Department of Justice
could use a lesson on Stoicism

Speaking of Religion
The Rev. Dr. Tim Griffin

Truth is something immortal and eternal. It bestows upon us, not a beauty that time will wither, nor a freedom of speech which the sentence of a judge can take away, but rather it bestows what is just and lawful, distinguishing this from what is unjust and exposing it. — Epictetus.

The writings of the Roman philosopher, Epictetus, are among the best-known of the school of philosophy known as Stoicism. The focus of the Stoic philosophy was on self-control and, in particular, on distinguishing between what is in one’s power to control and what is not.
Thus, according to Stoic thought, externals such as one’s physical appearance, material possessions, etc., should not govern one’s life. Rather, one should focus on those things that are within one’s control, namely, how one responds to the events and circumstances that occur in one’s life. In particular, one’s response to events and circumstances need to be in accordance with eternal principles and values.
Not surprisingly, this philosophy influenced Christian thought. For example, the Christian attitude of surrender to the will of God, in patient forbearance with external suffering and in focusing on self-control in one’s response to the world and material possessions were influenced by Stoicism.
There is much truth in Stoicism and so it remains, in many respects, as relevant today as it was in the ancient world. In the fragment cited above, Epictetus notes how important truthfulness is for one’s character. One’s relationship to the truth has a direct bearing on whether one is just and lawful.
On a personal level this is important, because if I am not willing to be honest with myself I cannot expect to lead a life that is just and lawful. That is, if I am not truthful with myself, my life is not answerable to reason and therefore not within my control. I cannot regulate it or provide myself with laws and rules of conduct. So if I am not truthful with myself, I cannot hope to positively transform my life.
Is Epictetus’ position any less relevant on a political level? Currently there is a considerable controversy surrounding the Department of Justice. Not surprisingly, given Epictetus’ counsel, much of this controversy owes to concerns about the truthfulness of statements made by members of the current administration concerning the firing of U.S. Attorneys. In particular, there is concern that these firings were politically motivated.
In the course of Congress’ investigation, the administration has refused to cooperate by providing subpoenaed documents and by allowing subpoenaed staff to testify. In this atmosphere, where truth is at a premium, is it surprising that the reputation of the Department of Justice has been called into question?
Worst yet, the administration has made clear that it will not convene grand juries pursuant to the contempt of Congress citations that have been issued against certain members of the administration. Far from restoring confidence in the operation of justice, such an action seems to confirm that the Department of Justice is a partisan institution that only pursues the administration’s agenda. In addition, there is reason to believe that in recent testimony before Congress, the Attorney General — the person in charge of the Department of Justice — perjured himself.
In such an environment, can we continue to have confidence in the administration of justice at the national level? And yet, Congress is currently being called upon to revise surveillance laws in order to grant greater authority to the Attorney General and the Department of Justice.
Should we feel confident, in the midst of the concerns with the Department of Justice and the office of the Attorney General, that we can trust them to protect our laws and to act justly? Should we trust that they will not encroach upon our civil liberties?
I believe Epictetus was right in maintaining that there is a close connection between truth and justice. In large part the connection has to do with trust.
We should attempt to be truthful with ourselves so that we may have greater control and strive to transform our lives in conformity with God’s will and eternal values. We should also demand that our public servants act and speak truthfully so that we may trust them and trust that justice is being impartially accorded to all.
In the absence of this trust, we should insist that their powers over us are limited. ••
Father Tim Griffin is priest-in-charge at the St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, at 1946 Welsh Road in Bustleton.