 allows inheritance to pass to the surviving daughters as well as the sons. While women are given different responsibilities in the Bible, equality as well as protection for women is never in question. In fact, during the first century, many believed that Christianity was a female religion because so many women flocked to it, given the protections it provided. As an example, it is the first known religion to prohibit male infidelity and treat it just like female infidelity.
Slavery was widespread throughout ancient times. Under Jewish law, a deliberate attempt is made to safeguard the slave against brutality. Deuteronomy 15:12-14 requires the release of slaves after seven years, and you can't send him away empty handed. Exodus 21:7-11 protects female slaves from unjust treatment and provides redemption, and Deuteronomy 16:14 tells the Israelites to treat the slave as extended family. In Colossians 4:1 the New Testament elevates the slave to something of an employee as it requires the master to give the slave that which is just and fair. Exodus 21:16 states, “He who kidnaps a man and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, shall surely be put to death." and Deuteronomy 23:15 protects the slave who has escaped, making it clear that forced slavery was prohibited. While Paul never spoke strongly against the practice, he tried to attain the freedom of Onesimos from Philemon, his master. In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul prohibits threatening slaves and admonishes masters to treat them well.
Although very unlike today’s misinterpretation, the lines separating Church and state are clearly drawn throughout the Hebrew text. The Levites were specifically and exclusively required to perform those duties related to priestly service, while the king was prohibited from such acts. The concept of separation of powers can be found throughout the text and is summarized in Isaiah 33:22. The Bible has clear duties for the king, while that of the judiciary is performed by the judges. All were to be bound and guided by Biblical law handed down by Moses and the prophets, and none were immune from God’s judgment for departing from His precepts. The Hebrew text makes references to fair hearings (Exodus 22:9), speedy trials (Ezra 7:26), the opportunity to confront witnesses (Isaiah 43:9), preventing double jeopardy (Nahum 1:9), non-discrimination in trials (Deut 16:19), and the right to life (Exodus 20:13), among others.
These statutes for moral and social life laid out by God in the Holy Scriptures were entrusted to the Jewish people. When they were followed, the children of Israel experienced God’s favor and national prosperity; when they strayed, hard times were inevitable. The historical record found in the writings of the prophets attests to God’s uncompromising demand for justice and mercy by all people, not just the Israelites. No one was exempt from the consequences of sin and injustice.
The Founding Fathers of Human Rights
St. Augustine (354-430)
Natural Law – While holding to the preeminence of divine law (Bible), St. Augustine held that certain laws and rights are inherent and universally recognizable by virtue of human reason. Thus the concept of natural law was born. The City of God, is where he began to put forth the first ideas of freedom from repressive government and its theological implications. In On Free Will he wrote, “A law that is not just should not be called so, and it is not just if it does not agree with natural law. Because natural law has been ordained by God for His glory and for the well-being of human beings, whatever laws are contrary to God’s honor or contrary to the welfare of human beings are sinful and tyrannical and should not be called laws.” Augustine wrote extensively of these natural laws, and in so doing he took the words of Jesus and the apostles and began to show their social implications.
Magna Carta - June 15, 1215,
The Magna Carta was the first limitation of government intrusion and the first security of liberties ever to be affirmed at the highest level of government. Drafted by the leading clergy, it opens with the statement: “We in the presence of God, and for the salvation of our soul, and the souls of all our ancestors…to the honor of God and the exaltation of the Holy Church and amendment of our Kingdom….” It provided safeguards against government intrusion, guaranteed rights, standards for due process of law, habeas corpus, protected commerce, widow’s debt payments, trial by jury, and subjected the king to the same laws.
St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
He was the foremost classical proponent of natural theology, natural law, and political theory. "All that is contained in the law and the Gospel; that is, the lifestyle described there, particularly that people should treat their neighbors as they themselves want to be treated, belong to natural law… and all evil and sin is unnatural." In Summa Theologiae he asserted that, “all should take some share in the government: for this form of constitution ensures peace among the people… the whole nation ought to have a share in governing itself… so far as the rulers can be chosen from the people, . . . the people have the right to choose their rulers.” It is hard to measure his contribution since he has inspired philosophers, political scientists and scholars for almost eight hundred years, but we do know it is enormous. To him, natural law agrees with God’s written law. Condemning what is evil and approving what is good, it was perfectly placed in man’s heart before the fall of Adam and now stands corrupt and elusive in all. Aquinas wrote that civil law is a reflection of natural law, as the state should maintain a legal framework to protect commerce from theft, fraud, and force, while promoting private ownership of property, which is the best guarantee of a peaceful and orderly society.
Protestant Reformation, 1516, led by Martin Luther
In On the Freedom of the Christian, Luther outlines his theological and ideological thinking on the premise of “freiheit” or freedom. He demonstrates how the human condition apart from faith is slavery to sin and the law, and it’s only in Christ that we can obtain true freedom. Prior to his writings, each person relied heavily on the Church as the path to salvation; by expressing the doctrine that we are each accountable directly to God as kings and priests (Rev 1:6), he brings us one of the great accomplishments of the Reformation, the idea of individualism. These notions of individualism and freedom became an unstoppable force and quickly came to include political and economic freedom.
Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661)
Lex Rex continues to make the connection between natural law and biblical revelation while building on the theory of limited government. “Kings like everyone else,” he wrote, “are subject to divine law; as for absolute sovereignty, it belongs to God alone and any attempt to such is tyranny and should be resisted by Christians.”
John Lilburne (1514-1557)
He is the first person in history to put forth ideas of freedom and equality in complete opposition to governing authority. In his eighty-three pamphlets, he fought for private property, religious freedom, freedom of speech, free trade, and limits on government authority via a written constitution.
John Locke (1632-1704)
The most influential writer on natural rights, which he believed derived from God, Locke wrote, “In the former way, nobody that I know, before our Savior’s time ever did, or went about to give us morality. ‘Tis true there is a law of nature; but who is there that ever did give it to us all entire, as a law…before our Savior’s time?” His writings inspired libertarian movements all over Europe, Latin America, and Asia and inspired the American Revolution. Locke rejected the arbitrary power of government in favor of the biblical principle of universal moral law, which applied equally to all mankind. Two Treatises on Civil Government with over 1,200 Bible references argued for God-given rights of life, liberty, and property and helped shape Western democratic ideas. America’s founding fathers used Two Treatises as their constitutional guide. Government exists by the consent of the people, wrote Locke, for the protection of those rights. Locke also wrote An Essay on Religious Tolerance, in which he argues for religious freedom.
William Blackstone (1723-1780)
Commentaries on the Laws of England, was the most influential book in America’s history after the Bible. The founders took their philosophy from John Locke and their passion from the Great Awakening, but they found the blueprint for a new nation in Blackstone. As an English judge and Oxford law professor, Blackstone looked to the Bible as the foundation of his legal philosophy, which is evident throughout his work. It later became the manual for every law student and judge in the United States through the middle of the nineteenth century. Most historians attribute “The Laws of Nature and Nature’s God,” found in the Declaration of Independence, to Blackstone. He established the idea of universal God-given rights for all humanity and subsequently fortifying those rights through common law.
American Revolution of 1776
The American Revolution played a significant role in the way rights would flow. Prior to the Declaration of Independence, rights traveled from the particular god to the king to the people. In declaring that men are created equal and “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights” the signers derailed centuries of tradition and put human rights on a new path—from God to the people and then to the government.
Emancipation
The first priest ordained in the Americas, Bartolomé de las Casas (1484-1566) was the first person of his time, and the only person of his century to denounce the traffic of black slaves, and although Indian slaves had advocates such as theologian and philosopher Francisco Marroquin (1499-1563) Bartholomew was the most outspoken, writing books, letters and treatises while presenting his case to kings, statesmen, clergy, and powerful commanders. For almost fifty years, he articulated the Biblical understanding of human rights, religious freedom and the relationship between salvation and social justice. William Wilberforce (1759-1833) introduced the Abolition Bill in Parliament almost every year between 1790 and 1807, when it was finally passed into law. The Abolition Bill ended slave trade on British ships, although slavery remained a reality in British colonies. He was convinced that full emancipation was the next step, but his poor health limited his influence. Abolition in American was driven by the Baptists, Methodists, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, and especially the Quakers, who organized the first abolitionist societies including the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade and the Society for the Relief of Free Negros Unlawfully Held in Bondage. They succeeded by making Biblical arguments against slavery.
United Nations Declaration of Human Rights
While the atheists like to put the UDHR and the United Nations in general on the secular side of the ledger, the truth is the UDHR was the deliberate intention of the World Council of Churches and the leadership of the theologian Dr. O. Frederick Nolde, who lobbied many years for such an international article on rights. And despite the fact that the well-known theologian Jacques Maritain played such a prominent role in its development and the fact that the delegates selected to draft the document were disproportionately Christian, including the Saudi Arabian and Lebanese delegates, it is a non-religious document. This was agreed to initially in order for the UDHR to remain inclusive.
Human Rights and other Worldviews
Fundamentally, a worldview that has us evolving from monkeys couldn’t in any way distinguish a human from an elephant in terms of dignity and value: Darwinists often refer to humans as “other animals”. It is no coincidence then that those rights consistent with the Bible endured the test of time, rather than rights based on reason alone. Of course, most religions have some kind of ethical system which begs the question as to why those in the West emerged to set the standard for the United Nations and modern civilization.
The short answer is that the Muslim religion is extremely discriminatory towards women and any person not of the Muslim faith. Sharia Law is extremely brutal, calling for the amputation of a hand for those caught in theft and stoning for women caught in adultery (even when the adultery is forcible rape). The Hindu, Buddhist and most New Age religions claim that everything we experience here in this life is an illusion, and they make little distinction between good and evil. Their adherence to reincarnation includes animals, and therefore raises the dignity of animals to human levels, or shall I say lowers that of humans to that of animals. In principle, the Hindu caste system claims that one is born into a particular social class and prohibits anyone from any kind of upward mobility. Mahatma Gandhi said that it was the Christian missionaries that brought to his attention the discriminatory nature of the caste system, something he may never have recognized given the Hindu worldview. More recent philosophies such as post-modernism or relativism would be equally incapable of producing even a glimpse of human rights, seeing their primary objective is to blur the lines between right and wrong, good and evil, leaving issues of social justice with no voice.
Conclusion: Believers can say with confidence that humans rights, freedom, and equality developed in the West because of Christianity, not in spite of Christianity.
Articles
Abortion & Human Rights Greg Koukl