Book Description
Are humans composed of a body and a nonmaterial mind or soul, or are we purely physical beings? Opinion is sharply divided over this issue. In this clear and concise book, Nancey Murphy argues for a physicalist account, but one that does not diminish traditional views of humans as rational, moral, and capable of relating to God. This position is motivated not only by developments in science and philosophy, but also by biblical studies and Christian theology. The reader is invited to appreciate the ways in which organisms are more than the sum of their parts. That higher human capacities such as morality, free will, and religious awareness emerge from our neurobiological complexity and develop through our relation to others, to our cultural inheritance, and, most importantly, to God. Murphy addresses the questions of human uniqueness, religious experience, and personal identity before and after bodily resurrection.
Customer Reviews:
Concise Statement on Christian Physicalism .......2007-09-17
In this book Murphy provides an excellent concise statement of the Christian Physicalist position. In fact I would say it is one of the clearest statements on the subject that I have read. Her arguments are strong and clear for the most part. There are only a few down sides that I can find with this book.
1) I found her Biblical arguments to be very thin. Part of that is due to the length of this book. It would be hard to give an exhaustive survey of Biblical anthropology in such a limited space.
2) Her account of Nonreductive Physicalism ultimately fails. She notes in the introduction that she herself is not satisfied with her arguments for this position.
3) If you have read her other works then you will not find many new things here. There is a lot of repeat material taken from some of her other writings which she also admits in several footnotes.
I am not convinced that dualism is false after reading this book, but I will admit that I became convinced of the defensibility of the Christian Physicalist position. Murphy's clarity and fairness in her arguments make this book worth reading.
One perspective.......2007-08-27
This book is written for graduate students of theology. It is therefore a very slow and difficult read for the average seeker of knowledge.
Exciting new development in Christian anthropology.......2006-06-24
What conception should Christians hold about human nature? It is safe to say that most Christians think of the human person in terms of a body 'animated' by a soul which detaches from the body at death. There are a variety of theological and scriptural reasons for thinking this, but then again it is not the only option consistent with Christian belief. In her book Bodies and Souls, or Spirited Bodies? Nancey Murphy makes a compelling case for a nonreductive physicalist account of human nature, which in her words is the thesis that "first, that we are our bodies-there is no additional metaphysical element such as a mind or soul or spirit. But, second, this 'physicalist' position need not deny that we are intelligent, moral, and spiritual" (p. ix). There are a variety of reasons for adopting this position, including the fact that there is no specific Biblical stance on the subject anyway, recent advances in cognitive neuroscience and the importance in Christian spirituality of recognizing our embodied, social and relational aspects. With regard to this last reason, theologian John Garvey pointed out recently that:
"We find it hard, especially in a culture that stresses individualism, to accept the idea that the self exists only in relationship. In fact, who we are is formed by the family we are born into, the language we learn, the culture we are immersed in. Finally, we are, we exist, because we are loved by God, who wills us to be. Even within the Trinity, the persons exist separately only in relation to one another. The moment we think that our being is in any way independent of relationship, we fall into the trap Genesis warned us about: We want to be like Gods."
Nancey Murphy's critics at the Secular Web accuse her and her collaborators of trying to have their cake and eat it too with a 'nonreductive' as opposed to a 'reductive' physicalist account, but the moment you accept any sort of physicalist understanding you face the problem C.S. Lewis identified many years ago in his argument against naturalism:
"Unless our conclusion [about some proposition arrived at through logical argumentation] is the logical consequent from a ground it will be worthless and could be true only by a fluke. Unless it is the effect of a cause, it cannot occur at all. It looks therefore, as, in order for a train of thought to have any value, these two systems of connection must apply simultaneously to the same series of mental acts. But unfortunately the two systems are wholly distinct. To be caused is not to be proved."
If Nancey Murphy wants to have her cake and eat it too, her critics are trying to discredit their opponent by sawing off the epistemic branch they themselves are standing on when they argue that a nonreductive physicalist account is incoherent. As Murphy says at another point in her book, "In fact, if reductionism were true, no rational person could accept it because there would be no rational persons!" (p. 109).
To get around this difficulty Murphy develops a concept of 'top-down' causation, in which higher emergent processes have some causal efficacy over lower-level processes, without violating the laws of physics. I think that more work needs to be done to give a satisfying account of this concept, but very broadly I think something like this is required to account for the richness of human experience. We are not just biological machines, if we were we would never know it. This also opens up a way for God to act in the world, on the human nervous system in order to communicate to us His Will and also to perform miracles. Murphy also gives a satisfying account of how personal identity can be maintained in different bodies, before and after the resurrection, so this central Christian doctrine emerges unscathed from a physicalist treatment.
Even so, many Christians find the idea that there is no metaphysical 'soul' troubling and continue to hold to some form of body-soul dualism. John Garvey gives what I think is the main reason:
"Belief in the immortality of the soul attracts us because we hope that something about us is less contingent than the body, less creaturely, something that possesses an inherent immortality. For much of history, people believed the mind was somehow separate from the body, consciousness was somehow spiritual in a way that the meat soup of the brain was not."
Seen in this light, belief in the immortality of the soul is just wishful thinking. It is more in keeping with Christian faith to place all our hope for immortality in the faithfulness of a loving God. As Montaigne said centuries ago, "...it was truly for good reason that we were held to God alone and to the favor of his grace for the truth of so noble a belief, since we receive from his bounty alone the fruit of immortality...Let us confess ingenuously that God alone has said this, together with faith: for it is not a lesson of nature and our reason. And anyone who will investigate his own being and his powers, both internal and external, without that divine gift, will see in him neither efficacy nor any faculty that smells of anything but death and earth. The more we give and owe and render to God, the more we act with greater Christianity."
For me this is a very exciting development in Christian theological anthropology. There does not have to be any conflict between Christian belief and new neuroscientific discoveries, we regain an emphasis of the importance of the body, which we should offer as "living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God" and which is "the temple of the Holy Spirit". The risen Christ was no phantom. He ate with his disciples and communed with them by the sea. He invited the doubting Thomas to touch and see for himself. And as He is now, so shall we all be at the Last Day. A Christian can hope for no more. It is already much more than we deserve or can even imagine.
Book Description
There are now a record sixty-four million Catholics in the United States, yet the number of priests is plummeting so fast that hundreds of parishes nationwide are closing down, placing ever more strain on those few who wear, or wish to wear, the Roman collar. Against this turbulent backdrop, Englert charts the journey of five men toward the priesthood at a seminary that specializes in "second-career" priestsmen who come to their vocation later than their college years. We meet a divorced father and avid hunter from Wyoming, an ex-salesman and Marine with ADHD, a recently widowed father of four, a blind musician, and others. With wit and sometimes heartbreaking candor, they face the challenges of priestly lifefrom the traditional hurdles of poverty and chastity to more modern travails, like the bad press let loose by recent sexual abuse scandals and the skepticism of their friends and families. For each man, these challenges are intensified by their past experiences as they sacrifice familiar comforts to answer their calling. Englert is ideally qualified to write The Collar, both professionally, as a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism, and spiritually, as a convert to Catholicism who has walked the tortuous path of faith. His empathy with the spiritual journeys of the men he portrays recalls The Cloister Walk. His deft, evenhanded unveiling of a compelling, little-observed culture will resonate with both the faithful and the merely curious.
Customer Reviews:
Under the Collar.......2007-09-11
Mr. Englert takes us into the lives of men committed to or discerning God's call into the Catholic priesthood. The breadth and depth of the insights into the seminarian's minds and hearts, their mentors and teachers at this Seminary for delayed vocations may surprise some readers. These men are representative of their times; they bring to this place and this task strengths, fervor and dedication Catholics have long associated with seminarians. Mr. Englert's contributions to our understanding are some heretofore less visible aspects: their fears, some ignorance of the Tradition and the tradition, confusions and especially encouraging, some aspects of their spiritual life. He was allowed full access to the seminarians and their daily routines. As a result, we have
a book offering a realistic, hope-filled "video" of an essential slice of Catholic life in 2002-03.
Interesting.......2007-01-19
This was a surprisingly entertaining read. I learned a lot about seminary options for older men that I previously didn't know. It's encouraging to know that men of faith have these options even later in life. I recommend The Collar.
Very insightful reading!.......2007-01-04
I'm a graduate of Loyola University who gets regular copies of the University's "Vistas" report telling of the University. I saw Don Malin's name earlier this year in part of the report talking about this new book. So I checked Amazon to see if I could get a copy.
Don (now Father Malin) and I were very close friends through part of our college years until a falling out took place between us, which was mainly my decision; not his.
Don had always wanted to be a Catholic priest, even back then and I was interested in reading more about his journey, since we parted from college: So I bought the book.
The book is well written and while it can't be said it captures the totality of what a man goes through to face a life of calling, it is a well written "sampling" of the mindset and growth that takes place with those who go into Catholic ministry.
Anyone intereted in pursuing a life of the "cloth" should consider reading this book. I'm not all the way through reading it, but I like its honesty and down to earth revelations that help you realize God's servants are only good men; with a desire to do good and serve God the best they can which is so badly needed in a world that is preoccupied with its own greed and lust for money; given all I've seen in the business world for 30 some odd years.
Not Much Better Than Decent.......2006-09-06
I had hoped for better. It covers a year in the life of about 6 seminarians who are all over 30. They have had other careers and lives but have been drawn to the priesthood.
Most of the guys' stories were just not interesting to me. I liked Dean, but his performance and the results were annoying.
The education they received was too liberal. The lack of discipline in life and study was frustrating. I wouldn't want to go to this seminary.
men for all seasons.......2006-07-13
The Catholic priesthood has always stood apart from its Protestant and New Age counterparts because of its unique fusion of the mystical and the material, the magical and the mundane, ministry and majesty, sacrament and sacrifice; a generation ago Archbiship Sheen wrote from a lifetime of inside insights a late book titled "Those Mysterious Priests." Englert, a devout but clear-eyed journalist with a considerable touch of a poet, has taken the mystery into a new millennium, one beset by challenges, conflict, and decline not seen since the days of the Reformation. His refreshingly human, humane, and yet probing study of men who seek to embrace the challenge of a call to service and holiness offers fruitful reading by all who, whether Catholic, Protestant, agnostic, or any combination thereof, may thirst for answers to the very notion of 'vocation.' It reads like a novel, yet it enriches the reader with ideas and questions that resonate long after the final page is spent. It should win a Pulitzer Prize for craftmanship that matches the scope of its conception. An ideal marriage of substance and style that should be a model for courses in journalism, even within the most secular of ivy-clad walls. Also required reading for anyone who may hear the whisper of a higher call. Bravissimo!
Book Description
...this is the most profound book on the boundary of theology and economics in the past couple of decades. It has a depth of perspective, a scope of scholarship and a discernment that is rare in this field.-CHRISTIAN CENTURY
Book Description
European enslavement of Africans and the development of the slave trade began in the sixteenth century. As the New World opened up, the slave trade thrived and slave labour became a significant economic force. Slavery itself was seldom challenged on humanitarian or religious grounds - in fact, evangelical leaders often used the Bible to justify slavery. In the late eighteenth century a notable exception emerged: John Wesley. Though little has been written about this dimension of Wesley's life, he was the first Christian leader of world renown to take a decisive stand against slavery. With wide-ranging analysis and depth, Dr. Brendlinger has brought to light the strength of Wesley's convictions about slavery and demonstrates how his theology compelled him to work to abolish it. From the writing of Thoughts Upon Slavery to his interactions with key players such as Wilberforce, Clarkson, Sharp and Benezet, Wesley utilized all means available to him to support the cause. The breadth of his authority and respect enabled him to influence Methodists (in England and America) to use their collective power to bring about radical societal change. Wesley's legacy to Methodism is extensive, but his contribution to the antislavery movement is singularly significant in bringing down the institution of slavery. This is his story. IRV BRENDLINGER is Professor of Church History and Theology at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon. He holds a Ph.D. degree from the University of Edinburgh. 5.5" x 8.5" perfectbound, 292 pages
Customer Reviews:
A masterpiece.......2007-05-20
This book is a masterpiece by Ernst Troeltsch, providing a deep analysis of the evolution of the social thought and teaching of the Christian Churches. This book presents not only the historical, but also the sociological and even philosophical evolution of the social teachings of the Christian Churches, being thus a fundamental book for graduate and undergraduate students, historians, sociologists, scientists of religion and all those interested in learning about this matter.
A magisterial treatment .......2006-07-26
This book is extremely thorough, comprehensive, demanding, and rewarding. It's translated from German -- the German of prewar academia -- so approach the text with patience and fortitude. Familiarity in advance with the history of the Reformation is almost a prerequisite; try Bainton's history (short) or MacCulloch's (long).
from the back of the book.......2006-05-31
The work of one of the great minds of the twentieth century, this unsurpassed classic is more than a history of Christian ethical ideas. It comes near to being a history of the Christian era, for it relates these ideas to the changing structures of church and society, showing the mutual influences between ideas, social forces, and institutions. In a critical and creative way it has advanced the methods of theological and sociological analysis and synthesis. At the same time the work is more than a history, for it speaks to the present condition of the churches and the culture. This two-volume document is as substantial and original as anything that exists on the topic. It reaches from the period of early Christianity to the end of the eighteenth century when "the main body of Protestant civilization was founded and evolved." The extensive footnotes alone virtually amount to a liberal education.
Indespensible.......2004-11-21
I'm quite surprised to find no review of this monumental work. So, briefly: This text is INDISPENSABLE for understanding both religion in the west, but also the religious and political debates that rage across our front pages. Here you will find a key to why so many can use the same religious vocabulary to mean such different things. How "ought" the faithful live out their beliefs in relation to their neighbors and their governments? Reclusively, publicly, or leave it to the Bishops?
Troeltsch illuminates the three major historical manifestations of the Christian church in the post-reformation era: the sectarian (read, "we're right, you're wrong, but leave us alone"), the Protestant (read, "mainline"), and the Roman Catholic. Of course, published in 1911, Troeltsch's work has to be understood within the context of the pre-Great War (WWI, to us) positivism, along with its contemporaries, such as James's "Varieties of Religious Experience," for example. Both are brilliant synthetic systems that attempt to give timeless frameworks for understanding their fields. And both have the grandeur, idealism, and the tragic limitations of the (post-war) League of Nations.
Nevertheless, through Troeltsch we have sufficient tools to illuminate, for example, the monumental nature of the shift in American religion marked by the entry of Christian fundamentalism onto the political battlefield. Fundamentalism, a formerly sectarian expression of faith, is transformed into nothing less than a religious and political crusade by Jerry Falwell though the Moral Majority. Similarly Pat Robertson leads the formerly apolitical evangelical right into the fray. Together Falwell and Robertson engineer not only the political coup which finds its greatest success in the (re?)election of George W. Bush, but also a distinctively religious transformation (or deformation, depending on your perspective) of sectarian church and Christian faith into a political machine. It is a revolution - speaking now not of the political but of the ecclesial - eerily reminiscent of Cromwell's Republic, one whose repercussions will echo for decades to come.
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To Remember and to Heal: Theological and Psychological Reflections on Truth and Reconciliation
Manufacturer: Human & Rousseau
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ASIN: 0798136448 |
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Daughters of Rahab: Prostitution and the Church of Liberation in Brazil (Harvard Theological Studies)
Margaret Eletta Guider
Manufacturer: Augsburg Fortress Publishers
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ASIN: 0800670930 |
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History As a Theological Issue (Theological Seminar Series, 2)
Nico T. Bakker
Manufacturer: Deo Publishing
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ASIN: 9058540022 |
Book Description
This classic study offers a history of anti-Japanese prejudice in California, extending from the late nineteenth century to 1924, when an immigration act excluded Japanese from entering the United States. The Politics of Prejudice details the political climate that helped to set the stage for the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II and reveals the racism present among middle-class American progressives, labor leaders, and other presumably liberal groups.
Customer Reviews:
Time Warp.......2007-08-12
Roger Daniels's 1962 book The Politics of Prejudice: The Anti-Japanese Movement in California and the Struggle for Japanese Exclusion is a must for all voting-age citizens. Why a must? Because at first glance this book seems like obscure, dark history of a time almost now forgotten and because of the little attention devoted to pre-Pearl Harbor treatment of Japanese immigrants (Issei)and Japanese-Americans (Nessei). More importantly, it is a book that speaks of our national character and grows timeless in its treatment of immigration which of course is hardly a new phenomenon.
It is almost like walking into a timewarp! Substitute "Japan" for "Mexico" or "Latin America" and substitute "Japanese" for "Mexican" or "illegal alien" and you'd think Professor Daniels had written this book last night! The Tancreados, the Jim Gilchrists--even the more wishy washy Schwarzenegger-types of the period are all there! (Even Fabian socialist and Lenin-admirer H.G. Wells bought into the "Yellow Peril" paranoia.) Exclusionist groups like FAIR, the Minute Men and legislation like the Sensenbrenner bill, were all present a hundred years ago! The book also covers key propagandists like the Rupert Murdoch of a century ago: William Randolph Hearst. Nothing new under the sun, eh?
This is a slight book, crammed with information. The only problems are the tiny print (for my myopic eyes) and the lengthy footnotes. Also, once in a while, Professor Daniels slips into obscure early 20th century California politics, but that said, I would purchase used copies and mail them to choice legislators. Would that work?
Trotsky was mistaken. History DOES repeat itself (for those who didn't learn from it the first time, anyway, as the ancient Greek philospher said.)
Great facts and opinions about Japanese internment in the United States; everyone should read.......2007-02-22
Great facts and opinions about Japanese internment in the United States; everyone should read
Outstanding Book!.......2003-12-10
Nice and short (not "long and boring" like many history books!) -- a very thorough examination of the causes of the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Professor Daniel's book is beautifully written and should be read by anyone who is interested in the topic!
Great Intro for New and Old Historians-prejudice in politics.......2000-03-28
The best part of this book is its organization. As a reader,having no background in subjects of politics nor Japanese American History, I was able to clearly understand the point of view of those people who were against Japanese immigration and how their actions effected the decisions to use internment camps for the Japanese American people during WWII.
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