Body & Soul in Eternal City

Catalog description

What are we fundamentally? Are we living bodies? Souls trapped in bodies? Body-soul composites? Could you be you without your body? Without any body at all? In this course, we will explore the question of what we are, with a special focus on the importance (or lack of importance) of the body to the identity of the individual. We will discuss three different theories of human nature, which place differing emphasis on the importance of the body: Substance Dualism, according to which you are a soul with a body, and your body is not essential to you; Hylomorphism, according to which you are a soul-body composite, and your body is essential to you; and Animalism, according to which you are a living human animal. We will examine the compatibility of these different views of human nature with important Christian beliefs and practices. In particular, we will focus on the extent to which these views of human nature are compatible with one of the definitive doctrines of Christianity: the resurrection.