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Essay
The Kingdom of Ends and the Prioritization of “More-Than-Bread”
A Synthesis of Kantian Ethics and Christian Moral Psychology
In the Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Immanuel Kant articulates a vision of the Kingdom of Ends, a hypothetical ideal in which all rational beings are treated as ends, never merely as means to an end.
This ethical framework, grounded in the individual's inherent dignity and autonomy, resonates deeply with Jesus Christ's teachings, particularly his emphasis on prioritizing ‘more-than-bread’—the spiritual and moral dimensions of life that transcend material concerns.
Kant’s Kingdom of Ends and Humanity Formula
The categorical imperative, an unconditional and universally binding moral law, is at the heart of Kant’s ethical system.
Act in accordance with the maxims of a member giving universal laws for a merely possible kingdom of ends. (Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, 4:439)
The Humanity Formula, one of the critical formulations of this imperative, states that we should always treat humanity, whether in ourselves or…
