Human Subjectivity 'in Christ' in Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Theology

Integrating Simplicity and Wisdom

Jacob Phillips

• Publisher: T&T Clark
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN: 9780567698278
• eBook ISBN: 9780567688613
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Theology

Jacob Phillips presents a critical study of a neglected aspect of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's theology: his writing on human subjectivity, self-reflection, and individual identity 'in Christ'. In response to the rise of chronic self-representation through digital technology, Phillips argues that Bonhoeffer presents a radical challenge, maintaining that – from the perspective of Christian theology - there is something deeply negative about beholding representations of oneself. Bonhoeffer instead holds that discipleship means adopting a posture of radical agnosticism toward one's own identity. Phillips focuses on the interrelation of 'simplicity' and 'reflection' in theological cognition and ethical deliberation, showing a wider significance in contemporary theological anthropology, soteriology and ethics. By following the tradition of reading Bonhoeffer in relation to the philosophical sources, such as Wüstenberg, Janz, Whitson-Floyd, Marsh, Zimmermann, Gregor, Phillips highlights the ways in which Bonhoeffer's work relates to modern debates in epistemology and ethics generally, and that of Wilhelm Dilthey and hermeneutical phenomenology in particular. This volume offers a detailed theological analysis of the themes of self-identity, human subjectivity, and self-understanding, which are highly pertinent for contemporary society.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Abbreviations
• Chapter 1: Simplicity and wisdom
• Chapter 2: The simplicity of Discipleship
• Chapter 3: Interpreting the simplicity of Discipleship
• Chapter 4: Simplicity and the transcendental attempt
• Chapter 5: The actus reflectus as wisdom: Reconciling the unreflective and reflective in Act and Being
• Chapter 6: Towards practical discernment as wisdom: Unreflective and reflective agency in Ethics
• Chapter 7: The ‘transcendental unity of apperception’ and the ‘categorical imperative’ in the ‘flow of life’
• Chapter 8: Articulating the ‘original togetherness’ of life: Wilhelm Dilthey in relation to Dietrich Bonhoeffer
• Chapter 9: The unreflective ‘I’ and reflective self-understanding in Dilthey
• Chapter 10: Unreflective and reflective agency in Dilthey
• Chapter 11: Gestalt: Aesthetics and agency in Wilhelm Dilthey
• Chapter 12: Integrating simplicity and wisdom
• Bibliography
• Index