The Universe in the Image of Imago Dei: The Dialogue between Theology and Science as a Hermeneutics of the Human Condition
Ebook
Overview
Cosmology, anthropology, and Christology are deeply interrelated. This implies that one cannot talk about the structure of the world without human presence in it, as well as it is impossible to produce any reasonable understanding of humanity without positioning it in the universe. In the same fashion, in order to comprehend where the human capacity of predicating the universe comes from, one needs to appeal to humanity’s Divine Image, that is, to its archetype in the incarnate Christ. Whereas Christians traditionally believe that the human phenomenon is unique as created in the Divine Image, such scientific disciplines as evolutionary biology, palaeoanthropology, the sciences of artificial intelligence, psychology, and others, challenge the vision of humanity as a unique formation thus challenging the doctrine of Imago Dei. All these disciplines place humans in a mediocre position in the world accompanied by the feeling of anxiety, insecurity, and non-attunement to the universe. Theology needs to respond to these challenges by incorporating into its scope the data from the sciences in order to neutralize such anxieties. The resulting dialogue of theology with science provides a hermeneutics of the human condition with no objective to change the latter. Then the sense of the universe is disclosed from within the Divine Image reflecting the predicaments of the human created condition.
“According to hybrid physicist and theologian Alexei Nesteruk,
the dialogue between science and theology is an expected expression
of human existential consciousness. That consciousness, in its
depth, derives from the hypostatic union in Jesus Christ. Yes, our
cosmos is Christ centered, whether we can see this fact through
telescopes or not. Nesteruk’s treatment takes twists and turns that
are as exciting as they are unpredictable.”
—Ted Peters, Coeditor, Theology and Science
“Interestingly, it is extremely hard to find writings on science
and theology that have an explicitly detectable theological value.
Nesteruk’s The Universe in the Image of Imago Dei is a
valuable exception. Anyone following the work of Alexei Nesteruk
will recognize the signs of a genuine theological work which
represents the highest point of his lifelong dedication to this
topic.”
—Stoyan Tanev, Carleton University
“Rather than demarcating an autonomous enclave for theology outside
scientific rationality, Alexei shows how scientific cosmology
itself depends upon theological presuppositions. . . .
Traversing modern cosmology, patristic theology, and continental
philosophy, this work leads from cosmology to anthropology, and
then Christology and soteriology, concluding that knowing the
cosmos ultimately entails not the solution to theoretical problems
but a practical response to divine love.”
—Bruce Foltz, Eckerd College, emeritus
- Title: The Universe in the Image of Imago Dei: The Dialogue between Theology and Science as a Hermeneutics of the Human Condition
- Author: Alexei V. Nesteruk
- Publisher: Pickwick Publications
- Print Publication Date: 2022
- Logos Release Date: 2022
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9781666711257, 9781666711240, 9781666711233, 1666711241, 1666711233, 166671125X
- Resource ID: LLS:9781666711257
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-12-11T02:22:40Z