On Self-Harm, Narcissism, Atonement, and the Vulnerable Christ (Reading Augustine)

The Reading Augustine series presents concise, personal readings of St. Augustine of Hippo from leading philosophers and religious scholars. On Self-Harm, Narcissism, Atonement and the Vulnerable Christ explores St. Augustine of Hippo's understanding of the nature and root of sin, described as various forms of self-loathing and self-destruction, as well as sin's antidote, a vulnerable relationship with God. Incorporating recent thinking on self-destruction and self-loathing into his reading of Augustine, David Vincent Meconi explores why we are not only allured by sin, but will actually destroy ourselves to attain it, even when that sin will bring us no true pleasure.