Narcissus, Echo, and the Sacred Value of Academic Freedom

In highlighting features of narcissistic relationships, the myth of Narcissus and Echo can help us appreciate the importance of academic freedom for the health of the Church. Stories often give us a glimpse of our own lives from outside our usual, egocentric frame of reference. An example of this is found in 2 Samuel chapter 12, in which the prophet Nathan tells David a story about a rich man who has taken a poor man’s beloved lamb rather than slaughtering one of his own to feed a visitor.