“Sinful man, on thee I cry:
All only for thy love I die.”
Cambridge University Manuscript Library Dd. 5. 64. III

Via Negativa: Nihilistic Undercurrents in Christian Theology and Nietzsche’s Reclamation of Bodily Existence

(June 2023, Written for Phil 014 — Prof. Pursley)

The Crisis and Comfort of Christianity

Christianity has, for some two millennia, offered a robust existential narrative that confronts the existential void. Within the Christian cosmological framework, human existence is not a mere cosmic accident but a deliberate act of a benevolent Deity, imbuing life with purpose and transcendental significance. A conclusion rooted in Judaeo-Christian monotheism that acts as an existential bulwark, offering assurances of life after mortal death and the presence of a cosmic justice underpinned by divine love.

However, this existential assurance is fraught with dialectical tension. By positing the Divine as the sine qua non for life’s meaningfulness, Christianity simultaneously opens up an abyss of existential void for those wrestling with the struggling of faith. A framework that hinges life’s significance on a divine telos also lays the groundwork for a counterintuitive drift toward nihilism. When the concept of divine purpose is interrogated — either through intellectual scrutiny or lived experience — the absence or uncertainty of such cosmic assurance can escalate existential despair. This often culminates in a nihilistic outlook, wherein life is viewed as a futile exercise devoid of any higher purpose or meaning. While Christianity seeks to transcend the existential abyss by offering a divine anchor, it also paradoxically contains within its theological structure the potential to deepen that abyss for those who find themselves in a crisis of faith.

Nihilistic Implications of Divine Command Ethics

Christian moral philosophy has often been anchored in the concept of Divine Command Theory, which posits that moral good and evil are determined by God’s will. This view suggests that actions are morally right if they align with God’s commands and morally wrong if they deviate from them. This ethical structure provides a seemingly objective basis for morality that is rooted in the absolute being of God. One of the earliest and most famous objections comes from Plato’s dialogue, the “Euthyphro,” where Socrates poses a dilemma: Is an action morally good because God commands it, or does God command it because it is morally good? If the former is true, then morality appears arbitrary. If the latter is true, then moral standards exist independently of God, undermining Divine Command Theory.

In resolving this dilemma, Christian theologians such as Aquinas, have tried to integrate natural law theory, suggesting that God’s commands are expressions of an eternal moral law inherent in the fabric of reality. However, this hybrid approach creates a new set of problems. If moral truths are woven into the fabric of reality, then one could argue that these truths can be accessed and understood without the need for divine revelation or command, thereby undermining the claim that morality solely derives from God. The paradoxes inherent in Divine Command Theory can sow seeds of doubt, leading some individuals towards moral nihilism.

If the divine foundation of morality is called into question, either due to intellectual challenges like the Euthyphro Dilemma or experiential crises like the problem of evil, then the entire moral framework can appear unstable or even untenable. In such a scenario, moral nihilism — the belief that no objective moral truths exist — emerges as a compelling alternative.

“Nothing can move itself; there must be a first mover. The first mover is called God.”
St. Thomas Aquinas

Cosmic Nihilism: An Unintended Byproduct

The Christian cosmology presents a metaphysical landscape where the divine realm is seen as superior to the earthly realm. Traditional Christian doctrine espouses that this world is transient, flawed, and even fallen, while the heavenly realm is eternal, perfect, and the true home of the soul. Such a dualistic worldview serves to accentuate the significance of divine intervention and salvation, offering hope for an eternal life beyond the imperfections of earthly existence.

This dualistic separation creates what can be termed an ‘ontological gap’ between the divine and the earthly. The idea that earthly existence is somehow less ‘real’ or ‘meaningful’ compared to divine existence can foster a form of cosmic nihilism, where the physical universe and human endeavors within it appear ultimately meaningless. This is especially problematic in our secular age where the metaphysical claims of religious traditions, including Christianity, are increasingly scrutinized and often dismissed.

This ontological dualism can lead to cosmic nihilism in two primary ways. By undermining the intrinsic value of earthly existence, it risks nullifying the significance of human action and natural phenomena. Second, the heightened focus on an otherworldly realm can diminish the urgency and value of addressing earthly concerns, leading to a form of existential detachment that resonates with nihilistic thought.

“Christianity was from the beginning, essentially and fundamentally, life’s nausea and disgust with life,
merely concealed behind, masked by, dressed up as, faith in “another” or “better” life.”

The Reclamation of Bodily Existence

Friedrich Nietzsche offers a compelling counterpoint to nihilism’s dangers. His critique of Christianity is rooted in the belief that it perpetuates life-denying attitudes, particularly through its promotion of an otherworldly focus at the expense of earthly existence. For Nietzsche, this is an implicit admission of a nihilistic worldview within Christianity itself. Nietzsche introduces the now infamous concept of the Übermensch, as an idealized individual who creates their own values and lives authentically. Unlike the moral frameworks offered by traditional religions, the Übermensch’s morality is not based on divine command or an eternal moral law but rather on a life-affirming ethos that fully embraces earthly existence.

Nietzsche’s idea of the “Will to Power” serves as a cornerstone for understanding life-affirming attitudes. Here, bodily functions are not mere biological processes but manifestations of a vital force driving individuals toward self-realization and mastery. This perspective, grounded in the intrinsic value of embodied existence, offers a way to find meaning in a world where God is declared “dead.” Moreover, Nietzsche’s concept of the “Eternal Recurrence” poses a profound existential test. Would you live your life in the same way if you knew it would recur eternally, without any promise of divine salvation or judgment? The ability to answer “yes” to this question is, for Nietzsche, a sign of an individual who has transcended nihilistic despair.

Nietzsche’s philosophy challenges Christianity to reevaluate its potential complicity in perpetuating nihilistic worldviews. The focus on embodied existence, earthly value-creation, and the will to power offers alternatives that may even find resonance with certain Christian existentialists and mystics who have emphasized the importance of the ‘here and now’ as a site of divine encounter and meaningful action. Interestingly, the apparent dichotomy between Nietzschean life-affirmation and Christian life-denial may not be totally irreconcilable. Figures within the Christian tradition, such as Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and various Eastern Orthodox theologians, have explored ways to affirm the sanctity and meaningfulness of earthly life. These perspectives echo Nietzsche’s call for a grounded, embodied morality and offer a potential pathway out of nihilism.