Man in Revolt: A Christian Anthropology

by Emil Brunner

Overview

In the struggle of ideas, the most fundamental and far-reaching is that of the nature of mankind. What are we? Why are we not at peace with ourselves or our neighbours? How does our understanding of our nature lead to personal and social well-being? We have followed the false leads of Darwin, Nietzsche, Marx, and Freud in trying to understand ourselves. Despite other differences, they all interpret man in relation to nature, rejecting transcendent, metaphysical or religious understanding of thehuman condition. They do not solve the contradiction between what we are and what we ought to be. Brunner sees the human contradiction as comprehensible only in terms of a God to whose word we must respond. This is not communication by language; it refers to the fundamental character of personal relations. People are persons in so far as they can freely say to each other what they think and feel. This communication is possible in so far as we recognise that God speaks to us and respond to Him. Brunner sees responsibility as the key to personality. The Biblical doctrine of man, created in the image of God and capable of responding to God's Word, is the key to recovering an effective sense of responsibility. With profound penetration and power, Brunner applies his thesis to such vexed questions as individuality and community, character, relations between man and woman, relations between soul and body. Man in Revolt explains our frustration and confusion about ourselves, and why the Christian view of man, of his place in nature and history, is the truth which man both needs and seeks in the search for himself.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780718890445
Publisher:	The Lutterworth Press
Publication date:	09/01/2002
Pages:	574
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x (d)

About the Author

Dr Emil Brunner was made Privatdozent at the University of Zurich at the age of 33, and later was appointed Professor of Systematic and Practical Theology. In 1953 he became Professor of Christian University, Tokyo (Japan) and in 1955 returned to Zurich. His three-volume masterpiece Dogmatics is available from our sister imprint James Clarke and Co Ltd.

Table of Contents

Author's Preface (to the German Edition) Translator's Note Introduction: The Question of Man I. The Riddle of Man II. Man's Own View of His Significance III. The Variety of the Views of Man Main Section I: Foundations IV. The Presuppositions of the Christian Doctrine of Man V. The Origin: The Imago Dei VI. The Contradiction: The Destruction of the Image of God VII. The Conflict Between the Origin and the Contradiction in Man: Man as He Actually is VIII. The Objections to the Christian Doctrine, and the Retrospective Question from the Standpoint of Actual Experience Main Section II: Development of the Theme IX. The Unity of Personality and Its Decay X. The Human Spirit and the Human Reason XI. The Problem of Freedom XII. The Individual and the Community XIII. Character and Varieties of Character XIV. Individuality and Humanity XV. Man and Woman XVI. Soul and Body XVII. The Growth of Man and the Doctrine of Evolution XVIII. Man in the Cosmos XIX. Man in History XX. Man in his Earthly Life, and Death Epilogue: The Removal of the Contradiction Between Man as He Actually is, and Man as He is Intended to Be Appendices Index