Are We Self-Subverted?

Posted Dec 27, 05:43 AM by Kay Camenisch

In the December 29 issue of “World” magazine, Marvin Olasky raised an issue that continues to haunt me. He said:

”’Yale divinity School professor Miroslav Volf put forward a thoughtful suggestion at a conference in New Haven this fall: He said that the idea of what it means to flourish as a human being has shriveled in our society. The common goal now is to be a satisfied self. In an enormous world that is a petty goal, and because it is petty the self-absorbed live in perpetual shadow. Since God wants us to be more, of course we are dissatisfied when we settle for less. Self-absorbed is self-subverted.

“’The idea of flourishing as a human being has shriveled to meaning no more than leading an experientially satisfying life,’ Volf said.

“Whatever satisfies us most is right: clothes, sex, food, sports fandom, romance novels, whatever. As Volf notes, ‘What matters the most is not the source of satisfaction but the experience of it—my satisfaction. Our satisfied self is our best hope.’

“If that’s our best hope, we’re in trouble. . . . Self absorption does not satisfy since God made us for more than that.” Olasky goes on to note the contrast that Christianity is generally “a horizon-watching faith rather than a naval-gazing one.” As Christians, we acknowledge that we will be satisfied only as we live out Gods design.

But I wonder, are we preaching a horizontal doctrine (loving others, serving other, loving and pleasing God above all), but living a self-absorbed, self-subverted life? If that is so, is it surprising that the world views us as hypocrites and that animosity towards Christianity seems to be growing?

Olasky continues by reminding us, “The Bible shows us the way out of self-absorption by telling us to imitate Jesus, who was absorbed by the needs of others.” It boils down to the pointed question, am I absorbed by the needs of others? If not, is it my goal to satisfy myself? Am I following Jesus—or am I self-subverted?

I’m confronted by these questions. I’m also uncomfortable with what I’ve found—enough so that I thought I’d pass it along.