{"id":44343,"date":"2025-05-16T06:41:10","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T12:41:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/?p=44343"},"modified":"2025-05-16T06:41:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T12:41:10","slug":"is-self-love-really-key-healing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/","title":{"rendered":"The Illusion of Self-love: What Christ Taught Instead"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/picture> Download Print-Friendly Version<\/a><\/p>\n

In our contemporary culture, therapy is often sought as a means of improving or cultivating an individual\u2019s \u201cself-love.\u201d For many practitioners of psychotherapy, improving a client\u2019s sense of self is a central feature of any therapeutic modality and a core essential \u201cneed.\u201d Across a wide variety of theoretical orientations, seemingly limitless sources suggest different methods toward the cultivation of self-love. This movement and orientation should be of particular interest to Christians, whether they are the therapist or the client.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Self-love is hard to define, and when professionals make the attempt to do so, they often contradict one another. Definitions lie in great extremes, such as \u201ctreating oneself\u201d with little restraint (often like a benevolent arrogance), to self-acceptance or self-discovery. When subscribing to such vague paradigms, this lack of clarity leads to difficult moral questions and possible negative consequences. What does self-love look like? And, how do you know when you love yourself enough? <\/span>One therapist notes<\/span><\/a>: \u201c[self-love] sets you up to ring a high bell that\u2019s unattainable, because loving yourself doesn\u2019t come with a certificate or finish line.\u201d

What does self-love look like? And, how do you know when you love yourself enough?<\/p><\/blockquote><\/div><\/span>Such vague understandings tend to create an environment where individuals can easily justify their egocentrism. Even further, this worldview has the potential to increase narcissistic behaviors and self-focused mindsets in the name of \u201chealing.\u201d These potential consequences should be concerning to those who profess to follow Jesus. After all, Paul described one symptom of the Apostasy as \u201cmen shall be lovers of their own selves\u201d (2 Timothy 3:2).<\/p>\n

However, many Christians will cite Jesus in the New Testament as evidence for this perspective. \u201cThou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,\u201d has been frequently interpreted as the declaration that \u201cyou must love yourself before you can love others.\u201d This idea seems appealing because it has significant support from therapists, influencers, and philosophers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is a serious assertion to consider. At the core, proponents of this view are saying that the capacity to love others is contingent on the level or quality of love for self. Such thinking invalidates nearly any effort or declaration of love offered by one who does not meet the proper criteria or threshold of self-love, ambiguous as that may be. After all, in our state of imperfections, would we ever be able to achieve a perfect state of loving oneself? And in subscribing to such ideas, could we ever then truly love someone else?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rather than saying we need to love ourselves to love others, C.S. Lewis reversed these ideas in <\/span>Mere Christianity<\/span><\/i> by implying self-love is already a given in our humanness and that, rather than giving more attention to it, we need to give that love to others.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is notable that the law to \u201clove thy neighbor as thyself\u201d also appears in the Old Testament in Leviticus 19:18, which was perhaps the point of reference for those in the New Testament. Consider the context of Christ\u2019s reference as he was questioned by a lawyer about which is the greatest of the commandments. Perhaps this is part of the old law that He came to renew, as Christ later taught:<\/span><\/p>\n

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven \u2026 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? (Matthew 5:43-46).<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Jesus seems to redirect the commandment from simply loving \u201cas thyself\u201d to instead loving <\/span>beyond <\/span><\/i>that, <\/span>further<\/span><\/i>,<\/span> or <\/span>more than<\/span><\/i> yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n

In response to those questioning Him, He explained the existing law was to love your neighbor as yourself. However, shortly before His sacrifice, He introduced a new, higher law that would distinguish His disciples: \u201cA new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another\u201d (John 13:34-35). This law is <\/span>distinctively <\/span><\/i>different from simply loving others as oneself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In reality, Christ asked His disciples to look to Him as the reference of love, rather than to themselves. Additionally, He asserts an eternal truth regularly restated throughout scripture: \u201cas I have loved you.\u201d Christ first established that we are loved by <\/span>Him<\/span><\/i> and we are to show <\/span>His <\/span><\/i>love, not our own. Perhaps, with Jesus Christ fulfilling the law as was His role, from this new commandment we can understand \u201clove thy neighbor as thyself\u201d with new eyes: we are to love our neighbors as we are loved by Christ.

It is only in relation to others that we are even able to form a sense of self.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/div><\/span>While a therapeutic relationship is certainly different from our individual relationship with Christ, we can take important cues from how Christ explores the idea of love. Many people enter the office of a therapist because they feel they are not experiencing love in meaningful ways, and their relationships not only suffer, but instead cause suffering. Many have been raised in abusive households, others are in incredibly dark and hopeless situations. If someone feels they have lived a life completely bereft of love, potentially from those very people given the responsibility to provide it, would self<\/i>-love be the solution to their problem? I propose the answer is a simple and profound, No.<\/p>\n

While I\u2019m certainly not advocating for self-deprivation as opposed to self-love, a focus on self-love has the tendency to further isolate those who could benefit from genuine interactions with others. When we explore self-love in a philosophical sense, it creates an understanding of self that is completely independent of other people. However, it is only in relation to others that we are even able to form a sense of self. A person\u2019s individual cognition\u2014or reason\u2014does not hold the true reality of a self, as \u201cit is not thought, but relations, the object or substance of thought, that is in the mind\u201d (Houser, 1983, p. 345). By others, we are able to form a sense of self, the world is given meaning and form (Bergo, 2019; Vygotsky, 1997, p. 12). Fundamentally, human beings are relational beings, we form a distinct self because we are in relation to others.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/picture>
A woman gazes into a mirror and sees, along with her own reflection, those who contribute to her sense of belonging.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When one understands oneself relationally, there are many alternatives available for a hopeless individual to find help and healing, particularly from a Christian perspective. No one has made it to where they are alone. There has always been a parent, a sibling, a friend, a teacher, a mentor, someone involved and invested in the individual\u2019s life that contributes to a sense of belonging, a relationship of co-constitution, even if they may not recognize it. Fundamentally, as Christians, we believe God is always a person to whom we belong. Perhaps helping others become aware of the loving relationships around them is more helpful than encouraging strict self-reliance, which may result in isolating the individual even further. Rather than encouraging radical egocentrism, introducing new voices of love, broadening horizons of relationships, or practicing loving-kindness meditation can help liberate and expand the individual to a more integrated sense of self.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An example of turning outward for meaning rather than finding it within ourselves is found in an interaction between Dr. Whoolery and a student, taken from a presentation to the American University in Bulgaria:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I had a young man speak to me recently \u2026 Imagine yourself and his situation as he explained feelings of despair and hopelessness, not even sure that he thought life was worth living.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I asked him, \u201cWhy are you still alive?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He said, \u201cWell, I’d feel bad for my family.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I said, \u201cWell, why would you feel bad for your family?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, because they would be sad.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy would they be sad?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, because they care about me.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I said, \u201cOkay, well, why would you feel bad for making them feel sad?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, because I care about them.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And I said, \u201cLove from your family and to your family seems like a good place to start your life, and I think it can form a basis for where you go from here\u201d (TEDx Talks, 2024).<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This is an excellent example of how a therapist may redirect their clients toward the loving relationships they may already have, especially toward Christ. In recognizing our love for others, we can also begin to recognize the love given to us by others. Such an orientation can allow people to live more in the world rather than within themselves. Additionally, by facilitating and encouraging relational connection, individuals can cultivate an awareness of their own support structure. Dr. Whoolery again proposes this type of awareness when he explored his own family dynamic and culture:<\/span><\/p>\n

There are six of us in our family of four girls. If we each think about ourself, we have one person concerned about our needs. When we think about each other, we have five. So if she just thinks about everybody else and doesn’t worry about herself, everybody else is going to take care of her anyway (TEDx Talks, 2015).<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Whether it is through biological family, found community, church, or any other kind of support system, we are stronger together than we are in isolation. In Western American culture, suffering often becomes an isolating experience. However, if we can shift in our understanding and realize we are necessarily linked and connected to others in meaningful ways, we can become aware of the fullness and love that surrounds us. In turn, we can extend such love to others who may be suffering, feeling isolated, or feeling unloved.

Perhaps the simplest solution to self-love … is to simply cut the phrase in half: we need to practice love.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/div><\/span>For those practicing or in psychotherapy, it is crucial to understand and be aware of potential hidden philosophies, implications, and consequences evident in the concept of self-love. The encouragement to simply \u201clove oneself\u201d is not only ambiguous, but can easily lead to isolating behaviors and attitudes inconsistent with a gospel understanding of selfhood, which comes inextricably from ties to others in meaningful ways.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the simplest solution to <\/span>self-love<\/span><\/i>\u2014a concerning practice\u2014is to simply cut the phrase in half: we need to practice <\/span>love<\/span><\/i>. Maintaining the simplicity of love allows us to locate reality in the between: between a person and the world, others, the past, and the future. Living a life relationally and open to others, yielding to the love given to us rather than living in an isolated shell, can liberate those seeking a more meaningful life and help us become ever more connected with God and those around us.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Is self-love the key to healing? True wholeness comes through connection, not isolation or self-focus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":358,"featured_media":44345,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[475],"tags":[846,834,138,725,12,115,968,125,111,182,520,1055,322,145,298],"coauthors":[2048],"class_list":["post-44343","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gospel-fare","tag-c-s-lewis","tag-christian","tag-christianity","tag-discipleship","tag-empathy","tag-faith","tag-healing","tag-identity","tag-love","tag-psychology","tag-relationships","tag-self-esteem","tag-self-image","tag-spiritual-growth","tag-theology"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nIs Self-Love Really the Key to Healing?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Self-love fails to deliver true healing when it cuts us off from Christ, community, and the relational wholeness we are meant to live within daily.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why Self-Love Might Not Heal What Hurts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Self-love promises healing, but often deepens isolation. Real wholeness begins not in the mirror, but in Christ, in others, and in the love that draws us beyond ourselves.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Public Square Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-16T12:41:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/publicsquare._A_painting_in_the_style_of_Henri_Le_Sidaner_of_a__ca5f211e-585f-430b-90dc-fc9c79870470-1024x512.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"512\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Joseph Chamberlain\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Joseph Chamberlain\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/faith\\\/gospel-fare\\\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/faith\\\/gospel-fare\\\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Joseph Chamberlain\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4c15aa16cd0d3be37e5e1b05e2856939\"},\"headline\":\"The Illusion of Self-love: What Christ Taught Instead\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-16T12:41:10+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/faith\\\/gospel-fare\\\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1864,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/faith\\\/gospel-fare\\\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/publicsquare._A_painting_in_the_style_of_Henri_Le_Sidaner_of_a__ca5f211e-585f-430b-90dc-fc9c79870470.png\",\"keywords\":[\"C.S. Lewis\",\"Christian\",\"Christianity\",\"Discipleship\",\"Empathy\",\"Faith\",\"healing\",\"Identity\",\"Love\",\"Psychology\",\"relationships\",\"self-esteem\",\"Self-Image\",\"Spiritual Growth\",\"Theology\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Gospel Fare\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/faith\\\/gospel-fare\\\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/faith\\\/gospel-fare\\\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/faith\\\/gospel-fare\\\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\\\/\",\"name\":\"Is Self-Love Really the Key to Healing?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/faith\\\/gospel-fare\\\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/faith\\\/gospel-fare\\\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/publicsquare._A_painting_in_the_style_of_Henri_Le_Sidaner_of_a__ca5f211e-585f-430b-90dc-fc9c79870470.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-16T12:41:10+00:00\",\"description\":\"Self-love fails to deliver true healing when it cuts us off from Christ, community, and the relational wholeness we are meant to live within daily.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/faith\\\/gospel-fare\\\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/faith\\\/gospel-fare\\\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/faith\\\/gospel-fare\\\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/publicsquare._A_painting_in_the_style_of_Henri_Le_Sidaner_of_a__ca5f211e-585f-430b-90dc-fc9c79870470.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/publicsquare._A_painting_in_the_style_of_Henri_Le_Sidaner_of_a__ca5f211e-585f-430b-90dc-fc9c79870470.png\",\"width\":1536,\"height\":768,\"caption\":\"A woman gazes into a mirror that reflects darkness, portraying the emptiness behind the illusion of self-love.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/faith\\\/gospel-fare\\\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Illusion of Self-love: What Christ Taught Instead\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/\",\"name\":\"Public Square Magazine\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Public Square Magazine\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/11\\\/Public-Square-Logo-Primary-WHT-Background-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/11\\\/Public-Square-Logo-Primary-WHT-Background-1.png\",\"width\":2195,\"height\":416,\"caption\":\"Public Square Magazine\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4c15aa16cd0d3be37e5e1b05e2856939\",\"name\":\"Joseph Chamberlain\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/18397ebba7b14801695a31e69067f50b142bb927ca8c9abde43f649f86b2ed32?s=96&d=mm&r=g763abfa81787b75123a6f9a20ac885e7\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/18397ebba7b14801695a31e69067f50b142bb927ca8c9abde43f649f86b2ed32?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/18397ebba7b14801695a31e69067f50b142bb927ca8c9abde43f649f86b2ed32?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Joseph Chamberlain\"},\"description\":\"Joseph Chamberlain is the husband of an incredible wife and father to three amazing children. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of West Georgia. His research centers on morality, relationships, religion, and narratives.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/publicsquaremag.org\\\/author\\\/jchamberlain\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Is Self-Love Really the Key to Healing?","description":"Self-love fails to deliver true healing when it cuts us off from Christ, community, and the relational wholeness we are meant to live within daily.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Why Self-Love Might Not Heal What Hurts","og_description":"Self-love promises healing, but often deepens isolation. Real wholeness begins not in the mirror, but in Christ, in others, and in the love that draws us beyond ourselves.","og_url":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/","og_site_name":"Public Square Magazine","article_published_time":"2025-05-16T12:41:10+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":512,"url":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/publicsquare._A_painting_in_the_style_of_Henri_Le_Sidaner_of_a__ca5f211e-585f-430b-90dc-fc9c79870470-1024x512.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Joseph Chamberlain","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Joseph Chamberlain","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/"},"author":{"name":"Joseph Chamberlain","@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/#\/schema\/person\/4c15aa16cd0d3be37e5e1b05e2856939"},"headline":"The Illusion of Self-love: What Christ Taught Instead","datePublished":"2025-05-16T12:41:10+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/"},"wordCount":1864,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/publicsquare._A_painting_in_the_style_of_Henri_Le_Sidaner_of_a__ca5f211e-585f-430b-90dc-fc9c79870470.png","keywords":["C.S. Lewis","Christian","Christianity","Discipleship","Empathy","Faith","healing","Identity","Love","Psychology","relationships","self-esteem","Self-Image","Spiritual Growth","Theology"],"articleSection":["Gospel Fare"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/","url":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/","name":"Is Self-Love Really the Key to Healing?","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/publicsquare._A_painting_in_the_style_of_Henri_Le_Sidaner_of_a__ca5f211e-585f-430b-90dc-fc9c79870470.png","datePublished":"2025-05-16T12:41:10+00:00","description":"Self-love fails to deliver true healing when it cuts us off from Christ, community, and the relational wholeness we are meant to live within daily.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/publicsquare._A_painting_in_the_style_of_Henri_Le_Sidaner_of_a__ca5f211e-585f-430b-90dc-fc9c79870470.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/publicsquare._A_painting_in_the_style_of_Henri_Le_Sidaner_of_a__ca5f211e-585f-430b-90dc-fc9c79870470.png","width":1536,"height":768,"caption":"A woman gazes into a mirror that reflects darkness, portraying the emptiness behind the illusion of self-love."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/faith\/gospel-fare\/is-self-love-really-key-healing\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Illusion of Self-love: What Christ Taught Instead"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/","name":"Public Square Magazine","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/#organization","name":"Public Square Magazine","url":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Public-Square-Logo-Primary-WHT-Background-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Public-Square-Logo-Primary-WHT-Background-1.png","width":2195,"height":416,"caption":"Public Square Magazine"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/#\/schema\/person\/4c15aa16cd0d3be37e5e1b05e2856939","name":"Joseph Chamberlain","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/18397ebba7b14801695a31e69067f50b142bb927ca8c9abde43f649f86b2ed32?s=96&d=mm&r=g763abfa81787b75123a6f9a20ac885e7","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/18397ebba7b14801695a31e69067f50b142bb927ca8c9abde43f649f86b2ed32?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/18397ebba7b14801695a31e69067f50b142bb927ca8c9abde43f649f86b2ed32?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Joseph Chamberlain"},"description":"Joseph Chamberlain is the husband of an incredible wife and father to three amazing children. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of West Georgia. His research centers on morality, relationships, religion, and narratives.","url":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/author\/jchamberlain\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/publicsquare._A_painting_in_the_style_of_Henri_Le_Sidaner_of_a__ca5f211e-585f-430b-90dc-fc9c79870470.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44343","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/358"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44343"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44343\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45203,"href":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44343\/revisions\/45203"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44345"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44343"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44343"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44343"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=44343"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}