Can We Create Ourselves?

“Humanist and Christian Theologies of the Body”

By Benedict M. Ashley, O.P.

1985

Part II: Christian Theologies of the Body

Chapter 4: The Platonic Christian Theology

i: Biblical Themes

1) The Body is a Tomb

2) Bible and Body

3) Liberation and Resurrection Theme

4) Creation or Image Theme

5) Sin-Death-Cross Theme

6) Wisdom Theme

7) Stewardship Theme

8) Fertility Theme

9) Suffering Servant Theme

00:32:10 ii: Eastern Platonic Christian Theology

1) From the Jewish to Greek World-View

2) Anthropology of Origen and the Cappadocians

3) Anthropology of the Pseudo-Dionysius and St. Maximus

01:20:08 iii: Western Platonic Christian Theology

1) The Anthropology of St. Augustine

2) Medieval Theology Before the Rise of the Universities

02:00:27 Chapter 5: The Aristotelian Christian Theology

i: The Aristotelian Alternative

1) Aristotle in the Eastern Church

2) Aristotle in the Latin Universities

3) The Survival of Platonic Dualism

02:49:56 ii: Nominalism and the Shift from Nature to Law

1) Nominalism and Voluntarism

2) From Nature to Law

03:05:47 iii: Renaissance and the Platonic Idealization of the Body

1) The Ideal Body

2) The Mathematization of Natural Science

03:35:34 iv: The Body and the Sacraments

1) The Reformation Subordination of Sacrament to Word

2) The Counter-Reformation Reduction of Sacrament to Law

3) The Desacralized Body

04:32:03 Chapter 6: Christian Theology Confronted by Humanism

i: The Cartesian Transition

1) The Phenomenal Body

2) The Cartesian Christian Theology

05:02:38 ii: Christian Reaction to the Rise of Humanism

1) The Rise of Empiricism

2) The Experiment with Idealism

05:36:36 iii: Compromises

1) Protestant Approachement

2) Catholic Approachement

05:57:59 iv: The Dialogue with Scientistic or Positivistic Humanism

1) The Thomistic Revival

2) Recent Renewals

3) The Lessons of History