F. LeRon Shults, a contemporary theologian, has co-written a fabulous little book with Stephen J. Sandage entitled The Faces of Forgiveness: Seeking Wholeness and Salvation.
In one section of the book, Shults begins to talk about the Christian's "dialectical identity". In one sense, this "dialectical identity" is representative of all human beings.
Shults writes, "[the human] ego is both centripetally figured (self-centered) and centrifugally oriented (other-facing)". Because of this, argues Shults, human beings find it almost impossible to trust and develop healthy interpersonal relationships. Why? Because every one is trying to simultaneously balance two seemingly contradictory "modes of being". On the one hand, every individual in his/her centripetal figuration (self-centerdness) tries to find their identity and worth in their accomplishments, personal treasures, etc., while at the same time longing to be accepted and welcomed unconditionally by the community, the "we". On the other hand, every individual in his/her centrifugal orientation (other-facingness) seeks and longs to be accepted by the community, the "other" without being erased by the "will of the people", without being stripped of their unique individuality.
and
The outcome is bleak. One is caught in the endless cycle of being secure with oneself at the expense of being accepted by the community and being invited into fellowship at the expense of personal flourishing.
This is such a difficult predicament, argues Shults, becuase human beings were created to be individuals in relation, beings in community. Ideally, we should be people that flourish in our individuality within the rich context of diverse community. Is an "individual-in-community" a genuine possibility or an idyllic illusion?
For Shults, this is a genuine possibility only within the context of a relationship with the Infinite "Other"- the true Community of Persons (the Holy Trinity). The gospel, the good news that God affirms our individuality despite our brokenness and guilt empowers us to be comfortable with ourselves and look outward toward others. Becuase we know God will always be gracious to us, we don't have to fear rejection nor the obliteration of our unique personalities.
Christianity casts a beautiful vision of the individual maintaining his unique identity within a healthy participation in community. He/she needs others to flourish; the community needs plural individuals to be a place of "communion".
