Perfectionism: A Catholic's Guide To Overcoming Sinful Tendencies

Is perfectionism a sin? This question has been asked by many Christians, especially in the Catholic Church, where the pursuit of perfection is a key doctrine. While the Bible encourages Christians to strive for perfection and holiness, it is important to understand the difference between healthy striving for perfection and unhealthy perfectionism. Christian perfection is about spiritual maturity and union with God, characterised by love for God and others. On the other hand, perfectionism is often associated with pride, an unhealthy tendency to demand unrealistic performance from oneself and others, and a disregard for one's limitations and humanity's inherent brokenness.

The Catholic Church teaches that Christian perfection is a spiritual union with God that can be attained in this life

The Catholic Church's teachings on Christian perfection are rooted in the theological concept of achieving spiritual maturity or perfection, with the ultimate goal of union with God. This union is characterised by pure love for God and others, as well as personal holiness. While interpretations vary among Christian denominations, the Catholic Church specifically teaches that Christian perfection is a spiritual union with God that can be attained in this life.

This spiritual union, or Christian perfection, is not absolute perfection, as it coexists with human fallibility, suffering, and venial sin. It consists of charity or love, as this virtue unites the soul to God. Christian perfection is determined by one's actions, specifically the practice of charity and service to God. The more charity a person possesses, the greater their soul's perfection.

The pursuit of Christian perfection is encouraged by Jesus' words in Matthew 5:48: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (King James Version). This injunction is understood as a call to strive for spiritual perfection and union with God.

However, it is important to distinguish Christian perfection from "perfectionism," which often carries negative connotations. Perfectionism refers to an unhealthy tendency to demand unrealistic flawlessness from oneself or others. It is often associated with pride and a disregard for one's own fallibility and the brokenness of the world. In contrast, Christian perfection, as understood by the Catholic Church, involves humility, repentance, and trust in God's forgiveness and grace.

St. Francis de Sales, for example, advises those struggling with perfectionism to reject and detest their imperfections while also refraining from anger towards them. He encourages patience, courage, and tranquillity in the face of one's shortcomings, emphasising the importance of continually beginning anew in the spiritual life.

In summary, the Catholic Church's understanding of Christian perfection is centred on the attainment of spiritual union with God through charity and love. This union is possible in this life, but it is not absolute perfection, as humans still grapple with their imperfections. The key distinction between Christian perfection and perfectionism lies in the recognition of human fallibility and the reliance on God's grace in the journey towards spiritual maturity.

Christian perfection is not absolute perfection as it coexists with human misery, rebellious passions, and venial sin

Christian perfection, as a theological concept, is distinct from the psychological and philosophical concept of perfectionism. The former is a spiritual union with God that can be attained in this life, while the latter is an attempt to achieve flawlessness and set exceptionally high standards for oneself and others.

Christian perfection is not absolute perfection. It coexists with human misery, rebellious passions, and venial sin. This means that even as Christians strive for spiritual maturity and union with God, they will still experience suffering, be tempted by worldly desires, and commit minor sins.

The doctrine of Christian perfection is based on Jesus' words in the Bible: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48, King James Version). However, the original Greek word used in this verse, "teleios," is better translated as "mature" or "complete" rather than the modern understanding of "perfect" as flawless or without defects.

In the Christian tradition, perfection is understood as a process of becoming more like God, which involves spiritual regeneration, sanctification, and growing in one's relationship with God and knowledge of God's Word. This process requires humility and total reliance on the Holy Spirit, as it is only through God's grace and guidance that one can progress towards perfection.

Perfectionism, on the other hand, is often rooted in pride and a deceptive belief that one can be like God (Genesis 3:5). It can lead to an unhealthy tendency to demand unrealistic performance from oneself and others. This can result in fear of failure, people-pleasing, avoidance of challenges, judgment of others, and a lack of forgiveness towards oneself and others.

While Christians should strive for holiness and obedience to God's commandments, Christian perfection recognizes that this journey towards spiritual maturity is a gradual process and that absolute perfection is reserved for heaven.

Christian perfection is not about being flawless, but about being complete or mature

Christian perfection is not about attaining flawlessness, but about growth and transformation. It involves a perfection of humility, acknowledging one's sins, repenting, and trusting in God's forgiveness. It is about growing in virtue through God's grace, not one's own strength. It is a process of becoming, requiring regular repentance and joyful hope for the future.

The Bible uses the word "perfect" in a different sense than modern usage. In modern terms, "perfect" means flawless, but in the New Testament, it means "complete" or "mature". This understanding of perfection as maturity is reflected in Colossians 1:28, where Paul writes about presenting everyone "mature in Christ", and in James 1:4, where he speaks of being "perfect and complete, lacking in nothing".

Christian perfection is about striving for holiness and a deeper connection with God, not about achieving an unattainable state of flawlessness. It is about relying on God's grace and guidance, rather than one's own strength, and recognising that one's worth comes from God, not from personal perfection.

Christian perfection involves a perfection of humility, not striving in vain to be without flaw

Christian perfection is a theological concept that involves achieving spiritual maturity or perfection. While the interpretations of this doctrine vary across different Christian denominations, it is based on Jesus' words in the Bible: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48, King James Version). This pursuit of perfection is not about striving in vain to be without flaw, but rather, it involves a perfection of humility.

Christian perfection calls for humbly acknowledging one's sins, seeking forgiveness through confession, and relying on God's grace to avoid repeating those sins. It is a process of growth in virtue, facilitated by God's grace rather than one's own strength. This journey towards perfection also entails accepting one's flaws and weaknesses that are inherent to the human condition.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that Christian perfection is a spiritual union with God that can be attained in this life. It is not absolute perfection, as it coexists with human fallibility, rebellious passions, and venial sin. The more one is filled with charity, the greater their soul's perfection.

Perfectionism, on the other hand, is often associated with the sin of pride. It involves striving for flawlessness and setting exceptionally high standards for oneself and others. Perfectionists tend to have an overly critical self-evaluation and are concerned with how others perceive them. They may become irritable, annoyed, or angry when they fail to meet their own standards.

The key distinction between Christian perfection and perfectionism lies in their underlying motivations and the recognition of human limitations. Christian perfection is about pursuing spiritual maturity and union with God, acknowledging that perfection is a process facilitated by God's grace. In contrast, perfectionism stems from a prideful desire to attain flawlessness, often resulting in a harmful cycle of self-criticism and disappointment.

Christian perfection calls for humility, grace, and a dependence on God's guidance, while perfectionism can lead to a damaging pursuit of unattainable standards and a neglect of spiritual care.

Christian perfection involves growing in virtue by God's grace, not by our own strength

Christian perfection is a theological concept that involves achieving spiritual maturity or perfection. The ultimate goal is a union with God, characterised by pure love for God and other people, as well as personal holiness. The Bible says, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48, King James Version).

Christian perfection is not about attaining flawlessness or unrealistic standards. It is about growing in virtue and humility through God's grace, not our own strength. It involves humbly acknowledging our sins, repenting, and trusting in God's forgiveness. We must continually ask for God's grace to avoid sinning in the future.

St. Francis de Sales, in his work "Roses Among Thorns", advises those who struggle with perfectionism:

> Do not allow yourself to become angry or let yourself be surprised to see that your soul still has all the imperfections that you habitually confess. Even though you must reject and even detest them in order to amend your life, you must not oppose them with anger, but instead with courage and tranquillity, so that you will be able to make a solid and secure resolution to correct them.

Christian perfection also involves accepting our human flaws that are not sins but are part of our weakness and humanity. We must learn to work with these flaws, rather than striving in vain to be without flaw.

Perfectionism, on the other hand, is often associated with pride and an unwillingness to submit to God. It can lead to self-worth issues, irritability, anger, and a preoccupation with working harder to achieve unattainable goals. It can also result in people-pleasing, legalism, and judgmentalism.

Christian perfection, therefore, is about relying on God's grace and strength to grow in virtue and humility, rather than striving for an unattainable flawlessness through our own efforts.

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