I
have been wondering whether there is fundamental religious authority for the
self-righteousness I find in myself and which seems so prevalent in our nation
these days. I know of no such authority in The Bible or in Quaker writings. To the contrary, I turn to First Corinthians,
chapter 13, which says there will always be faith, hope and love. I think faith, being profoundly personal and
often powerful, can be a foundation for self-righteousness. Hope, which is also personal, even when it is
for the collective good, can lead us to be self-righteous about achieving that
for which we hope. But verse 13 of
chapter 13 of First Corinthians holds that love, which is not self-seeking and
rejoices in the truth; love, which is patient and kind; love, which does not
boast and is not proud – love is greater than faith or hope.
