Human Dignity
its Roots and Challenges in Western Thought
1st Edition
Published on 2. April 2026
256 pages
978-0-567-72643-8 (ISBN)
Description
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.
More details
Edition
1. Auflage
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
Professional and scholarly
ISBN-13
978-0-567-72643-8 (9780567726438)
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
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
approx. 04/2026
T.& T.Clark Ltd
€27.50
Not yet published
Person
John Loughlin is a Senior Research Fellow of Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford, an Emeritus Fellow of St Edmund's College, University of Cambridge, and Emeritus Professor of Politics, Cardiff University. He previously held the Chair of European Politics at Cardiff and was an Affiliated Lecturer of Politics at the University of Cambridge. A former Cistercian monk, he has published volumes with Oxford University Press, Bloomsbury, and Routledge. He is a Fellow of the UK's Academy of Social Sciences and of the Learned Society of Wales and has advised several European governments and international institutions.
Content
Preface
Introduction
1. Human Beings Made 'In the Image and Likeness of God - The Biblical Breakthrough
2. The New Testament Understanding of the 'Imago Dei'
3. The Patristic and Mediaeval Theological Development of 'Image and Likeness
4.The Renaissance Vision of the Human Being
5. The Reformation: The Collapse of the Christian Humanist Synthesis?
6. The Enlightenment and the Rise of Secular Modernity
7. Romanticism, Reaction, and the Fragmentation of Modern Concepts of Human Dignity
8. Twentieth-Century Challenges and the renewal of the Catholic Understanding of Human Dignity
9. Human Dignity in Contemporary Ethical Conflicts - A Concluding Reflection
References
Index
Introduction
1. Human Beings Made 'In the Image and Likeness of God - The Biblical Breakthrough
2. The New Testament Understanding of the 'Imago Dei'
3. The Patristic and Mediaeval Theological Development of 'Image and Likeness
4.The Renaissance Vision of the Human Being
5. The Reformation: The Collapse of the Christian Humanist Synthesis?
6. The Enlightenment and the Rise of Secular Modernity
7. Romanticism, Reaction, and the Fragmentation of Modern Concepts of Human Dignity
8. Twentieth-Century Challenges and the renewal of the Catholic Understanding of Human Dignity
9. Human Dignity in Contemporary Ethical Conflicts - A Concluding Reflection
References
Index
