Book Review: Covenant by Danny Kruger
"The culture war ... is a religious conflict about the right gods to worship. As such, it is more than a series of skirmishes for the token of identity, for flags and statues and the history curriculum. It is a battle for the strongholds of society itself, and for the future we are creating, or destroying, for our children." (pg. 25)
Covenant: The New Politics of Home, Neighbourhood, and Nation is a 144-page book published last year by the Christian and conservative British politician Danny Kruger. In his book, Kruger explains some of the major political problems facing Great Britain and lays out a political philosophy that provides vision for its people. Accompanying his political theory, Kruger proposes practical steps and policies for Britain. Though Kruger's intended audience is citizens of the UK, even as an American I found Kruger's little book thought-provoking and intriguing.
First, as a little disclaimer, I am neither an economist nor a statesman. My knowledge of Great Britain's politics is rather slim. Therefore, I cannot attest to the soundness of all of Kruger's proposed policies. However, in terms of Kruger's large-scale ideas and philosophy, I overall find his book wise and rooted in Biblical principles.
The crux of Covenant is that we must dispose of the political paradigm adopted by much of the world today. Rather than understanding the world in terms of social contract, we should understand society in terms of covenant. Kruger acknowledges that while the theory of John Locke and Thomas Hobbes is a good theory, the social contract is nevertheless based upon a faulty view of man:
"Under the social contract, government is the creation of the sovereign individual. Like all creatures, it is contracted to honor its creator. Government's job is the facilitation of personal independence, and the mitigation of its consequences. The essential mission of organized society thus becomes to dissolve the relationships between people, to obviate the necessity of cooperation, and to make each person as far as possible a solitary, autonomous, independent, being." (pg. 14)
In Locke and Hobbes's view, the government is not created by God, but rather by a group of autonomous individuals who come together and form a contract. The government is formed to serve individuals. Throughout his book, Kruger argues that this flawed understanding of human nature has manifested itself in a host of things (Marxism, transgenderism, euthanasia, etc.).
Unlike a social contract, a covenant is not a created convention. In a covenant, individuals have rights and responsibilities that flow out of love. Kruger highlights marriage as the clearest example of a covenant. The terms of the covenant are laid out ahead of time. The terms are not created by the parties involved (tho many today do try to twist, change, and break the terms of the marriage covenant). Though Kruger does not mention it directly, we as Christians know that the very first recorded covenant was the covenant of marriage, between Adam and Eve in the garden. I would have also added that indeed covenants are not created by men, for they they are created by God.
Kruger emphasizes throughout his book that society should not be structured for selfish, independent individuals. Rather, the government should help facilitate the means by which relational beings can responsibly pursue the common good. Covenant is Kruger's thesis on how this can be done.
Kruger begins by explaining two different ways in which people have thought about the world: the Idea and the Order. These two life systems are in opposition to one another. The Order is the legacy of the Jews and Christians: a world in which man is bound to a higher moral power and authority. In the Order, individuals are selfless, not selfish. They are "other facing," as Kruger calls them (pg. 31).
However, the post-Christian modern world has forsaken the Order and adopted the opposing philosophy of the Idea: "there exist autonomous, agents called individuals, who both self-determine and self-moralize" (pg. 24). A world governed by the Idea is a world where the "inner tyrant" of self rules. Men worship themselves rather than God. Kruger then details how the Idea is visible in our world today, noting that it has ultimately stripped man of loyalty to anything outside of himself.
Kruger argues that five foundations are needed for every virtuous society: authority, loyalty, sanctity, care, and fairness. The liberal world esteems two of these: care and fairness. However, it rejects authority, loyalty, and sanctity. The death of these three is also due to the acceptance of the Idea.
Since Kruger believes that the key to restoring the Order is a destroying of the poisoning Idea, Kruger focuses heavily upon both culture and legislation. He spends a good portion of his book discussing sex and death. Though they may seem to be odd topics for a book of political theory, Kruger shows that the corruption of marriage and the killing of life are both fruits of the governing Idea.
An analysis of Kruger's proposed solutions is far beyond the scope of this review, but Kruger's solutions can be simply understood in terms of oikos and par-oikos. Oikos is the Ancient Greek word meaning "household," and from which we also derive the word "economy" (pg. 82). Kruger suggests that we must return with the home as the center of society:
"We want a life that is both embodied and enchanted: rooted, tactile, sweaty, but also lit by sacred fire. We want a life of function (to be useful and fully used) and of place (to identify with a piece of land and the people of it), and for these things to be both food of the body and food for the soul. I suggest this life can be realized by getting right a set of relationships and institutions: an Order. The first of these relationships and institutions is the family." (pg. 82)
With this in mind, policies should not be necessarily focused on fulfilling individual's needs. Rather, policies should benefit married couples and families in general. Kruger proposes policies that would help families live on one income (instead of two), and make it easier for families to buy homes for themselves.
Kruger finally turns to the par-oikos, the structures outside of the home. Kruger does this by highlighting the differences between dominion and domination. As humans, we are to take dominion of creation, but we are not to dominate it. This calls for both humility and stewardship. Kruger then addresses that we change are approach to things like technology, education, and the environment.
Kruger ends his book by reinforcing the politics of place. We are not called to sit idly on the sidelines as our politicians make all the decisions. Rather, we are cultivate a world that returns to the Order. This starts right where we are located. "This is your neighbourhood:" Kruger says, "take responsibility for it, and make it the place you want it to be" (pg. 138). With the rising threat of globalism, a love for one's nation and a loyalty to one's people is a necessity.
In my assessment of Covenant, Kruger seems to be arguing for both a zealous localism and healthy nationalism. To restore the Order (where man is obedient to the moral order of God), individuals must reject autonomous individualism and pursue a life of self-giving:
"Everyone should have a good upbringing and education, a secure home and a family of their own, the right help if misfortune or illness strikes, and a role to play in the world. These are the elements of the good life. And for most people they are to be found not be severing their relationships, 'liberating' them from the people and places they come from, but by making these people and places as healthy and virtuous as possible." (pg. 21-22)
Kruger is proposing nothing new. This is what De Tocqueville called "the habits of association" in Democracy in America.
My main criticism of Kruger's book is that he does not go quite far enough. Though Kruger highlights that covenant is a Judeo-Christian concept, Kruger does not use Scripture to back up his claims. There is also one brief section where Kruger seems to imply that same-sex unions can still be understood as marriages (I disagree). I would also have appreciated if the book were a bit longer, with more practical action steps for average citizens. However, I don't want to be too critical of Kruger. Covenant is not a work of theology, but rather an exhortation to the men and women of his country.
In sum, Americans would do well to take to heart this little book written by a British statesman. The United States is not immune to the parasite of the Idea. Expressive individualism permeates almost every inch of the our culture. The higher Order of God has been rejected, and the poison of liberalism has been readily ingested. Individuals set the terms of their own existence, abandoning loyalty to their marriages, families, neighborhoods, and nation.
But not all is hopeless. We can choose to reject the Idea, and instead accept the Order. We can submit to God & His law, orient our lives around our relationships, and steward faithfully our neighborhoods & nation. It will take work and sacrifice. Nevertheless, "married, community-minded, patriotic people will find these sacrifice to be light burdens," Kruger says. "For we are in a mighty battle, and only strong families, strong places and strong nations will prevail" (pg. 28).
Sources:
Covenant: The New Politics of Home, Neighbourhood, and Nation by Danny Kruger, 2023.
Democracy in America by Alexis De Tocqueville.
Painting is "The Oxbow" by Thomas Cole, 1836.