Egoism is not a biblical word, but it names a central theme of Christian thought about the human condition, shaped by a reading of the Bible and reflection about human experience. Egoism means being centered in the self and its anxieties and preoccupations, what is sometimes called the “small self.” Egoism is centering in the anxious and fearful self and its concerns and desires. Alternatively, it is centering in the accomplished self, the successful self, and its achievements. Importantly, the problem is not that being a self is bad, as if the solution is ceasing to be a self. Rather, the
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