Body, Soul, and Life Everlasting : Biblical Anthropology and the Monism-Dualism Debate

by Cooper, John W.

• ISBN13: 9780802846006
• ISBN10: 0802846009
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-10-01
• Publisher: Eerdmans Pub Co

Summary

This widely acclaimed study of biblical anthropology is available once more along with a substantial new preface by the author. Fully engaged with theological, philosophical, and scientific discussions on the nature of human persons and, their destiny beyond the grave, John Cooper's fascinating defense of "holistic dualism" remains the most satisfying and biblical response to come from the monism-dualism debate. First published in 1989, Body, Soul, and Life Everlasting is required reading for anyone interested in the mind-body question.

Author Biography

John W. Cooper is professor of philosophical theology at Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xiii
Preface to the Second Printing	xv
Introduction The Body-Soul Question: Still A Vexing Problem	1	(6)
Traditional Christian Anthropology and Its Modern Critics	7	(26)
Early Christian Views of the Afterlife	7	(3)
Dualistic Anthropologies	10	(6)
Augustine	10	(1)
Thomas Aquinas	11	(2)
John Calvin	13	(1)
Rene Descartes	14	(1)
Conclusion	15	(1)
Nondualistic Philosophical Anthropologies	16	(5)
Thomas Hobbes and Materialism	16	(2)
Baruch Spinoza and Dual-Aspect Monism	18	(2)
Conclusion	20	(1)
The Scientific Challenge to Dualism	21	(2)
The Challenge to Dualism from Biblical Scholarship	23	(2)
The Historical-Theological Challenge to Dualism	25	(1)
The Challenge to Dualism from Christian Orthopraxis	26	(5)
Conclusion	31	(2)
Old Testament Anthropology: The Holistic Emphasis	33	(19)
Introduction: The State of the Debate	33	(4)
Traditional Christian Dualism	33	(1)
Modern Christian Antidualism	34	(2)
Some Questions	36	(1)
The Holistic Emphasis of the Old Testament	37	(8)
Antidualist Emphases	37	(1)
Old Testament Anthropological Terms	38	(5)
Preliminary Results for the Holism-Dualism Debate	43	(2)
Philosophical Reflections	45	(7)
The Old Testament, Holism, and Monism	45	(4)
The Old Testament and Philosophical Anthropology	49	(3)
Old Testament Anthropology: The Dualistic Implication	52	(21)
The Old Testament View of Existence after Death	52	(14)
Introduction: The Rephaim in Sheol	52	(2)
Sheol	54	(1)
Existence in Sheol	55	(4)
Terminology for the Dead	59	(3)
Hope Beyond the Grave; Resurrection	62	(4)
Philosophical Reflection: Holistic Dualism	66	(7)
Clarifying the Anthropological Image	66	(3)
Dualism: The Inescapable Implication of Existence in Sheol	69	(1)
Holistic Dualism: Philosophical Implication of Old Testament Anthropology	70	(3)
The Anthropology of Intertestamental Eschatology	73	(21)
Introduction	73	(1)
Intertestamental Views of the Afterlife	74	(17)
Old Testament Background	74	(2)
Sheol and the Sadducees	76	(1)
The Immortality of the Soul	77	(1)
Varieties of Resurrection	78	(3)
The Intermediate State	81	(4)
Hellenistic Dualism?	85	(1)
Where Are the Dead? A Topography of the Afterlife	86	(3)
The Pharisees	89	(2)
Summary and Conclusions	91	(3)
The Monism-Dualism Debate about New Testament Anthropology	94	(16)
Introduction	94	(2)
A Preliminary Assessment of the Case for Dualism	96	(3)
A Preliminary Assessment of the Case for Monism	99	(5)
The Key Issue: What Happens When We Die?	104	(4)
An Intermediate State Presupposes Dualism	104	(2)
Alternative One: Immediate Resurrection	106	(1)
Alternative Two: Extinction-Re-creation	107	(1)
The Strategy for Concluding the Debate	108	(2)
Anthropology And Personal Eschatology in the New Testament: The Non-Pauline Writings	110	(24)
Introduction: Refining the Terms of the Debate	110	(2)
Dualism in the Anthropological Terminology	112	(7)
``Spirit''	112	(3)
``Soul''	115	(4)
Summary on ``Soul'' and ``Spirit''	119	(1)
Is There a Non-Pauline Eschatology?	119	(13)
The Time of the Resurrection	120	(1)
The God of the Living	121	(1)
The Transfiguration	122	(2)
The Rich Man and Lazarus	124	(3)
Jesus and the Thief on the Cross	127	(2)
Where Was Jesus Between Good Friday and Easter Sunday?	129	(3)
Provisional Conclusion	132	(2)
Anthropology And Personal Eschatology in the New Testament: The Pauline Epistles	134	(24)
Introduction	134	(1)
Relevant Pauline Texts	135	(19)
Acts 23:6-8	135	(2)
I Thessalonians 4:13-18	137	(2)
I Corinthians 15	139	(2)
II Corinthians 5:1-10	141	(8)
II Corinthians 12:1-4	149	(2)
Philippians 1:21-24	151	(2)
The Time of the Resurrection in Philippians and Romans	153	(1)
Conclusions	154	(4)
Paul	154	(2)
The New Testament as a Whole	156	(2)
New Testament Eschatology and Philosophical Anthropology	158	(21)
Introduction	158	(1)
The Intermediate State and Dualism	159	(5)
Immediate Resurrection: Monism or Dualism?	164	(5)
Monism, Re-creation, and the Problem of Personal Identity	169	(8)
Conclusion	177	(2)
Practical And Theological Objections against Dualism	179	(25)
Introduction: The Case Is Not Completely Closed	179	(1)
Objection One: Dualism Undermines Christian Orthopraxis	180	(11)
The Problem	180	(2)
Religious Dualism	182	(2)
Axiological Dualism	184	(3)
Functional Dualism	187	(3)
Social Dualism	190	(1)
Conclusion	190	(1)
Objection Two: At Death We Pass out of Time; There Is No Intermediate State	191	(3)
Objection Three: The Whole Person Does Not Die	194	(2)
Objection Four: An Immortal Soul Is Postulated	196	(2)
Objection Five: Dualism Is a Result of the Fall; It Is Not Inherent in Creation	198	(2)
Objection Six: The Bible Depicts the Dead as Bodily Beings, Not Immaterial Spirits	200	(2)
Conclusion	202	(2)
Holistic Dualism, Science, and Philosophy	204	(1)
Introduction: The Final Topic of Debate	204	(1)
Dualism and Science	205	(1)
Brain Physiology	205	(4)
Psychology	209	(1)
The Question of Holism	210	(2)
The Psychology of Near-Death Experiences	212	(3)
Anthropological Dualism in Philosophy	215	(1)
Introduction	215	(1)
John Cobb and Process Philosophy	216	(4)
Richard Swinburne and Dualistic Interactionism	220	(2)
Pope John Paul II and Lublin Thomism	222	(4)
Herman Dooyeweerd and Neo-Calvinist Philosophy	226	(4)
Summary	230	(1)
Final Conclusion: Holistic Dualism Vindicated	230	(3)
INDEXES
Index of Subjects	233	(3)
Index of Authors	236	(3)
Index of Scripture References	239