On Thinking the Human: Resolutions of Difficult Notions.On Thinking the Human: Resolutions of Difficult Notions. By Robert W. Jenson. Grand Rapids Grand Rapids, city (1990 pop. 189,126), seat of Kent co., SW central Mich., on the Grand River; inc. 1850. The second largest city in the state, it is a distribution, wholesale, and industrial center for an area that yields fruit, dairy products, farm produce, , MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2003. xii and 86 pages. Paper. $16.00. In this deceptively de·cep·tive·ly adv. In a deceptive or deceiving manner; so as to deceive. Usage Note: When deceptively is used to modify an adjective, the meaning is often unclear. short book, Robert Jenson Robert W. Jenson is a leading American Lutheran and ecumenical theologian. Student Years Jenson studied classics and philosophy at Luther College in the late 1940s, and he continued his study of philosophy in Paris as a Fulbright scholar before beginning theological takes up six notions that we need when discussing ourselves as human: death, consciousness, freedom, reality, wickedness, and love. Although we need them, Jenson notes, they persistently resist being thought satisfactorily. This is the case, he argues, because they are all notions from which we cannot gain sufficient distance in order to reflect upon them. That is, the selfinvolved character of our reflection hinders thought. To take one example, our reflections on death inevitably fail because they become accounts of the continuation of consciousness in death, which is really but a mode of life and not an image of death at all (p. 2). I simply cannot think my death. For each notion, Jenson's resolution is found in the same place: the Triune God. Only when we think the human in light of the Trinity do we find our path illuminated. Only when we begin to think through our deaths and consciousness and freedom and so forth, beginning from the Son's death and divine freedom and so forth, do we transcend the aporias that otherwise plague our efforts at thinking the human. This is a deceptively short book because time must be spent with it, the intricacies of the argument must be savored, if one is to follow Jenson's lead toward theological resolution of these difficult notions. It is not an easy read (particularly the philosophical critique and setting of the issues), but the time spent is rewarded. Of course, not all of Jenson's resolutions will prove finally persuasive to all readers. The decisively theological and particularly Trinitarian character of this thought may rile some. And even among those who find his theological vision persuasive, there are grounds for disagreement. For example, at least to this reader the question remains open as to whether his effort to articulate a theo-logic of moral equivalence This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. Please help Wikipedia by adding references. See the for details. This article has been tagged since September 2007. that distinguishes ordinary wickedness from radical evil runs afoul of a·foul of prep. 1. In or into collision, entanglement, or conflict with. 2. Up against; in trouble with: ran afoul of the law. his classic Augustinian commitments. The inevitable disagreements notwithstanding, Jenson's little book is a rich resource for thinking theologically about difficult notions of the human. Daniel M. Bell, Jr. Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (LTSS), located in Columbia, South Carolina is a theological seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America offering first and second professional theological degrees. Columbia, South Carolina Columbia is the state capital and largest city of South Carolina. As of 2006, estimates for the population of the city proper is 122,819[1]. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a small portion of the city extends into Lexington County. |
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