Lately I’ve been doing an exam question on the topic of love of self (amor sui) in the thought of Augustine of Hippo. Over the past few years, I have begun thinking about the legitimacy and importance of love of self as a specific ethical task, obviously as distinguished and distanced from selfishness and/or narcissism, and obviously as connected to love of God and love of neighbor. Even more strongly, in a way such that it chastens and promotes authentic community. Anyway, to be more accurate, this is probably something I have wondered about my entire life, for various personal reasons. This topic actually doesn’t stem only from my reflections about myself, but rather, from witnessing people whom I know and love throughout my entire life struggling against self-hatred and searching for a sense of self-worth. (Okay, I’m just trying to prevent the from-the-hip accusation that I’m laboring, clandestinely, to get selfishness and modern, autonomous, individualistic self-determinism in through the back door. I’m not.) (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘Donatist controversy’
To Augustine: I love you, I love you not
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Augustine, Donatist controversy, Gerald Schlabach, Jean Porter, love, love of neighbor, love of self, pride on January 7, 2011 | 8 Comments »
