The Soul in the Bible: Monism in Biblical Scholarship? : Analysing Biblical Studies from a Systematic Point of View
Systematic theologians and Christian philosophers who evaluate a dualist concept of the soul, the self or "I" that survives death often cite biblical scholarship in favour of monist positions. In this article the possible overlap between biblical theology and systematic theology is examine...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Amsterdam University Press
[2018]
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| In: |
European journal of theology
Year: 2018, Volume: 27, Issue: 2, Pages: 147-161 |
| IxTheo Classification: | HA Bible NBE Anthropology |
| Further subjects: | B
Soul music
B Theology B Monism B Bible B Religion |
| Summary: | Systematic theologians and Christian philosophers who evaluate a dualist concept of the soul, the self or "I" that survives death often cite biblical scholarship in favour of monist positions. In this article the possible overlap between biblical theology and systematic theology is examined by analysing the critical attitude towards the concept of the soul, or dualism, in contemporary biblical scholarship. First, from a systematic-philosophic perspective, dualism and monism as metaphysical positions are distinguished. Next, the way in which the notion of the soul is considered and used by modern exegetes is examined through a sample of contemporary Old Testament and New Testament scholarship on nephesh or psyche. Biblical scholars often make claims about dualism and support monism. The roots of this monist tendency are explored next. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the dichotomy between the "Greek" soul and the Hebrew, Jewish, or biblical idea of the resurrection of the body entered theology when J. Kögel inserted this opposition into H. Cremer's influential biblical-theological lexicon. Kögel explicitly rejects the metaphysical category of "substance", associated with the soul. In this way, a metaphysical position is taken and a dogmatic presupposition introduced in biblical scholarship. Correspondingly, the present-day monist tendency can be interpreted as an attempt to avoid metaphysical language. This clouds the fact that physicalism might be assumed by biblical interpreters in their explanation and choice of language. |
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| ISSN: | 2666-9730 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: European journal of theology
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