Classical Worldview and Secular Materialism: Natural Law and the Political Ideals of Modernity in the Formation of Consequential Public Policy

Historically, morality has been rooted in and expressed through a religious lens. Early views on morality were often formed under the auspices of the reward/penalty social contract displayed in historical religious texts. Questions arise. If morality did not have a basis in religion, from where would its ideals and structure be provided for otherwise? How does one evaluate the standards and effectiveness of secular morality? In this paper, the major factors exposing the failures of modern secular materialistic liberalism will be explored: freedom of choice and modern liberal politics; God’s existence as a cardinal assumption of all philosophy and the disregard of transcendental moral standards, and; core moral and political ideals of modernity. The Natural Law theories from St. Augustine to John Calvin will be employed to compare/contrast these concepts, with support from Scripture and a logical, critical evaluation of each. An original concept of the individual soul’s response to God as an analogy for the function of political institutions in society is presented in the conclusion.