“It’s interesting that educators once thought the self-esteem movement would one day serve as a type of vaccine for our children. They were wrong. Research is telling us that the movement has turned us into a more narcissistic society. Indeed, the only true vaccine any child or adult ever needs is a life in Christ, who wards off any threat we face as Christian in the secular world.” (Tom Papagiannis, LCSW)
“When the word self-esteem is found in English language translations of the works of the holy Fathers of the Church such as in the Philokalia series, it can be seen that it actually refers to what is understood as narcissism. On the other hand, Godly "self-esteem" means a true and honest appraisal of both one's strengths and weaknesses. We see here an inversion of meaning where good self-esteem is close to the patristic definition of humility.” (Father George Morelli)
“Self-esteem can mean two different things. The first meaning is narcissism. The Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders, IV-TR…describes self-esteem as "a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy. . ." The second, used mostly by developmental psychologists, defines self-esteem "as being true to [the] real self…However, we can’t be true to the “real self” by our own efforts. We realize our true self by dying to our own concept of self and growing in Christ.” (Sacramental Living Ministries, Father George Morelli)
“Know yourself. With these two words, ancient philosophers and Christian theologians have wrestled with a fundamental reality: Most people spend a lot of time either hiding from themselves or narcissistically focused on themselves. Knowing who we really are is fundamental to being who we really are…You don’t know yourself unless you know yourself in relationship to God.” (Father Barnabas Powell, Pastor Timothy Keller)
“The worldly constructs of success and failure become foreign and inconsequential to the soul who is seeking first “the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33). Success is redefined as abiding in God; failure would be to lose hope or to choose to become a self-worshiping narcissist. Whether or not one’s career takes off is irrelevant.” (Jonathan Jackson)