Hypocrisy: Moral Fraud and Other Vices
Reviewed by Robert P. Mills, April 11, 2000
“Christians? They’re just a bunch of hypocrites.”
Such assessments are voiced with distressing frequency. But what, precisely, is a hypocrite? Why, exactly, do Christians and non-Christians alike find hypocrisy so troubling? How can Christians avoid this vice? And how can we answer those who say that Christianity is essentially false because some who claim to follow Christ don’t always practice what they preach?
Such questions are thoughtfully and effectively addressed by James S. Spiegel, professor of philosophy at Taylor University, as he deals with hypocrisy, “a major philosophical and psychological stumbling block [that] lies in the path of countless seekers.” Drawing on philosophy, psychology and theology, he explores hypocrisy from perspectives including self-deception, moral weakness, sin, self-control and sanctification.
In his final chapter, which frankly addresses the apologetic problem of hypocrisy, Spiegel argues to the “paradoxical yet irresistible conclusion” that “the problem of hypocrisy actually confirms the truth of Christian theism.” In fact, he suggests “the problem of hypocrisy in the church is in one sense a compliment to biblical morality … If hypocrisy really is the tribute that vice pays to virtue, then those who make a pretense of being Christians inadvertently pay homage to our worldview. It is a backhanded compliment to the high moral standards of the Christian faith.”
“The Christian’s mandate,” he concludes, “is as straightforward as it is a profound moral challenge: be morally serious; be self-controlled; and avoid self-deception.”