Reforming theological anthropology : after the philosophical turn to relationality
With the profound changes in today's intellectual and scientific landscape, traditional ways of speaking about human nature, sin, and the image of God have lost their explanatory power. In this volume F.LeRon Shults explores the challenges to and opportunities for rethinking current religious views of humankind in contemporary Western culture. From philosophy to theology, from physics to psychology, we find a turn to the categories of "relationality." Shults briefly traces this history from Aristotle to Levinas, showing its impact on the Christian doctrine of anthropology, and he argues that the biblical understanding of humanity has much to contribute to today's dialogue on persons and on human becoming in relation to God and others. Shults's work stands as a potent effort to reform theological anthropology in a way that restores its relevance to contemporary interpretations of the world and our place in it
Print Book, English, ©2003
W.B. Eerdmans Pub., Grand Rapids, Mich., ©2003
xiv, 264 pages ; 23 cm
9780802848871, 0802848877
50960873
1. The philosophical turn to relationality
Relationality from Aristotle to Kant
Relationality from Hegel to Levinas
The responsibility of theology
I. Anthropology, theology, and the reader
2. Relationality and developmental psychology
Methodological faith
Orders of consciousness
Ways of holding on to interdisciplinary method
Developing fiduciary structures
The traditionalist fiduciary structure
Developing a modernist fiduciary structure
Developing a postmodernist fiduciary structure
Relationality transformed by the Spirit of Christ
3. Relationality and pedagogical practice
Repression, pedagogy, and transformation
The four dimensions of human existence
Transformational learning in psychological perspective
Psychology and the fearful subject
Educational anesthesia
Transformational learning in theological perspective
Fearing God is good for you?
Theology and the object of fear
Perfect fear casts out love
4. Relationality and spiritual transformation
Interdisciplinary strategy
Spiritual union with God?
The need for a mediator in the transformation of identity
Double negation and dialectical identity
Fellowship in the Trinitarian life. II. Theology, anthropology, and relationality
5. Anthropology and theological method: Regulative relationality in Schleiermacher
Reciprocal relationality and the pious self-consciousness
The regulative function of reciprocal relationality in the theological anthropology
The regulative function of reciprocal relationality in all religious expressions
conclusion
6. Anthropology and Trinity: Constitutive relationality in Barth and Pannenberg
The methodological shaping of anthropology
Barth's 'I-Thou" relationality
Pannenberg's "exocentric" relationality
Conclusion
7. Anthropology and Christology: The Anhypostasis-Enhpostasis formula
Leontius of Byzantium
Summary of Contra Nestorianos et Eutychianos
The modern interpretation of Leontius
A closer look at Leontius
Anhypostasia and enhypostasia in Protestant scholasticism
The anhypostasis-enhypostasis formula in Barth
III. Reforming theological anthropology
8. Relationality and the doctrine of human nature
Substance dualism and faculty psychology
Body and soul
Intellect, will, affection
Challenges and opportunities
Biblical scholarship
Discoveries in neurobiology
Philosophical reflection
9. Relationality and the doctrine of sin
The Western theory of inherited sin
The Augustinian synthesis
Following Augustine
Challenges and opportunities
Exegetical considerations
Scientific considerations
Philosophical considerations
10. Relationality and the doctrine of Imago Dei
Classical interpretations of the image of God
Rationality or righteousness?
The image/likeness distinction
Challenges and opportunities
Functional interpretations
Existential interpretations
Eschatological interpretations