
Human Nature, Human Evil, and Religion
Ernest Becker and Christian Theology
Jarvis Streeter(Author)
University Press of America
Published on 21. October 2008
Book
Paperback/Softback
210 pages
978-0-7618-4357-3 (ISBN)
Description
In this book, Jarvis Streeter details Ernest Becker's anthropological theories and compares them with traditional and contemporary Christian thought on human nature, sin, and salvation in order to see how the two approaches compare and where Becker might have insights to offer contemporary Christian thinkers.
Ernest Becker was a pioneer in the interdisciplinary study of human nature and motivation, drawing from the fields of evolutionary biology, psychology, psychiatry, cultural anthropology, sociology, philosophy and religion to create what he termed a Science of Man. His goal was to understand the most basic human motives, particularly those that led to evil behavior in order to ameliorate them and create a more humane world. He concluded, following the thought of Alfred Adler, Otto Rank and philosophical and religious existentialism, that the related urges to avoid death anxiety, gain self-esteem and symbolically deny death were the key human motives-ones which were also responsible for human evil-and that religion has had a complex role to play for both good and ill in human history.
Ernest Becker was a pioneer in the interdisciplinary study of human nature and motivation, drawing from the fields of evolutionary biology, psychology, psychiatry, cultural anthropology, sociology, philosophy and religion to create what he termed a Science of Man. His goal was to understand the most basic human motives, particularly those that led to evil behavior in order to ameliorate them and create a more humane world. He concluded, following the thought of Alfred Adler, Otto Rank and philosophical and religious existentialism, that the related urges to avoid death anxiety, gain self-esteem and symbolically deny death were the key human motives-ones which were also responsible for human evil-and that religion has had a complex role to play for both good and ill in human history.
Reviews / Votes
Recommended for seminary and university libraries and theologians with an interst in cultural anthropology and psychology. * Religious Studies Review *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Lanham, MD
United States
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
352 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7618-4357-3 (9780761843573)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Jarvis Streeter is Professor of Christian Theology and Chair of the Religion Department at California Lutheran University. His research and writing focus on systematic and philosophical theology and particularly the interface between science and theology. He is also an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Content
Part 1 Part I - Becker's Early Anthropological Perspective
Chapter 2 Chapter 1. The Human Situation and the Development of the Individual Personality
Chapter 3 Chapter 2. The Vagaries of Human and Cultural Construction
Chapter 4 Chapter 3. Human Evil and Religion
Part 5 Part II - Becker's Mature Anthropological Perspective
Chapter 6 Chapter 4. The Human Situation and the Development of the Individual Personality Revisited
Chapter 7 Chapter 5. Successes and Failures in Individual and Cultural Formation
Chapter 8 Chapter 6. Human Evil and Religion in Becker's Mature Thought
Chapter 9 Part III - Ernest Becker's Anthropology and Christian Theology
Chapter 10 Chapter 7. Classical Christian Perspectives on the Human Problem
Chapter 11 Chapter 8. Contemporary Christian Perspectives on the Human Problem
Chapter 12 Chapter 9. Christian Perspectives on the Solution to the Human Problem
Chapter 13 Chapter 10. The Human Problem and Its Solution: Ernest Becker and Christian Theology
Chapter 2 Chapter 1. The Human Situation and the Development of the Individual Personality
Chapter 3 Chapter 2. The Vagaries of Human and Cultural Construction
Chapter 4 Chapter 3. Human Evil and Religion
Part 5 Part II - Becker's Mature Anthropological Perspective
Chapter 6 Chapter 4. The Human Situation and the Development of the Individual Personality Revisited
Chapter 7 Chapter 5. Successes and Failures in Individual and Cultural Formation
Chapter 8 Chapter 6. Human Evil and Religion in Becker's Mature Thought
Chapter 9 Part III - Ernest Becker's Anthropology and Christian Theology
Chapter 10 Chapter 7. Classical Christian Perspectives on the Human Problem
Chapter 11 Chapter 8. Contemporary Christian Perspectives on the Human Problem
Chapter 12 Chapter 9. Christian Perspectives on the Solution to the Human Problem
Chapter 13 Chapter 10. The Human Problem and Its Solution: Ernest Becker and Christian Theology