Self-Abnegation: Platonic Dualism or Christian Humanism?

Friends-
How do we live out a life of Self-Abnegation without slipping into a semi-Platonic Dualism? Of course I know it’s possible, yet I am wondering: can we take Self-Abnegation to a draconian level? When does Self-Abnegation end and Self-Hatred begin? When does Stewardship Living end and Materialism begin? Full Frontal Confession ahead: I have actually found myself wanting to abstain from Self-Abnegation and Stewardship Living for fear of slipping into an anti-Christian Dualism. I tell myself my desires are well intentioned, and its true: Dualism is NOT an authentic Christian Life…Yet, I am aware that avoiding Self-Abnegation out of fear of Self-Hatred is, not least, a cop out. I take Jesus as our model of Divine Self-Abnegation; so I’m sure Self-Abnegation is not born out of a dualistic worldview (especially considering Self-Abnegation was Jesus’ political method)! Nevertheless, can we misappropriate it to ends that actually dishonor Jesus and our imago dei? If a proper Christian Humanism (bearing God’s Image) is our goal, perhaps Self-Abnegation is an operation toward that goal? What say ye? Does anyone else experience or understand this quagmire?

Burrell on Lonergan on Aquinas on Sin as Intellectual Inconsistency

This post is for Mr. Bacon primarily, though anyone willing to follow along will be rewarded I venture. I was reading every mention of Lonergan in Burrell's oeuvre, to see whether it was possible to read Lonergan in a postfoundationalist light. Turns out it is, but at any rate, I came across this dicussion of the will, and I thought of Jeremy. The main line here is that will is an act of the intellect, so that love points to intellectual consistency and sin to intellectual inconsistency.

I will include the extended quote as the first comment on this post. I find it relevant to the function of a blog community committed to the practice of self-abnegation. So far naming our sins as sins has been a theme here. If we can't be intellectually consistent, at least we can help each other be intellectually intelligible. I think Burrell's discussion of this matter might illuminate, or at least describe, what has been going on here at JOHN 3:30.

Again, see comments.

Good Friday?

Is it a bad thing that I don’t want to attend our Good Friday chapel service? To be honest, I would rather stay in my office and plow through a stack of papers or at least steal away a few quiet moments for some sorely neglected reading. Does this make me a bad person? After all, what could be more important than an hour of reflection on the death of Jesus? This is quintessential self-abnegation and the very core of my salvation. I should welcome the opportunity to bring my world to a grinding halt and eagerly embrace this community remembrance. So why don’t I? Perhaps it is because I cringe at artificial reconstructions of emotional experiences (I'm not saying our staff will do this; but if anyone does I would prefer to be the one on stage to ensure that the manipulation is genuine). Perhaps it is because I am emotionally spent this week and I just don’t have it in me to consider the deepest of spiritual truths. Perhaps (oh how I hate to admit this), I don’t want to be reminded that Jesus’ death is everything and my petty scamperings and daily ‘to-do’ lists are trivial in light of the magnitude of Divine Self-Abnegation. That is too frightening a thought. . . . I’ll see some of you there.