God, geld en geluk: een theologische analyse van een debat over geluk tussen de economen Lans Bovenberg en Johan Graafland

Samenvatting

This article analyzes a debate between economists Lans Bovenberg and Johan Graafland about the moral legitimacy of pursuing happiness. Bovenberg argues that Jesus is the true economist. That is, weighing the cost of suffering, Jesus chose the benefit of saving people. Graafland fears that emphasizing happiness obscures self-denial and leads to instrumentalization: we love others to the extent that they make us happy. Drawing on ancient philosophy and the work of Augustine, this article provides insights into the integration of happiness and self-denial. For Augustine, the divine commandments of loving God above all and our neighbors as ourselves define happiness. To attain this happiness, we need grace and self-denial. This article demonstrates how Augustine’s theology provides conceptual clarity on happiness for economists seeking to integrate their faith with their discipline. It also shows how Augustine’s understanding of happiness reconciles Bovenberg and Graafland’s positions on happiness and addresses their conceptual weaknesses.