The Unity Of Nature And History In Pannenberg S Theology

The Unity of Nature and History in Pannenberg's Theology addresses the problematic relationship of humans to the non-human world by analyzing Wolfhart Pannenberg's theology and ethics.

Pannenberg poses theological questions to natural scientists that illuminate his personal position on issues dealing with theology and the natural sciences, especially physics, reviewing the relationship between natural law and contingency, the importance of the spirit in the phenomenon of life, field theory, language, and the theological account for the nature of God and God's creative activity.

How deep has Pannenberg's influence been on American theology? Which particular ideas or themes from his work have been most pervasive to Ameri­can thinkers, and which have encountered the greatest resistance? What implications does his work have beyond explicitly theo­logical contexts--e.g., for philosophy, ethics, environmental concerns, political ac­tion, and the natural sciences? What new forms have his ideas taken as they have been adapted to fit the very different context of American theology? The authors of the twelve critiques in this vol­ume represent a broad cross section of American thought on religion. The essays cover virtually all of the major areas in which Pannenberg has published. An intro­ductory survey provides a comprehensive overview of the critical literature on Pannenberg from the early 1960s to 1986. Together, the essays represent an ac­curate barometer of the influence Pannenberg has had in America, as well as the sorts of reservations that the English-speaking world brings to his work. It has now been many years since Pannenberg's first visit to the United States. At that time the discussion with Pannenberg fo­cused on the radically historical character of his proposal for theology, centering around revelation and resurrection. In the meantime, Pannenberg's thought has ex­panded almost encyclopedically into most of the major disciplines studied in a modern university. Without doubt the most comprehensive theologian at work today, his place in the history of twentieth-century theol­ogy is well assured.

Known as one of the most outstanding theologians of the twentieth century, Wolfhart Pannenberg is also considered a great interdisciplinary thinker. Now, essays and articles on science and theology that are central to understanding Pannenberg's theories have been collected into one volume. Niels Henrik Gregersen, a former student of Pannenberg and now professor of systematic theology at Copenhagen University, has compiled the writings in four sections: Methodology, Creation and Nature's Historicity, Religion and Anthropology, and Meaning and Metaphysics. Included in this volume are: •Translations of Pannenberg's principled argument for the consonance between science and religion, including contingency and laws of nature, field theories and space-time, and divine action •Translations of Pannenberg's theory of theology as a rational hypothetical science, including his discussions with leading British and American scholars such as A. N. Whitehead, John Cobb, and Langdon Gilkey •Previously unpublished articles on the problems between science and theology in the course of modern history, explaining why chance may be more important for theology than design •Translations of seminal articles that articulate Pannenberg's understanding of the role of religion in human nature •One of the few theological articles on aggression as a psychological and social phenomenon With this collection, the essays of this important contemporary theologian and his illuminating views are presented in one convenient volume.

Wolfhart Pannenberg is among the most important Protestant Continental theologians of the twentieth century. This volume offers the first full historical and thematic survey of Pannenberg‘s corpus, from his early work in Christology and eschatology, to his writings on science, anthropology, theology and the university, and the pivotal achievement of his systematic theology. As such, the project will make a significant contribution to theological assessment and will be a useful text for students and scholars in modern and contemporary theology.

As one of the great thinkers of our time, Wolfhart Pannenberg has influenced the history of Christian theology and philosophy of religion since the second half of the 20th century. His Systematic Theology and many of his other works have become classics in the theological science.In this introduction Gunther Wenz examines the main pillars of Pannenberg's theology: the self-manifestation of God, the Trinitarian God, the creation of the world, Christology, anthropology, pneumatology, eschatology and ecclesiology. The book thereby offers a valuable guide to comprehending Pannenberg's Systematic Theology in the context of his most relevant writings.

Pannenberg on Evil, Love and God examines a much-neglected aspect of the theological thought of one of the most original contemporary German theologians, Wolfhart Pannenberg: his theological and philosophical understanding of evil and its relationship to the love of God. The book seeks to correct a widely held misconception that in his theology, Pannenberg has neglected the darker side of the world, concentrating instead on an optimistic picture of the future. This book argues that questions of evil hold a central place throughout Pannenberg’s writing and seeks to draw out the implications of his wrestling with these issues. The Introduction sets the scene by considering the nature of the question of evil and argues that a theological response must be made as part of a global view of the world and not in isolation from other themes. The succeeding chapters develop this theme through a reading of Pannenberg’s theology.

The medieval worldview that regarded human beings as at the center of God's plans for His universe has long been regarded as obsolete; its synthesis of Christian theology and Greek philosophy having collapsed under the weight of Copernicus, Galileo, and Darwin. The popular stereotype is that Science, both in the Copernican revolution that dethroned the earth-centered view of the cosmos and in subsequent developments in evolutionary theory and general relativity, has marginalized and trivialized human existence, revealing humanity's "place in the cosmos" to be accidental, peripheral, and ultimately meaningless. However, an investigation into both modern Christian theology and contemporary twenty-first century Science reveals just the opposite, providing solid evidence in the interdisciplinary dialogue concerning the significance of humanity within the universe. In this important study, Christopher Fisher analyzes several modern theologians, including Wolfhart Pannenberg, Karl Rahner, and John Zizioulas, to reveal how contemporary ecumenical theology is deeply and intrinsically committed to a high view of human cosmic significance as a consequence of Christianity's indelible Trinitarian and incarnational faith. Fisher then demonstrates how research in contemporary natural Science confirms this finding in its own way, as recent primate intelligence studies, artificial intelligence research, and even the quest for extra-terrestrial intelligence reveal the wonder of human uniqueness. A contemporary version of the teleological argument also resurfaces in consideration of cosmic evolutionary perspectives on human existence. Even ecological concerns take on a new poignancy with the realization that, among material creatures, only human beings are capable of addressing the world's situation. This interdisciplinary study uncovers the surprising coherence and convergence of Christian Theology and Natural Science on the subject of human existence and significance here at the beginning of the twenty-first century, and it highlights the very unique role of humanity in global and cosmic history.