“AND WHAT IS
'HELL'? IT IS THE LOSS OF PRIDE THAT NATURALLY FOLLOWS SEPARATION FROM
GOD--the ultimate and unfailing source of our soul's sense of
self-respect. 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' was Christ's
encounter with hell. In that 'hellish' death our Lord experienced the
ultimate horror--humiliation, shame, and loss of pride as a human being.
A person is in hell when he has lost his self-esteem. Can you imagine
any condition more tragic than to live life and eternity in shame?”
(Schuller, Self-Esteem, pp. 14-15, 93).
“What do I mean
by sin? Answer: Any human condition or act that robs God of glory by
stripping one of his children of their right to divine dignity. ... I
can offer still another answer: 'SIN IS ANY ACT OR THOUGHT THAT ROBS
MYSELF OR ANOTHER HUMAN BEING OF HIS OR HER SELF-ESTEEM’” (Schuller,
Self-Esteem, p. 14).
“I found myself
immediately attracted to Pope John Paul II when, upon his election
to the Papacy, his published speeches invariably called attention to THE
NEED FOR RECOGNIZING THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN BEING AS A CHILD OF GOD”
(Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 17).
“We are born to
soar. We are children of God. ... THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD OFFERS A
DEEP SPIRITUAL CURE FOR THE INFERIORITY COMPLEX AND LAYS THE FIRM
FOUNDATION FOR A SOLID SPIRITUAL SELF-ESTEEM” (Schuller, Self-Esteem,
p. 60).
“Classical theology
DEFINES SIN AS 'REBELLION AGAINST GOD.' The answer is not incorrect
as much as IT IS SHALLOW AND INSULTING TO THE HUMAN BEING. Every person
deserves to be treated with dignity even if he or she is a 'rebellious
sinner'“ (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 65).
“The core of
original sin, then is LOT--Lack of Trust. Or, it could be considered
an innate inability to adequately value ourselves. Label it a 'negative
self-image,' but DO NOT SAY THAT THE CENTRAL CORE OF THE HUMAN SOUL IS
WICKEDNESS. ... POSITIVE CHRISTIANITY DOES NOT HOLD TO HUMAN DEPRAVITY,
BUT TO HUMAN INABILITY. I am humanly unable to correct my negative
self-image until I encounter a life-changing experience with
non-judgmental love bestowed upon me by a Person whom I admire so much
that to be unconditionally accepted by him is to be born again”
(Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 67).
“Any analysis of 'sin' or 'evil' or 'demonic influence' or
'negative thinking' or 'systemic evil' or 'antisocial behavior' that
fails to see the lack of self-dignity as the core of the problem will
prove to be too shallow. … TO BE BORN AGAIN MEANS THAT WE MUST BE
CHANGED FROM A NEGATIVE TO A POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE--from inferiority to
self-esteem, from fear to love, from doubt to trust” (Schuller,
Self-Esteem, p. 68).
“THE CROSS
SANCTIFIES THE EGO TRIP. FOR THE CROSS PROTECTED OUR LORD'S PERFECT
SELF-ESTEEM FROM TURNING INTO SINFUL PRIDE” (Schuller, Self-Esteem,
p. 75).
“Historical theology has too often failed to interpret repentance
as a positive creative force. ... ESSENTIALLY, IF CHRISTIANITY IS TO
SUCCEED IN THE NEXT MILLENNIUM, IT MUST CEASE TO BE A NEGATIVE RELIGION
AND MUST BECOME POSITIVE” (Schuller, Self-Esteem, p. 104).
“JESUS NEVER CALLED A PERSON A SINNER. ... Rather he reserved his
righteous rebuke for those who used their religious authority to
generate guilt and caused people to lose their ability to taste and
enjoy their right to dignity...” (Schuller, Self-Esteem, pp.
100,126).
“Christ is the Ideal
One, for HE WAS SELF-ESTEEM INCARNATE” (Schuller, Self-Esteem,
p. 135).
“The tragedy of Christendom today is the existence of entire
congregations of church members who are dominated by emotionally
deprived or emotionally under-developed persons. These congregations
have been accurately labeled 'God's Frozen People.' ... And they do this
by EXERCISING NARROW AUTHORITARIANISM IN DOCTRINES AND PRACTICES AND BY
SOWING SEEDS OF SUSPICION AND DISSENSION IN THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY. ...
By contrast, strong persons--self-assured personalities, whose egos find
their nourishment in a self-esteem-generating personal relationship with
Jesus Christ--dare to face contrary opinions, diverse interpretations,
and deviations of theology without becoming disrespectful, judgmental,
or accusatory” (Schuller, Self-Esteem, pp. 153-154).
“The classical error
of historical Christianity is that we have never started with the
value of the person. Rather, WE HAVE STARTED FROM THE 'UNWORTHINESS OF
THE SINNER,' AND THAT STARTING POINT HAS SET THE STAGE FOR THE
GLORIFICATION OF HUMAN SHAME in Christian theology” (Schuller,
Self-Esteem, p. 162).
I hope this information
has been of a help to you. We will be adding more information
about Mr. Schuller in the near future.
Blessings,
Rev. Wise