Self-esteem is something society has wrestled with for several generations. Some in the Christian community have embraced society’s description of the issue and at least some of the solutions offered. Others have essentially written it off as a pseudo-problem.

Over the years, there have been some helpful books on the subject. One of the best is Hide or Seek by James Dobson, one of his earliest works. Another is Anthony Hoekema’s A Christian Looks At Himself and finally, The Sensation of Being Somebody: Building An Adequate Self-Concept by Maurice Wagner.

Self-Esteem: The Cross and Christian Confidence is also in that category. It is intended to evaluate psychological perspectives through an understanding of Scripture. For all that is done in Christian counseling, this remains a crying need. Either prayerful Christian compassion is combined with a secular approach, or psychological insights are ignored. Rarely is there a self-conscious effort to integrate the two disciplines of theology and psychology. The husband and wife team that wrote Self-Esteem has made that attempt. They bring backgrounds in both theology and psychology to the discussion, which is unusual in itself.

First published in 1992, it is a readable volume with a number of helpful perspectives. My problem is one of omission. They contend that the objective basis of self esteem is the cross. I wish they had begun with the image of God. Every human being has intrinsic worth because of God’s image. We are redeemable because of that image.

I would recommend this book to pastors, counselors and others interested in the subject.

Robert Edmiston
Training Coordinator, CE&P 

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