Eschatology as a manifestation of human uniqueness : human vision, biblical revelation and divine agency

dc.contributor.authorNurnberger, Klaus
dc.date.accessioned2018-07-16T10:33:16Z
dc.date.available2018-07-16T10:33:16Z
dc.date.issued2017-12-20
dc.description.abstractThis essay extends my previous research on eschatology to cover the question of human uniqueness. Using the approach of ‘experiential realism’, I begin with a few findings of modern science that are relevant to the topic: big bang cosmology, entropy, regularity and contingency, and emergence theory. On this basis, I discuss human uniqueness at the physical, biological and consciousness levels. There is indeed continuity between humans and other living beings, yet humans are far ahead of other creatures on an exponentially accelerating trajectory. Part of human consciousness is the capacity to envision the future. It can confine itself to what is possible and probable, or overshoot these limitations. I discuss three ways human beings experience time: physical, experiential and existential. The latter projects a vision of what ought to become as a response to the experience of what ought not to have become. A vision of what ought to become implies criteria and an ultimate authority setting such criteria. Against this background, I analyse the evolution of biblical future expectations. Apocalyptic eschatology and resurrection of the dead are the most radical among many other, and more mundane future expectations. They emerged late in postexilic Judaism, were never generally accepted and began to lose their plausibility and relevance in New Testament times already. While projections that overshoot the given are immensely important for human life in general and the Christian faith in particular, apocalyptic eschatology envisages the replacement of the existing world with a perfect world, rather than its transformation. This can lead to pious fatalism and despondency and thus become counterproductive. The theological defence of apocalyptic eschatology rests on various untested assumptions. I briefly discuss and critique the concepts of divine agency, omnipotence, eternity and contingency. Finally, I propose a reconceptualisation of Christian future expectations as human participation in God’s vision of comprehensive optimal well-being, which translates into God’s concern for any deficiency in wellbeing in any aspect of life and which operates like a horizon that moves on as we approach it, opening up ever new vistas, challenges and opportunities.en_ZA
dc.description.departmentDogmatics and Christian Ethicsen_ZA
dc.description.librarianam2018en_ZA
dc.description.urihttp://www.hts.org.zaen_ZA
dc.identifier.citationNürnberger, K.B., 2017, ‘Eschatology as a manifestation of human uniqueness: Human vision, biblical revelation and divine agency’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 73(3), a4341. https://DOI. org/10.4102/hts.v73i3.4341.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0259-9422 (print)
dc.identifier.issn2072-8050 (online)
dc.identifier.issn10.4102/hts.v73i3.4341
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/65743
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherAOSIS Open Journalsen_ZA
dc.rights© 2017. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.en_ZA
dc.subjectEschatologyen_ZA
dc.subjectHuman uniquenessen_ZA
dc.subjectHuman visionen_ZA
dc.subjectDivine agencyen_ZA
dc.subjectBiblical revelationen_ZA
dc.subjectHuman consciousness
dc.subject.otherTheology articles SDG-03
dc.subject.otherSDG-03: Good health and well-being
dc.subject.otherTheology articles SDG-04
dc.subject.otherSDG-04: Quality education
dc.subject.otherTheology articles SDG-10
dc.subject.otherSDG-10: Reduced inequalities
dc.subject.otherTheology articles SDG-16
dc.subject.otherSDG-16: Peace, justice and strong institutions
dc.subject.otherTheology articles SDG-17
dc.subject.otherSDG-17: Partnerships for the goals
dc.titleEschatology as a manifestation of human uniqueness : human vision, biblical revelation and divine agencyen_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA

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