Keller’s introduction establishes the rhetorical foundation for his entire argument through an interplay of cultural commentary and biblical exegesis. It reveals Keller’s techniques as a preacher-turned-author, as he utilizes rhetorical approaches honed through years of sermons to create a text that functions simultaneously as theological exposition and cultural critique. 

Rather than beginning with abstract propositions or academic definitions, Keller poses a direct inquiry. This question-and-response pattern, a staple of homiletical method, invites readers into a conversational dynamic. He does not simply quote Paul’s text and proceed to analysis; instead, he follows typical homiletical practice by providing the historical backdrop of the Corinthian church’s divisions, explaining how different factions aligned themselves with various apostolic figures. This narrative contextualization serves multiple purposes. First, it grounds the biblical text in concrete historical circumstances, making Paul’s words feel less like abstract theology and more like a practical response to a lived experience. Second, it creates an implicit parallel between the ancient Corinthian situation and contemporary divisions.

Keller’s approach in this opening section reveals a writer conscious of his dual intended audience: Those steeped in Christian tradition and those shaped by what he regards as contemporary secular assumptions about the self, introducing his Critique of Self-Esteem and Self-Condemnation as Ego-Driven. Keller’s entire cultural analysis rests on the premise that both traditional moralism and modern therapeutic culture are fundamentally concerned with the ego—the former by condemning it, the latter by inflating it. Both approaches, he suggests, keep the self at the center of attention, whether as object of criticism or object of affirmation.

Keller positions his argument within a historical shift, contrasting traditional cultures’ belief that “too high a view of yourself was the root cause of all the evil in the world” (9) with modern Western culture’s opposite conviction that people misbehave because of a lack of self-esteem. This cultural-historical framing accomplishes several objectives simultaneously. It demonstrates Keller’s awareness of what he assumes is his readers’ intellectual context, acknowledging that he is writing to an audience shaped by therapeutic and progressive educational assumptions. It also establishes the stakes of his argument: He is not merely offering a Christian perspective on self-esteem but claiming that contemporary culture has fundamentally inverted the traditional understanding of human nature and morality.

Keller focuses on what he regards as the tension between traditional and modern approaches without immediately resolving it. His acknowledgment of the self-esteem theory’s appeal suggests that Keller is not dismissing his opponents’ motivations but recognizing the genuine ethical concern that drives their position. This rhetorical move is meant to enhance his credibility, suggesting that he understands the modern perspective from the inside before offering his alternative. It is important to note, however, that Keller’s premise is constructed upon broad generalizations, especially in regard to modern therapeutic practices and cultural assumptions around behavior. He asserts, “Our belief today—and it is deeply rooted in everything—is that people misbehave for lack of self-esteem and because they have too low a view of themselves” (10). He does not clearly define what he means by “misbehave,” and sidesteps addressing other modes of modern thought that connect bad or undesirable behavior to social or structural issues or past trauma, not individual pride or self-esteem. For Keller, however, these broad generalizations serve an important rhetorical function, allowing him to set up an apparent dichotomy of pride versus low self-esteem that he can then contrast with his own idea of self-forgetfulness. 

The second theme that appears, though more implicitly, is that of Identity Grounded in Divine Grace Rather Than Achievement. This theme surfaces both in Keller’s opening questions and in his insistence that genuine transformation occurs at the root of one’s identity rather than at the level of external behavior. The introduction thus establishes the thematic framework that will structure the entire book: Keller believes the gospel offers a way of understanding the self that transcends both the traditional preoccupation with moral achievement and the modern preoccupation with psychological well-being, grounding identity instead in the transforming grace of God. The result is a text that functions as both theological argument and pastoral invitation, challenging readers to reconsider fundamental assumptions about the self while promising a biblical alternative.