Theological anthropology of Thomas F. Torrance : a critical and comparative exploration
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Date
04/07/2014Author
Wei, Jing
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Abstract
Despite tackling theological anthropology in one of his earliest works, this
remains a minor theme in the writings of Thomas. F. Torrance. Yet his writings are
replete with references to the nature of the human person from the perspective of the
doctrine of God, creation and the person and work of Christ. This accent upon
theology rather than anthropology is intentional in securing a strongly theological and
Christological understanding of the person, largely in opposition to more
anthropocentric approaches to the knowledge of God. The thesis explores the ways in
which his handling of key Christian doctrines shapes his account of the human person
as created and redeemed, relational and rational, dependent yet responsible. In
particular, his early response to the Barth-Brunner controversy, via the interpretation
of Calvin, is analysed before proceeding to his account of the anthropological
significance of the vicarious humanity of Christ, the persons of the Trinity and the
creation of the world through the divine Logos. To draw Torrance’s anthropological
conclusions into clearer perspective, a series of comparison with other 20th century
writers is drawn – Bultmann, Macmurray and Moltmann. What emerges is an
appreciative reading of Torrance’s theological anthropology as an important resource
in terms of its methodology and strong theological orientation, but one which
identifies some important lacunae on the particularity of the human creature.