Being Human, Being Church: The Significance of Theological Anthropology for Ecclesiology
By Rod Dreher
Rawlings School of Divinity
CLED 800: Biblical & Theological Foundations of Education
Genevieve Hamer
July 3, 2022
One's conception of human personhood deeply impacts one's understanding and practice
of community. Contemporary culture lacks precision and agreement in defining the human
person. Such ·anthropological agnosticism· also affects the church. leading to devastating
consequences concerning its inner sociality. cultural engagement, and pursuit of justice. This
dissertation argues that a significant step forward is to gain a better understanding of
theological anthropology and apply it consistently to ecclesiology. Specifically. a theological
understanding of the human person as a relational. rational. and eschatological creature leads
to a conception of the church as relational. rational, and eschatological communities of the new
humanity.
This approach overcomes problematic dualisms and false dichotomies presently plaguing
the church's inner life and outward mission, in part by accentuating the ethical dimension that
pervades its whole existence. Primary conversation partners include Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
Miroslav Volf. and Stanley Grenz. Alasdair Macintyre and Wolthart Pannenberg are also
influential. It evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of each, concluding that none is fully
satisfying theologically. Part II (chapters 3-5) constructs a theological anthropology in trinitarian
perspective.
It presents a threedimensional view of the human person as: a relational creature whose
telos is to love God and fellow human beings; a rational creature whose telos is to know God
and understand God"s world; and an eschatological creature whose telos is to serve God as a
stewardpriest of (new) creation. Part III (chapters 6-8) constructs an ecclesiology corresponding
to the themes developed in Part II. depicting the church as relational, rational, and
eschatological communities of the new humanity defined and oriented by love. faith. and hope.
The concluding chapter summarizes the arguments developed and their implications for
Christian community and ethics. It then explores some preliminary implications of viewing the
church as God"s new humanity. called to promote and embody the welfare and flourishing of
all human beings.
