This was a wonderfully grounded insight into a very complex thinker. It reminds me of Barth's pastoral advice, and even some of the pragmatic encouragements offered by great minds along the way, e.g., Einstein comes to mind. Thank you!
Thanks very much for this! If you have the time, would you mind expanding a bit more on the distinction you draw between “turning away from self to others” and “self-denial”? This is a point on which I struggle. On one hand, I am beginning to see the importance of looking after one’s own well-being. On the other, though, doesn’t Christ command us to take up our crosses and deny ourselves if we want to be his disciples?
I've been thinking for the last ten minutes or so about how to answer this, and think it is actually worth trying to put a whole post together on. Very basically, part of my reasoning is that complete self-denial can be a kind of negative exceptionalism, which means that one always treats oneself as undeserving of the kind of care that one gives others (and since others usually care for us, in failing to recognize the worth of our own well-being we can also disregard others' love for us). And I think this is actually motivated by a kind of self-denial—I arrived at it, funnily enough, through trying to figure Ecclesiastes in relation to the Gospels! But it deserves more space, not least because this is something that a great many of us indeed struggle with... (thank you very much for your comment, in any case. You pose this questions beautifully and compassionately.)
Thank you. Your comments are as helpful as the letter itself. Be blessed.
Thanks you so much, Doug. That is an immensely meaningful thing to read.
Thank you for sharing a beautiful and life-giving message to be present today with those around us.
This was a wonderfully grounded insight into a very complex thinker. It reminds me of Barth's pastoral advice, and even some of the pragmatic encouragements offered by great minds along the way, e.g., Einstein comes to mind. Thank you!
Thanks very much for this! If you have the time, would you mind expanding a bit more on the distinction you draw between “turning away from self to others” and “self-denial”? This is a point on which I struggle. On one hand, I am beginning to see the importance of looking after one’s own well-being. On the other, though, doesn’t Christ command us to take up our crosses and deny ourselves if we want to be his disciples?
I've been thinking for the last ten minutes or so about how to answer this, and think it is actually worth trying to put a whole post together on. Very basically, part of my reasoning is that complete self-denial can be a kind of negative exceptionalism, which means that one always treats oneself as undeserving of the kind of care that one gives others (and since others usually care for us, in failing to recognize the worth of our own well-being we can also disregard others' love for us). And I think this is actually motivated by a kind of self-denial—I arrived at it, funnily enough, through trying to figure Ecclesiastes in relation to the Gospels! But it deserves more space, not least because this is something that a great many of us indeed struggle with... (thank you very much for your comment, in any case. You pose this questions beautifully and compassionately.)
Thank you, Ed! I would read such a post with great interest.
This was a wonderful piece!