Book Review: David VanDrunen, “Natural Law: A Short Companion”

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Natural Law: A Short Companion

David VanDrunen, B&H Academic, 2023
ISBN 978-1-0877-7541, 135 pages, Paperback, $19.99

Natural law as a guide to ethics has gotten a bad name in some Protestant circles on the grounds that it is a “Roman Catholic” doctrine that insufficiently appreciates the effects of the Fall on human reason and will. David VanDrunen—professor at Westminster Seminary California, ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, with a law degree and a PhD in Christian Ethics—begs to differ. This introduction to his work on natural law lays out its Scriptural basis. It deserves a place on the shelf of any Christian interested in ethics.

VanDrunen is not a fan of philosophical theories of natural law unmoored from divine revelation. But he emphasizes that natural moral law is an inescapable feature of general revelation, God’s manifestation of himself in creation to all people, believers and unbelievers. As such, the natural law is, to borrow an often-used phrase, “something we can’t not know.” This is of course attested to in Scripture, in Paul’s discussion at the beginning of Romans, but indeed from the very beginning of time, when God created “a meaningful and purposeful world” (the title of VanDrunen’s second chapter). A natural moral law presupposes a created moral order, one that is evident if one will only reflect thoughtfully on the nature of things and the consequences of actions, as laid out in Proverbs in terms that, though addressed to theists, are evident to anyone—at least, anyone properly receptive to reality. He writes: “there is a proper way that things work, and . . . deviations from this order are bizarre and nonsensical. This is true for both the natural world and the moral life” (p. 34).

One way to appeal to natural law as foundational to civic law, not limited to the believing Christian community, is to cite ways that common moral principles are claimed by people and cultures across nations, ethnic groups, and time; rather than supporting relativism, there is a shared understanding in how societies should legislate and behave. VanDrunen draws examples from the Scriptural narrative. Fear of God, respect for basic moral principles, and an understanding that some things simply ought not to be done are seen in the Pentateuch, in Abimelech’s mistakenly taking Abraham’s wife Sarah for his own (Gen 20); Shechem’s rape of Dinah (Gen 34); Joseph’s behavior toward his brothers as an Egyptian official, when his true identity was hidden from them (Gen 42); the behavior of (ethnically Egyptian) midwives in Exodus 1; the reasoning of Moses’s pagan father-in-law Jethro (Exod 18); and the understanding that the brutality of the Amalekites (Exod 17 and cf. Deut 25) exceeded the “fear of God” common among ancient pagan societies. The Mosaic law shared features, such as the use of case law and the principle that the punishment should fit the crime, with ancient pagan legal codes. The New Testament recognizes that Roman justice got at least some things right and that the world had a moral understanding of proper behavior by which it would judge professing Christians (something that we see in our contemporary political discourse in America, by the way).

Both the Old and New Testaments declare the universality of the natural moral law, VanDrunen argues. The postdiluvian covenant with Noah is prominent here, where God promised, in a word addressed to Noah but clearly meant to apply to all people, that he would “postpone the final judgment, but not to cancel it” (p. 60). Here, we see God as Lawgiver but, critically, also as Judge. The Old Testament prophets cited the Mosaic law in their oracles against Israel, but not against Gentile nations, about whom the prophets nonetheless had much to say. VanDrunen briefly reviews a litany of the oracles against the nations, which he sees falling into two main categories: hubris (defying God directly) and egregious injustice. These latter oracles inescapably imply a natural law:

These Gentile nations had perpetrated unspeakable atrocities. . . . Their actions were not accidents or peccadillos. God treats them as if they knew what they were doing. . . . Unless we wish to indulge in some wild speculation that God specifically revealed a set of laws to all these Gentile nations, the natural law must have been their source of knowledge. (p. 67)

Then again, in Romans 1:18–3:20, Paul declares that a natural moral law is “written on the hearts” of all people, that our conscience bears witness to that (and against us), and that all are morally culpable before God. This, VanDrunen points out, is foundational to the gospel, God’s plan to rescue us sinners from the judgment we rightly deserve. “The reality of natural law is one proof that this world is not fallen beyond repair” (p. 77). There is a created moral order, and God’s image-bearers (we humans) can understand it and are candidates for redemption.

Although Christians are called to live in a way that goes beyond the requirements of the natural law, it does provide practical guidance for the Christian life, and the redemptive work of Christ did not change that. The use of case law, as in the law of Moses, is one example. The book of Proverbs is a particular treasure trove of wisdom for what God’s moral principles are, the reasons behind them, the folly and destructiveness of acting against them, and the need for wisdom in applying them to different specific situations. Here again, with several examples from Proverbs, VanDrunen emphasizes the reality of the created moral order and the absurdity of violating it. The New Testament presents distinctives for Christian living in light of the atonement, but also affirms the old, those things “that were morally obligatory before Christ came” (p. 91). He provides a helpful reminder that goes by fast but warrants reflection: “many New Testament commands are not true because the New Testament commands them. Rather, [they are commanded] because they are true” (p. 91, emphasis original). VanDrunen provides helpful reflections on Jesus’ teaching on marriage and divorce and Paul’s on the relationship between churches and pastors. He also allows that the New Testament says almost nothing explicitly about justice but affirms the natural law, implying common standards of justice.

The final chapter contains reflections on engaging the public square. Natural law must be grasped in the lifelong pursuit and practice of wise thought and action. Engaging unbelievers in the public square requires humility, looking for areas of agreement, and modest expectations. Direct appeals to Scripture to the unconverted are unlikely to help. Here, one might have liked VanDrunen to give more guidance to his readers about how to address secular alternatives to God’s natural law. His approach appears to accommodate appeals to virtue, but does natural law really require a Creator? Grotius and others said no, but that makes moral agreement a moving target depending on something like “new discoveries” or “evolving” ethics. What about the currently regnant appeal to autonomy as foremost? If someone will not listen to reason and see what is evident, moral agreement may seem almost random. If the transcendent is sidelined, the conversation becomes predominantly about rights and benefit-risk assessments.

But that goes beyond the scope of the present book. VanDrunen’s work demands engagement by anyone interested in natural law. His Natural Law and the Two Kingdoms (Eerdmans, 2010), Divine Covenants and Moral Order (Eerdmans, 2014), Politics After Christendom (Zondervan Academic, 2020), and the forthcoming Reformed Moral Theology (Baker Academic) are recommended.

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