ARTICLE FEATURE The deadly sin of pride exual ethics aside, traditional Christian teaching nowhere Sclashes more sharply with contemporary sensibilities than on the moral status of pride. Christians have long counted pride as a sin—indeed, the “original sin” that generates every other and is the vital principle in each. C.S. Lewis speaks for many Christian moral- ists when he calls pride “the essential vice, the utmost evil.” He asserts that pride “is the complete anti-God state of mind” (Lewis, 1980, pp. 121-22). Many people today, however, view pride as a virtue and a key component in emotional maturity and self-actualization. Therapists seek to instill in clients positive self-regard, teachers try to boost stu- Paul Sands Baylor University Baylor dent self-esteem, and social movements justify their programs in the name of gay pride, black pride, and the like. It might seem, therefore, that Christians in the “people helping” professions are caught between Associate Professor of Theology Associate Professor incompatible perspectives. As Christians, they have been taught that pride is a vice; as professionals, they have been trained to view pride as George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Truett George W. a virtue. Which is true? Most Christian social workers and therapists already know that there is truth on both sides. They have seen how pride causes clients to refuse help or rebel against legitimate authority. They have also seen how people without proper pride become trapped in abusive relation- ships or give up on themselves. What Christian professionals need is a nuanced analysis that integrates insights from the Christian tradition, contemporary social sciences, and reality “on the ground” in order to distinguish sinful pride from its health-giving cousins. They also need a clear grasp of pride’s chief characteristics and consequences in order to rightly apprehend the nature of the countervailing virtue, humility. It is to these needs that I address this article. 40 Baylor University School of Social Work THE NATURE OF PRIDE on stock portfolios, beauty contests, or social Few words in our moral vocabulary prominence; it is the fruit of a clear-eyed as- convey so wide a spectrum of meanings as sessment of one’s own character and achieve- “pride.” It can connote anything from narcis- ments. As such, proper self-esteem is a sism to self-confidence to self-respect. Many barometer that rises and falls with the quality disagreements over the moral status of pride of one’s life. Good people should feel good can be traced to differences in how the word about themselves; bad people should not. is understood. A classic definition of vicious Pride should not be confused with pride is the one put forward by the Medieval self-love. Christians commonly condemn Jewish philosopher, Baruch Spinoza: “Pride is self-love as a form of narcissism. But Jesus thinking more highly of oneself than is just, out himself commanded his followers to love of love for oneself” (Neu, 1999, p. 54). In other others as themselves (Matt. 22:39). As Freder- words, pride is inordinate self-esteem arising ick Buechner notes, Christ’s command can out of self-centeredness. Although correct as legitimately be reversed to say “love your- far as it goes, this definition does not quite do self as you love others.” Buechner adds that justice to pride’s irreligiousness and aggres- self-love “does not mean your pulse should siveness. I would propose, therefore, that pride quicken every time you look into a mirror any is best viewed as an irreligious and antisocial more than its supposed to quicken every time assertion of the self. But before fleshing out your neighbor passes the window” (Buechner, what this definition entails, it is important to 2004, pp. 322-23). One can care for self and distinguish pride from related but different others without being enamored of either. Ob- concepts. session with oneself is not true self-love, just as obsession with a lover is not true romance. CLARIFYING THE COncEpt Pride should not be con- Finally, pride should not fused with self-respect. Unlike be confused with feeling Proper self-esteem is a pride, self-respect does not proud. Pride is an endur- imply feelings of superiority. barometer that rises and ing character trait; “feeling proud” is a transitory emotion. As the philosopher Jerome falls with the quality of one’s Neu points out, it has to do One can feel proud without with rights and dignity, not life. Good people should feel being proud. A researcher who discovers an important merit (Neu, 1999, p. 74). The good about themselves; bad person with self-respect “has new cancer therapy can be people should not. her pride,” but that means elated by her achievement she is ashamed to violate her without being “puffed up” by conscience, not that she thinks it. Indeed, if her work leads herself better than others (Taylor, 1985, p. 50). to public honors, she will likely Self-respect is indispensable to a life of virtue. feel both proud and humbled by the recogni- It is the skeleton of the soul that protects integ- tion. A man whose son joins a prestigious rity by preventing the wrong sort of flexibility. New York law firm might almost “burst A person may have too much self-esteem, but with pride,” but his feelings are a proper and no one can have too much self-respect (Neu, natural expression of love. The father identi- 1999, p. 74). fies with his son and thus shares his elation. Pride should also not be confused with Ironically, the failure to feel pride over hon- proper self-esteem. Christians are sometimes ors received by oneself or loved ones may quick to condemn all self-satisfaction as an actually be an expression of pride. It may expression of sin. There is a proper self-esteem reflect a sense of superiority—a haughty that is the result of evaluating oneself with disdain for honors and the people who give “sober judgment” (Rom. 12:3). It is not based them (Taylor, 1985, pp. 43, 45-46). Family and Community Ministries 41 VICIOUS PRIDE Pride finds pleasure only sets it apart. That is why Sinful pride must in what sets it apart. William May calls pride not, then, be confused “the sin of the first person with self-respect, proper singular.” Proud people self-esteem, self-love, or “feeling proud”— not only put themselves before others, they each of which is essential for human flourish- separate themselves from others—sometimes ing. As already noted, pride is best viewed as under the cover of religious piety. May notes, an irreligious and antisocial assertion of the for example, that a proud monk will be intent self. We see this in the way pride elevates the on proving himself to be “singular and excep- self over others. We say the proud are “stuck tional.” He will be “inclined to fast more, pray up” and complain that they “look down their longer, sleep less, look sicker than his fellows, noses” at everyone else. We complain that they proving that he is a singularly holy man.” Any ride a “high horse” and isolate themselves in discipline that “must be done in common with an “ivory tower.” We criticize them for acting his brothers automatically loses its luster” “high and mighty.” The Hebrew Bible often (May, 1967, p. 184). highlights pride’s penchant for heights. In the VARIETIES OF PRIDE primeval history, humankind seeks to build We can see, then, that pride is an assertion “a tower with its top in the heavens” (Gen. of the self that is both irreligious and antisocial. 11:4). Proverbs depicts the proud as having The actual form pride takes will vary from “lofty eyes” (Pro. 30:13). Jeremiah speaks of person to person. In general, however, we may proud Moab’s “loftiness” (Jer. 48:29; cf. Isa. say that the “genus” pride appears in three 2:11). Isaiah records a king’s boast that he will “species”: vanity, conceit, and arrogance. “ascend to heaven,” raise his throne “above the 1. Vanity. Vanity is preoccupied with ap- stars of God,” and make himself “like the Most pearances. The vain person does not so much High” (Isa. 14:13-14). seek to be admirable as to be admired. He or Another way to say the same thing is to say she derives self-esteem from the turned head, pride expands the self. The proud are “full of public honors, and tokens of success. Taylor themselves”—“puffed up” or “inflated” with notes, “The vain offer their appearance as a self-importance. They fantasize about being means of seducing others into thinking well “larger than life” and fear nothing more than of them, which in turn is a means of seduc- shrinking in power or visibility. Proud people ing themselves to think well of themselves” assert themselves and disregard the opinions (Taylor, 2006, pp. 76-77). and needs of others. They resent any boundary Because the vain depend on an admiring that constricts their freedom to act as they wish. audience to brace up their tenuous self- The proud also assert the self by laying esteem, they are vulnerable to the shifting claim to glory. They imagine themselves to opinions of the crowd, the passage of time, be radiant with success or beauty or intelli- the contingencies of fate, and the prominence gence or virtue or piety. Their self-glorification of competitors. Vanity is thus the most fragile can sometimes lapse into absurdity, as when form of sinful pride. In a sense, it is the most Nebuchadnezzar surveyed the city of Babylon “humble” form of pride because it relies on from atop his palace and exclaimed, “Is this the approval of others (Lewis, 1980, p.