Children of God in the World: An Introduction to Theological Anthropology

Description

Children of God in the World is a textbook of theological anthropology structured in four parts. The first attempts to clarify the relationship between theology, philosophy and science in their respective approaches to anthropology, and establishes the fundamental principle of the text, stated in Vatican II's Gaudium et spes, n. 22, "Christ manifests man to man". The second part provides a historical overview of the doctrine of grace: in Scripture (especially the teaching of the book of Genesis on humans 'made in the image of God', as well as Paul and John), among the Fathers (in particular the oriental doctrine of 'divinization' and Augustine), during the Middle Ages (especially Thomas Aquinas) and the Reformation period (centered particularly on Luther and the Council of Trent), right up to modern times. The third part of the text, the central one, provides a systematic understanding of Christian grace in terms of the God's life present in human believers by which they become children of God, disciples, friends and brothers of Christ, temples of the Holy Spirit. This section also provides a reflection on the theological virtues (faith, hope and charity), on the relationship between grace and human freedom, on the role of the Church and Christian apostolate in the communication of grace, and on the need humans have for divine grace. After considering the relationship between the natural and the supernatural order, the fourth and last part deals with different philosophical aspects of the human condition, in the light of Christian faith: the union between body and soul, humans as free, historical, social, sexual and working beings. The last chapter concludes with a consideration of the human person, Christianity's greatest and most enduring contribution to human thought. Principal Abbreviations vii Introduction 1 Part 1. Methodological considerations 1. Situating Anthropology among Science, Philosophy, and Theology 13 2. Historical Perspectives on Humanity in Search of Immortality 35 3. Jesus Christ, the Redeemer: A Living Perspective for a 64 Christian Anthropology Part 2. The Historical Developm ent of the Doctrine of Grace 4. The Human Being according to Scripture: Image of God 89 and Son of God 5. Grace and Justification of the Sinner in Paul 118 6. Grace as “Eternal Life” in John 132 7. Divinizing Grace in the Eastern Patristic Tradition 142 8. Grace, Sin, and Good Works in Augustine 157 9. “Created Grace” in the Medieval Period 174 10. Grace and Justification in Luther and the Council of Trent 189 11. The Modern Period: Grace, Freedom, and Anthropology 199 Part 3. The Christian Theology of Grace 12. The Historical Working Out of God’s Project to Establish 215 an Intimate and Perpetual Filial Communion of Humans with the Trinity vi contents 13. Children of God in the Holy Spirit: The Life of Grace 247 14. Divine Life in Humans: God’s “Inhabitation” of Man’s 278 Soul and “Created Grace” 15. Grace and Christian Life: The Infused Virtues and 301 Gifts of the Holy Spirit 16. Grace and Human Freedom: Justification, Merit, Experience, 340 and Mediations 17. The Need for Divine Grace 375 Part 4. Christian Anthropology 18. The Natural and the Supernatural 387 19. The Human Being: Union of Body and Soul 406 20. The Gift of God and Human Freedom 442 21. The Temporality and Historicity of the Human Being 472 22. Man Created in the Image of God, a Social Being 495 23. Humans Created in the Image of God as Man and Woman 514 24. Humans, Made in the Image of God, at Work in the World 537 25. The Human Person: Christianity’s Contribution to 552 Anthropology Selected Bibliography 569 Index of Names 571 General Index 589