Human Dignity

Its Roots and Challenges in Western Thought

John Loughlin

• Publisher: T&T Clark
• Year: 2026
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9780567726438
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Theology

A bold reappraisal of the concept of human dignity through the lens of Catholic tradition. Drawing on the biblical notion that human beings are made in the image and likeness of God (Imago Dei), John Loughlin traces the development of this idea from antiquity to modernity. He examines key moments of continuity and rupture-from the Church Fathers to the Renaissance, the Reformation to Enlightenment secularism, and 20th-century renewal to today's contested bioethical landscape. Integrating theology, philosophy, and political thought, the book engages contemporary moral debates while presenting a constructive Catholic anthropology. This is a timely and provocative contribution for scholars, students, and general readers concerned with the future of human dignity in a fragmented world.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgment
• Introduction: Why Study Human Dignity?
• 1 Human Beings Made ‘In the Image and Likeness of God’ The Biblical Breakthrough
• 2 Christ, the True Image New Testament Perspectives on Human Dignity
• 3 The Patristic and Medieval Theological Development of ‘Image andLikeness’
• 4 The Renaissance Vision of the Human Being
• 5 The Reformation and the Fragmentation of the Christian Humanist Synthesis
• 6 The Enlightenment and the Rise of Secular Modernity
• 7 Romanticism, Reaction, and the Fragmentation of ModernDignity
• 8 The Renewal of the Concept of Human Dignity in the Twentieth Century: Personalism and the Human Rights Framework
• 9 Human Dignity in Contemporary Conflicts: A Concluding Reflection
• Appendix: A Proposed Declaration of Human Dignity Accordingto the Catholic Church
• References
• Index