Fall 2011/Pasadena
TH846/546
Kärkkäinen/Murphy
TH846/546: THEOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY. Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen and
Nancey Murphy.
DESCRIPTION: This doctoral seminar, open to a limited number of advanced
master's level students, is designed to study theological anthropology, the
doctrine and understanding of human beings in Christian perspective, from a
philosophical and theological perspective, including relevant biblical and
historical, as well as scientific views. The focus will be on the meaning and
significance of the image of God in Christian tradition, including the complex
questions of identity and "self," as well as in the dualist and physicalist
accounts of human being. The cultural and "global" conditioning of these issues
will be discussed in relation to Feminist and Islamic views. Co-taught by a
philosopher and systematic theologian, this seminar offers an interdisciplinary
approach.
SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Because one of the most hotly debated
issues--not only in philosophy and theology but also in science, psychology,
and current culture--is the question of the nature, destiny, and "composition"
of human beings, every Christian philosopher and theologian needs an in-depth
and wide investigation of these issues.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students completing this course will have demonstrated their
ability to (1) identify key philosophical and theological views of the human
being and human nature in Christian tradition; (2) analyze critically and
assess different and competing accounts of human nature in contemporary
interdisciplinary conversation; (3) offer a reasoned response to current
proposals in light of tradition and current intellectual milieu; and (4) begin
to formulate their own understanding of a Christian view of human beings as
God's image.
COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet once a week for a three-hour session for
student presentations and critical discussion. Immediately after
registration, the student must contact the professors for the syllabus and
pre-seminar assignments (nmurphy@fuller.edu or vmk@fuller.edu).
REQUIRED READING: Selections from the following texts:
- Green, Joel. Body, Soul, and Human Life. Baker, 2008. ISBN:
978-1-84227-539-9; 182 pgs; 24.00.
- Grenz, S. The Social God and Relational Self: A Relational Theology of
the Image of God. Westminster John Knox, 2007. ISBN: 9780664232382.
$50.00.
- Ipgrave, Michael, and David Marshall, eds. Humanity: Texts and
Contexts--Christian and Muslim Perspectives. Georgetown University Press,
2011. ISBN: 978-1-58901-716-0; 148 pgs.; $24.95.
- Martin, Raymond, and John Barresi. The Rise and Fall of Soul and Self:
An Intellectual History of Personal Identity. Columbia University Press,
2006. ISBN: 978-0-231-13745-4; 345 pgs.; $25.00.
- Murphy, Nancey. Bodies and Souls, or Spirited Bodies? Cambridge
University Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-0-521-67676-2; 147 pgs.; $26.99.
- Murphy, Nancey, and Warren Brown. Did My Neruons Make Me Do It?
Oxford University Press, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-19-956823-9; 308 pgs.; 29.75.
- Pannenberg, Wolfhart. Anthropology in Theological Perspective.
Westminster Press, 1985. ISBN: 0-664-21399-5; 532 pgs.; $60.00.
- Course Reader:
- Kelsey, David H. Eccentric Existence: A Theological
Anthropology. 2 vols. Westminster John Knox, 2009.
- Moltmann, J. God in Creation. Fortress Press, 1993, chs. 9, 10.
- Pannenberg, Wolfhart. Systematic Theology. Vol. 1. Eerdmans, 1992,
ch. 8.
RECOMMENDED READING:
- Fisher, Christopher. Human Significance in Theology and the
Natural Sciences: An Ecumenical Perspective with Reference to Pannenberg,
Rahner, and Zizioulas. Pickwick, 2010. ISBN: 9781606080535. 351 pp.
$40.00
- Gonzales, M. A. Created in God's Image: An Introduction to Feminist
Theological Anthropology. Orbis, 2007. ISBN: 157075697X. $24.00.
- Graff, A. O'Hara, ed. In the Embrace of God: Feminist Approaches to
Theological Anthropology. Orbis, 1995. ISBN: 1597520284. $26.00.
- Green, Joel, ed. In Search of the Soul. 2nd ed. Wipf & Stock,
2010. ISBN: 9781608994731; 196 pgs; $23).
- Hopkins, Dwight, A. Being Human: Race, Culture, and Religion.
Fortress, 2005. ISBN: 9780800637576 $22.00.
- Jeeves. M., and Brown, W. S. Neuroscience, Psychology and Religion.
Templeton Foundation Press, 2009. ISBN: 59947-147-7. $14.75. (Highly
recommended for science background.)
- Kapolyo, J. M. The Human Condition: Christian Perspectives through
African Eyes. InterVarsity Press, 2005. ISBN: 0830833021. $39.95.
- Keller, K. From the Broken Web: Sexism, Separation, and Self. Beacon
Press, 1986. ISBN: 9780807067437. $23.00.
- McFadyen, A. Call to Personhood: A Christian Theory of the Individual in
Social Relationships. Cambridge University Press, 1990. 340 pp. ISBN:
9780521409292. $38.99.
- Murphy, N., and Brown, B. S., eds. Whatever Happened to the Soul?
Scientific and Theological Portraits of Human Nature. Fortress, 1998. ISBN:
9780800631413. $23.00.
- Niebuhr, R. The Nature and Destiny of Man, A Christian
Interpretation. 2 vols. Westminster John Knox, 1996 [1964]. ISBN:
0664257097. $50.00.
- Shults, F. LeRon. Reforming Theological Anthropology: After the
Philosophical Turn to Relationality. Eerdmans, 2003. ISBN: 9780802848871.
$35.00.
ASSIGNMENTS: Careful reading of texts; regular attendance; class participation.
Three 5-page papers throughout the term (3-page summary of reading; 2-page
essay designed to stimulate discussion), CATS students, one 20- to 25-page
(6,000 to 7,500 word) paper due at the end of the term; master's-level students
one 10- to 15-page (3,000 to 4,500 word) paper.
PREREQUISITES: For master's level students, written permission of one of the
professors.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: CATS students may count this as a seminar in
philosophy for the areas of philosophical theology and philosophy of religion,
as well as systematic theology.
This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (July 2011)