Reflecting on Jesus' Teaching on Humility from a Positive Psychological Perspective

In its quest for a non-medical, pro-health approach to psychotherapy, positive psychology focuses on concepts that are also biblical and specifically present in the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth. In this article, the concept of "humility" in the teaching of Jesus as represented in the Synoptic tradition will be compared to recent positive psychological approaches (e.g., Tangney). Attention will be paid to (1) a definition of humility; (2) empirical psychological research on humility; (3) humility in the OT, Jewish and other religious and philosophical traditions; (4) Jesus of Nazareth's special focus on humility; (5) the (dis)advantages of humility in the quest for a better world; and (6) interventions to promote humility.