First Cut
Pride and Humility from thoughtful Christian series on deadly sins and saving virtues

1) Augustine saw this as the most dangerous of the deadly sins. Do you? Why or why not?

2) The author says pride develops from undeveloped self-esteem. How would that work?

3)  Tell more about Merton's notion of the false self.

4) It sounds  as if the author sees pride as a form of narcissism, no? See Capps, The Depleted Self.

5) How does the pharisee and publican story relate to these themes?

6) How is pride related to judging others?

7) Define humility. The turn to spiritual masters is a danger here. Humility shares a root with human and humus, of the soil, grounded rooted here.

8) How is the incarnation an act of divine humility then?

9)Do you agree that we "climb to heaven by lowering ourselves?"

10) In terms of the two themes, discuss the great African-American maxim that "God does not make junk."

11) Capps places pride in adolescence. The crisis is identity v. role confusion. Obviously he sees the development of a maturing self as affected by the trouble of pride. (Remember he places lust with young adulthood.) Fidelity is the crucial virtue being developed at this stage.