Personal Identity in Theological Perspective

The turbulence and confusion of contemporary life should motivate us to ask the big questions of life anew and to reexamine the disastrous naturalism of the twentieth century. This volume gathers well-known thinkers from a breadth of confessional Christian traditions who share a passionate interest in better understanding the nature of persons. The contributors to Personal Identity in Theological Perspective aim to recover the ancient biblical account of human beings as made "in the image of God." Their essays fall naturally into three divisions - retrieving historical discussions of human identity, presenting contemporary challenges to a distinctively Christian anthropology, and offering constructive proposals toward a richer understanding of persons. This volume will provoke discussion and debate on the fundamental question What does it mean to be human? Contributors: Stanley J. Grenz Michael S. Horton Stanton L. Jones David H. Kelsey Richard Lints Nancey Murphy Mark R. Talbot William C. Weinrich Robert Louis Wilken Mark A. Yarhouse

About the Author :
Richard Lints is Professor of Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Massachusetts, an ordained minister in the Presbyerian Church in America and the author of The Fabric of Theology. Michael S Horton is Professor of Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California, editor-in-chief of Modern Reformation magazine and host of White Horse Inn, a radio talk show exploring issues of Reformation theology in American Christianity. Mark R Talbot is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Wheaton Collgege, Illinois and coeditor of Limning the Psyche.

Review :
J. P. Moreland -- Tallbot School of Theology, Biola University "Facts about human persons have proven to be recalcitrant for postmodern and naturalist worldviews, as Christians would suspect. An adequate treatment of human persons simply cannot be given without the aid of Christian theology, especially in light of the nature and importance of the doctrine of the image of God. Thus it is refreshing to see such a team of scholars weigh in on the anthropological debate. Personal Identity in Theological Perspective combines a breadth of coverage with a depth of analysis. It is an important contribution to the ongoing conversation." Paul Helm -- University of London "This collection of historical and contemporary essays informs, provokes, and consoles. Its diversity is informed by the conviction that the nature of humanity is grounded in the nature of God. It is therefore theological in the purest sense." Paul F. M. Zahl -- Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry "In a period when the achievement of one's personal identity appears to be the value for all of us, these unified and meaty essays on identity in Christian context are apt in the extreme. Strikingly and originally, Stanton Jones and Mark Yarhouse have hit the ball straight out of the park! Their contribution concerning sexual identity and sexual ethics is by itself sufficient to drive the book to a very wide readership." John Cooper -- Calvin Theological Seminary "Personal Identity in Theological Perspective is an excellent example of contemporary Christian scholarship. This collection of essays by evangelical and confessional academics insightfully and creatively engages contemporary discussions of human nature from perspectives shaped by the great theological traditions of historic Christianity. The authors relate theological topics such as the image of God and the body-soul relation to current views of human biology, psychology, sexuality, community, culture, morality, and religion as they wrestle with what it means to be a human person. This volume would make excellent collateral reading for seminary courses in theological anthropology"