Nonreductive Physicalism: Theological Concerns

1. Nonreductive Physicalism: Theological Concerns James A. Van Slyke

2. Theological Issues • Primary Thesis (Murphy) • The Bible does not hold a specific view on human nature, but a plurality of views • A particular view is often read into scriptural passages • Developing a definition of theological anthropology takes into account several voices • Science • Philosophy • Theology • Bible

3. Plan of Action • History of Definitions • Understanding Biblical References • Theological Issues • Resurrection

4. History of Anthropological Terms • Difficulties in finding a consistent definition • H. Wheeler Robinson (1911) • Hebraic – Animated body, Unity, not incarnate soul • New Testament – Modified dualism, personality survives bodily death • C.A. Beckwith (1910) • Body is opposed to soul, as flesh is opposed to spirit • E. Schaeder (1910) • New bodies are given to risen souls • G. Runze • At death the soul rests in God until it receives a new glorified body

5. History of Anthropological Terms • Dictionary of the Bible (1902) • J. Laidlaw • Soul = life embodied in living creatures • E. R. Bernard • “clothing of soul with a body which has to be reconstituted”

6. History of Anthropological Terms • Post-World War I • Rudolf Bultmann • Paul’s use of body charaterizes the person as a whole • “Man does not have a soma [body], he is a soma [soma].” • John A. T. Robinson • Moves from a dualist notion (similar to Wheeler Robinson) to a wholistic conception • Oscar Cullman • “The Jewish and Christian interpretation of creation excludes the whole Greek dualism of body and soul.”

7. Biblical Sources • Old Testament • Word for soul – nephes • soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion • Typically refers to whole person, not separable part • Genesis 2:7 • God breathes into Adam and he becomes a living soul (being) • Same word is used to describe living animals

8. Biblical Sources • Basar – • outside of the person rather than internal (Isaiah 10:18) • Often translated as flesh, but also an expression of the spiritual

9. Biblical Terms: OT • Leb • Heart, mind, conscience • Totality of human existence • Center of human affect • Perception • Ruah – breath • Wind, seat of cognition, disposition, spirit

10. Biblical Sources • New Testament • Psyche • Typically translated for “soul” • Also means breath of life, earthly life, emotions, feelings, center of life, inner life, living creature • Nephes is typically translated as psyche • Soma – body • Sarx – flesh • Pneuma – spirit

11. Understanding Paul’s Anthropological Terms • James Dunn – The Theology of Paul • Two Main terms • Body (Soma) – human body, body of sin, body of death, Christ’s body of flesh, resurrected body, sacramental bread, the church • Flesh (Sarx) – opposed to the Spirit of God, antithesis to Christian living, soil which produces corruption

12. Soma • Paul’s usage has a spectrum of meanings • Embodiment of the person • Relational term • Embodied in a particular environment • More than physical body; I in relationship • “Bodily presence as weak” (2 Cor 10.10) • “Christ might be magnified in my body” (Phil 1.20)

13. Sarx • Spectrum of meanings • Neutral physical definition • Hebraic thought of weakness • Sin • Antithesis to Spirit • Hostility to God • No longer acting “according to the flesh” (2 Cor. 10.2-3 • “Flesh” does not seem to encompass all its meanings

14. Sarx • The sinning “ I” cannot be separated from “sarx” • Sarx is vulnerable to sin • Bultmann – defined flesh as “the self-reliant attitude of the man who put shis trust in his own strength and in that which is controllable by him” • Paul himself struggled in trying to understand the relationship between humanity and sin

15. Relating the Terms • Aspective or Partitive account? • Partitive account • More Greek influence • Person made up of different parts • “The school has a gym” • Aspective account • More Hebraic • Terms are aspects of the whole • “I am Scottish”

16. Resurrection • How can resurrection be understood in light of nonreductive physicalism? • Use Paul’s account • 1 Corinthians 15 • Peter Lampe

17. Resurrection • Resurrection of the soma, not “ascension of the spirit” or “immortality of the soul” • Eschatological reality • Outside present reality at end of time • Our hope beyond death • Something “unnatural” – not within the scope of our present existence

18. Resurrection • Different Bodies – 1 Cor 15 esp. 44ff • Soma psyche (Soulish Body) • Present body not suited for eternal life • Soma pneumatikon (Spiritual Body) • Different kind of existence • Spiritual indicates that God must create this body • One body is for this age, one body is for the age to come

19. Resurrection • “What you sow does not come to life unless it dies” (15:36) • This existence comes to an end • Death comes first than life • Soul is not immortal • Continuity between seed and plant • Seed must die • New life is an act of creation by God

20. The Embodied Soul • Nonreductive physicalism • Soul is embodied the physicality of the human person • Not an immaterial property • Soul is an aspect of the person rather than a separable part • Develops through the emergence of personal relatedness with others and God

21. Critical Issues • Intermediate State • State between death and the next life • Is death a separation or do our souls leave our bodies? • Identity • How does our identity remain the same? • What is identity?