Man’s Chief End as Enjoying God: Too Man-Centered?
According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” In light of this profound statement, I raised the question whether the Puritans advocated a kind of “Christian Hedonism” like that advocated by John Piper (click here). After analyzing the formula, I concluded that the Puritans and Piper are basically saying the same thing (click here). In the next series of posts, I’d like briefly to address five common objections to Piper’s “Christian Hedonism,” which are also objections against the “Puritan Hedonism” of the WSC. Read more 
To Enjoy God: Puritan Hedonism Supported
I believe it’s just as appropriate and biblical to speak of enjoying God as man’s chief end as it is to speak of glorifying God as our chief end. As I hope to demonstrate, the Puritans added that phrase because in their minds man’s glorifying God and enjoying God are inseparable. Indeed, I fear that the attempt to exclude, ignore, or minimize the phrase “and to enjoy him” as man’s chief end may inadvertently betray an unbiblical (hyper-Calvinist?) mindset and runs the risk of making the Catechism less God-centered and more man-centered. Read more
To Enjoy God: Puritan Hedonism?
The Westminster Shorter Catechism begins with the question, “What is the chief end of man?” to which it gives its famous reply, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” Few Christians would debate the assertion that mankind was created for the glory of God. In Isaiah 43:7, God says of Israel, “I have created [you] for my glory.” Paul tells believers in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” To the Christians in Rome, he exclaims, “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36). But why did the Puritans add the phrase “and enjoy Him”? Why not simply “glorify God”? Read more
