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Shame—is it Satan's tool or a divine signal pointing us toward right relationship with God and others? In this second episode of our three-part series with Jason Glenn, we wade into the controversial waters of modern debates around shame and guilt.
While American society increasingly views shame as the source of nearly all social ills, historical perspectives across cultures show shame serving both positive and negative functions throughout human history. This tension sets the stage for our exploration of how Enlightenment thinking and developmental psychology transformed our understanding of these complex emotions.
We dissect the crucial distinction many psychologists and theologians make: guilt says "I did something bad" while shame says "I am bad." But is this separation always helpful or even accurate? Through personal testimonies and theological reflection, Jason challenges the increasingly popular view that Christians should never feel shame, offering a powerful counterexample where shame led not to hiding but to contrition and reconciliation.
The conversation takes a fascinating turn when we consider influential Christian voices like Curt Thompson who literally "demonize" shame as Satan's tool in the Garden of Eden. This perspective has gained significant traction, yet raises troubling questions: Are we losing something vital when we attempt to eliminate shame entirely? Is there spiritual danger in disconnecting our actions from our identity?
As we wrestle with these questions, we discover unexpected insights from historical thinkers like Aquinas and Aristotle who viewed shame as living "in the imagination and potentiality of virtuous people." This perspective suggests shame might serve as a moral compass, helping us avoid becoming someone we don't want to be.
Join us for this thought-provoking exploration that challenges both secular and religious assumptions about emotions that profoundly shape our lives, relationships, and spiritual journeys. And don't miss our conclusion to this series next week, where we'll examine the contemporary problems arising from our culture's refusal to feel shame.

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