We are surrounded by a culture that tells us that we can find our identity in aspects of our experience, such as our sexuality, race, or gender. But our identity, as followers of Jesus, must be informed, and transformed, by Christ – we must learn to understand our identity in the light of this bigger story.
If I asked, ‘Who are you?’, you would probably answer by telling me your name. You might also tell me your job, hobbies or background. But our identity is much more than any of those things. Questions about our identity get to the heart of how our sense of self has been shaped and continues to change throughout our lives.
Humans have long thought about what makes us us – how our identities are formed. Many psychologists are now exploring how the complexities of a person’s identity might be best understood as narrative – a weaving together of past, present and future experiences into a coherent life-story.