Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of St Andrews, March 2009.

Revision of the author's Thesis (Ph. D.)--ha-Universiṭah ha-ʻIvrit, Jerusalem, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [486]-520) and indexes.

Thesis (Th. M.)--Western Seminary, Portland, OR, 2009. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 77-83).

Thesis (M.A.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-131).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 2001. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 188-200).

Thesis (Th. M.)--Regent College, Vancouver, BC, 2007. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 159-165).

Recent trends in theology have created an environment where the thought of John Macmurray, a twentieth-century Scottish thinker and Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh, is increasingly relevant. In particular the reemergence of a robust trinitarianism has raised issues surrounding relational concepts of person and the nature of the relationship between human and divine persons. Macmurray's philosophy is cited as a contemporary example of persons in relation which parallels certain Cappadocian and Athanasian notions of the Trinity. The relationship between Macmurray's anthropology and his theology, however, is largely unexplored, due in part to confusion over the exact nature of his doctrine of God as well as the lack of a thorough exposition of his thought as a whole. Because of the highly integrated nature of Macmurray's work one cannot properly understand the philosophical, anthropological, or theological dimensions in isolation from each other. Therefore this thesis considers these three dimensions of Macmurray's thought, providing a systematization and clarification of his philosophy, anthropology, and theology. Through the interaction between the philosophical, anthropological, and theological aspects of Macmurray's thought the ontological and epistemological relationship between God and humanity surfaces. Ontologically Macmurray clearly differentiates between God and humanity. Yet epistemologically there is a necessary relation because all human knowing and reflection is conditioned and limited by human reality. Since Macmurray believes humans experience God, he believes all human knowledge of God must be expressed within the terms of human reality. This does not necessarily lead to anthropomorphism as long as one realizes one is speaking in a limited and theoretical fashion about God who is at least personal. Macmurray's thought is then used to critically engage the theology of Moltmann, Gunton, Torrance, Cunningham, and Lampe particularly with respect to their understandings of the divine-human relationship.

Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist der Entwurf einer theologisch fundierten und empirisch-psychologisch evidenten Persönlichkeitstheorie. Sie soll christologisch verankert sein. Dazu wird zunächst mit Paul Tillich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer und Helmut Thielicke vor dem biblisch-theologischen Hintergrund des Noahbunds die grundsätzliche Doppelseitigkeit der menschlichen Existenz aufgezeigt. In der postlapsalischen Erhaltungsordnung herrschen Sünde und Tod vor, aber die Schöpfungsrealität bleibt fragmentarisch bewahrt, so dass psychosoziale und spirituelle Gesundheit unter dem Vorbehalt der Vorläufigkeit möglich ist. Um diese zu erlangen, muss der Mensch zur adäquaten Befriedigung seiner Bedürfnisse finden. Dies geschieht nur unter dem Primat der Verantwortlichkeit. Verantwortlichkeit beinhaltet, dass der Mensch in die Schuld gestellt ist. Schuld und Verantwortlichkeit besitzen ontologische Tiefe. Der Sünde wegen ist der Mensch bestrebt, sein Leben nicht vor Gott verantworten zu müssen. Sein Verhältnis zu Gott ist von Angst bestimmt. Dies hat Paul Tillich in seiner Ontologie der Angst entfaltet. Die Versuche des Menschen, die existenzielle Angst der Gottentfremdung zu objektivieren, hat Søren Kierkegaard mit den vier Grundformen der Verzweiflung beschrieben. Ihr psychopathologisches Äquivalent sind die von Fritz Riemann überlieferten vier Grundformen der Angst. Diese drei Modelle der dunklen Seite menschlicher Persönlichkeit sind deckungsgleich. Die Doppelseitigkeit der menschlichen Existenz impliziert, dass die Kehrseite der existenziellen Angst das existenzielle Bedürfnis ist. Die Bedürfniskonstrukte von Fiedler, Epstein und Grawe, die aus dem gegenwärtigen Erkenntnisstand der Persönlichkeitsforschung unter Einbezug der Neuropsychologie hervorgehen, erweisen sich in diesem Sinne als auffallend deckungsgleich mit den Modellen der dunklen Seite. Daraus ergibt sich ein holistisches Persönlichkeitsmodell, das die negative Determiniertheit durch die Sünde und die positive durch die Grundbedürfnisse, das ontologische Bedürfnis nach Spiritualität eingeschlossen, als unlösliche Einheit aufweist. Der gemeinsame Nenner dieser Modelle scheint sich auch allmählich in der Persönlichkeitsdiagnostik durchzusetzen. / The aim of this paper is the outline of a theologically founded and empirically-psychologically reasonable theory of personality. It shall be christologically anchored. For this purpose at first with Paul Tillich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Helmut Thielicke the fundamental double-sidedness of human existence in front of the biblical-theological background of the noachitic covenant is pointed out. Within the divine conserving order after the fall of man sin and death dominate, but the reality of the order of creation is fragmentarilly saved as well, so that psychosocial and spiritual health, with reservation of preliminarity, is possible. To achieve it, man must get to the adequate satisfaction of his needs. This can only happen under the dominance of responsibility. Responsibility contains being put into debt and therefore being guilty as well. Guilt and responsibility own ontological depth. As the result of sin man tries to avoid responsibility in the presence of God. His relation to God is determined by anxiety. That's what Paul Tillich pointed out by his ontology of anxiety. The attempts of man trying to overcome the existencial anxiety under the alienation from God Søren Kierkegaard has described by the four fundamental forms of desperation. Their psychopathological equivalent are the four fundamental forms of anxiety, which Fritz Riemann described. These three models of the dark side of human existence are congruent. The double-sidedness of human existence contains that the other side of existencial anxiety is existencial need. The need-models of Fiedler, Epstein and Grawe, which result from the present state of personality-research under regard of neuropsychology, show significant congruence with the models of the dark side. This leads to an holistic model of personality, which demonstrates the negative determination by sin and the positive one by the fundamental needs, including the ontological spiritual need, as an insoluble unit. The common denominator of these models gradually seems to prevail in the field of personality-diagnostic as well. / Abstract in German and English / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

[pt] O presente estudo busca, através da antropologia teológica de Wolfhart Pannenberg, aprofundar o conteúdo da doutrina da imago Dei e sistematizá-la. Para alcançar tal objetivo este trabalho, logo em sua introdução, elencará algumas informações a respeito da pessoa, da vida e da teologia de Wolfhart Pannenberg. Numa segunda etapa nos aproximaremos de nosso tema, fazendo um percurso histórico que visará apresentar um pouco como se deu a tematização da doutrina da imago Dei em alguns momentos da história do pensamento cristão. Em seguida, iniciaremos outra etapa e aprofundaremos o pensamento antropológico de nosso autor, observando as linhas gerais de sua antropologia. Mais precisamente os seus pressupostos antropológicos que exprimem a sua visão da realidade humana e os seus pressupostos teológicos que consistem na sua interpretação teológica das características ontológicas do ser humano. Interpretação que se dá a partir de uma leitura bíblica panorâmica e da reflexão teológica na história. Essas informações nos fornecerão os subsídios necessários para compreendermos a doutrina da imago Dei em sua teologia e assim nos permitirão chegar na quarta etapa de nosso trabalho, quando veremos os seus posicionamentos. Inicialmente explicitaremos porque a seu ver o homem está numa posição de destaque em relação às demais criaturas, em seguida veremos porque Pannenberg entende Adão como a imago Dei cópia e qual é na sua visão a implicação da imago Dei na existência de Adão. Na segunda parte do quarto capítulo, veremos os motivos que levam Pannenberg a afirmar que Jesus Cristo é a verdadeira imagem de Deus, ou seja, a imagem-modelo. Raciocínio que faz com que na sua antropologia teológica Jesus Cristo seja compreendido como o autêntico homem. Outra questão que levantaremos nesta segunda parte da quarta etapa é a importância que nosso autor dá à condição filial de Jesus, fato que está profundamente ligado na sua compreensão da eficácia salvífica da sua missão ordenada pelo Pai, de reconciliar o mundo. Fazendo com que todo homem através da ação do Espírito seja capaz de desfrutar de uma comunhão amorosa com Deus, e desta forma alcançar o destino que foi determinado em sua criação segundo a imagem divina. / [en] This study seeks through the theological anthropology of Wolfhart Pannenberg, Deepens the content os the doctrine of Imago Dei and systematize it. To achieve such a goal, this work in his introduction will present some informations about the person, the life and the theology of Wolfhart Pannenberg. In the second stage we will get closer our goal doing a historical journey that will aim to present a little like happened the development of the doctrine of the Imago Dei at some moments from the history of the Christian thought. We will begin another stage ,the anthropological thought of our author observing the general lines of his anthropology. More precisely his anthropological presuppositions that express his vision of the human reality and his theological presuppositions that consist of his theological interpretation of the ontological characteristics of the human being. Interpretation that happens from a panoramic reading of the Bible and of the theological reflection in the history. These informations will supply us with the necessary subsidies in order that we understand the doctrine of the Imago Dei in his theology that will enable us to reach the fourth stage of our work when we will see their placements. Initially we will explain the motives in his opinion man is in a position of prominence in relation to other creatures, then we will understand the reason Pannenberg affirm to be Adam Imago Dei copy, and wich is in his point of view the implication of the Imago Dei in Adam’s existence. In the second part of the fourth chapter we will study the motives that take Pannenberg affirm that Jesus Christ is the God’s true image, in other words the image-model. Through this reasoning in his theological anthropology Jesus Christ is understood like the authentic man. Another question that we will raise in this second part of the fourth stage is the importance that our author gives to the condition of Jesus as son of God, Fact that is deeply connected in his understanding of the salvivic efficiency of his mission ordered by the Father, to reconcile the world. Doing that so every men through the action of the Spirit is able to enjoy a loving communion with God, and in this way reach the destiny that was determined in his creation according to the divine image.

Endeavoring to invigorate a Pascalian approach to Christian persuasion, this dissertation asks: How might the doctrine of the imago Dei strengthen Pascal’s anthropological argument? The central claim is that the doctrine of the imago Dei strengthens Pascal's anthropological argument by supplying greater detail to the explanation stage and accounts for more instances of humans’ paradoxical condition. Chapter 1 demonstrates the need for this study. Even though Pascal’s method appears to be a formidable tool for Christian apologists in a postmodern culture, it has received surprisingly little attention and clarity in apologetic literature. Moreover, no efforts have been made to strengthen his anthropological argument by correlating it with insights from the doctrine of the imago Dei. Chapter 2 reveals that the anthropological theme within Pascal’s Pensées may be properly understood as a three-stage abductive argument consisting of data (instances of humans’ paradoxical behavior), explanation (Christian anthropology), and elimination (other religions or worldviews fail to explain the human condition). Chapter 3 surveys the history of interpretation of the doctrine of the imago Dei. Despite their many differences, interpreters generally agree that (1) imagedness means that humans are ontologically constituted for a relationship with God, but that (2) human sin conflicts with their God-oriented constitution. Chapter 4 presents six propositions about imagedness. These propositions support the observation that imagedness and sinfulness conspire to render the human condition paradoxical: humans are self-opposing. Chapter 5 applies this understanding of the imago Dei to the explanatory stage of Pascal’s anthropological argument, showing that the doctrine of the imago Dei provides a finer level of detail and explains more instances of humans’ paradoxical condition. Chapter 6 shows that the Christiformic journeys of Augustine, C. S. Lewis, and Jonathan Edwards represent flesh-and-blood instances of Scripture’s portrait of Christiformic image-bearers. These instances supply evidence that the doctrine of the imago Dei plausibly explains the human condition. Thus, they also strengthen Pascal’s anthropological argument. Chapter 7 explains two larger aims of this dissertation: to contribute toward a broader vision of Christian persuasion and to exemplify how the disciplines of apologetics and biblical theology can be powerful allies.