T&T Clark Humanity in the Mystery of God: The Theological Anthropology of Edward Schillebeeckx (T&T Clark Studies in Systematic Theology): 5

This book presents a unique study of Schillebeekx's theological anthropology. Schillebeeckx's theology is a reflection on the nature of God who is both creator and redeemer: his theology is a 'treatise' on the God who is God for humanity. This means of course that his theology is always both a reflection on the nature of God and on the meaning of humanity; hence there is a theological anthropology at the centre of his whole theological enterprise. The 'definition' of humanity is given in the relationship between the mystery of God - the God who is both transcendent and immanent - and the mystery of humanity. For Schillebeeckx, the meaning of humanity is revealed and established in the mystery of God as a vocation to intimacy with God. This intimacy is described both as a dependence upon God and as a situated freedom, and hence the description of humanity which emerges from Schillebeeckx's treatise on God holds together humanity's metaphysical and moral significance.At the heart of this theocentric anthropology is its Christological structure. Schillebeeckx develops a sacramental Christology in light of his interpretation of Christ's incarnation. The relation of incarnation to the death, resurrection and glorification of Christ establishes a sacramental theological anthropology. The meaning of humanity is given in its creative, salvific, sanctifying, participative and personal relation to the God who is God both of creation and of covenant.This book develops an interpretation of Schillebeeckx's theological anthropology by analysing his theology of revelation and grace, and by examining the Christological structure of his theology. This Christology centres on an interpretation of the incarnation in which the fully personal nature of Christ's humanity is key. This christology establishes the sacramental nature of humanity and hence Schillebeeckx's description of the meaning of human nature is also a theological description of the meaning of human action."T&T Clark Studies in Systematic Theology" is a series of high profile monographs in the field of Christian doctrine, with a particular focus on constructive engagement with topics in systematic theology through historical analysis or contemporary restatement. Review 'Humanity in the Mystery of God is fascinating to read and a mine of information. It explains lucidly the influence on Schillebeeckx of his theological and philosophical masters, Marie Dominique Chenu and Dominic De Petter, and sets him in a wider historical context. Very elegantly written, its greatest strength is that it is highly original. It is the only work I know of which concentrates on the theological anthropology of Schillebeeckx in the early phases of his career. All other books devoted to his life and thought focus on his later theology. Cooper's text has the singular strength of being able to demonstrate not only a continuation between Schiillebececkx's early and late theologies, but also that it is not really possible to understand his writings of the 1980s and 90s without attending to the theological principles he first enunciated in the 1940s and 50s.' - Philip Kennedy, Mansfield College, University of Oxford, UK.--Sanford Lakoff'In an astute analysis of the early writings of Edward Schillebeeckx on revelation, grace, incarnation, and resurrection, Jennifer Cooper identifies an important recurring anthropological theme: at the core of the mystery of human lives and relationships is the mystery of God. This volume makes a valuable contribution not only to an understanding of Schillebeeckx's thought and to the history of theology in the twentieth century, but also to the field of theological anthropology.' - Mary Catherine Hilkert, University of Notre Dame, IN, USA--Sanford Lakoff'Jennifer Cooper's book is a pleasant surprise. It provides us with the anthropology Schillebeeckx never wrote. And, perhaps more importantly, it challenges the picture, often encountered in the