ORIGINAL RESEARCH

 

Historical tension between the holistic and dualistic view of man in the church

 

Die historiese spanning tussen die holistiese en dualistiese beeld van die mens in die kerk

 

 

Herm Zandman

Theological Faculty. North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, South Africa

Correspondence

 

 

---

ABSTRACT

Dualism has continually plagued the Church, especially from the time when Greek philosophers articulated the dualistic view of man in an excellent, scholarly way. Even when the Reformers militated against this phenomenon theologically, it still dominated life in general and Christian living in particular. This article considered the historical tension between the holistic and dualistic view of man in the church. It strove to do this by setting forth certain examples from history, showing how the Church wrestled with this tension. Furthermore, the author attempted to point out in which way the dualistic view of man was damaging to godly living, and why a holistic view of man was conducive to life under God in an ethically meaningful manner.

---

OPSOMMING

Dualisme het die Kerk nog altyd beinvloed, veral sedert die era toe Griekse filosowe die dualistiese siening van die mens op 'n uitstekende akademiese wyse bekendgestel het. Selfs toe die Reformeerders teologies te velde getrek het teen hierdie fenomeen, het dit die lewe in die algemeen en die Christelike lewe in die besonder aangetas. Hierdie artikel oorweeg die historiese spanning tussen die holistiese en dualistiese sienings in die kerk. Sekere voorbeelde uit die geskiedenis sal voorgehou word ter illustrasie van hoe die Kerk met hierdie spanning geworstel het. Die outeur sal verder poog om aan te toon hoe die dualistiese siening van die mens skadelik is vir 'n goddelike lewe, en waarom 'n holistiese siening van die mens bevorderlik is vir 'n eties betekenisvolle lewe onder God.

---

 

 

“Full text available only in PDF format”

 

 

References

Anon, 2012, 'Middeleeuws Vermaak', viewed 09 August, 2012 from http://varenna.infoteur.nI/specials/middeleeuwen.html#middeleeuws-vermaak        [ Links ]

BrainyQuote, 'Pascal', viewed 12 July 2012, from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/blaise_pascal_5.html        [ Links ]

Brooke, T., 1997, Virtual Gods, Harvest House Publishing, Eugene, OR.         [ Links ]

Catholic Encyclopedia, n.d., 'René Descartes', viewed 09 August 2012, from http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04744b.htm        [ Links ]

Combee, J.H., 1995, History of the World in Christian Perspective, A Beka Book, Pensacola.         [ Links ]

Cowie, L.E., 1999, Leading the Lambs, Christchurch.         [ Links ]

De Bie, J., 1978, Story of the Old World, The National Union of Christian Schools, Grand Rapids.         [ Links ]

De Quincey, C., 1999, 'Radical Nature and the Paradox of Consciousness', viewed 12 November 2003, from http://www.ask.elibrary.com        [ Links ]

Dorr, 0., n.d., 'St. James Episcopal Church Pet Expo and Blessing of the Animals', viewed 09 August 2012, from http://www.stjamespcfl.org/specialservicesevents/blessingoftheanimals.html        [ Links ]

Edersheim, A., 2000, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody.         [ Links ]

Flinn, R., 1987a, 'Monasticism', lecture presented at the University of Auckland, Auckland, 16 May.         [ Links ]

Flinn, R., 1987b, 'Persecution and the Early Church', lecture presented at the University of Auckland, Auckland, 23 May.         [ Links ]

Gorman, M.J., 1982, Abortion & the Early Church, Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove.         [ Links ]

Hoffecker, W.A. & Scott Smith, G., 1986, Building a Christian Worldview, Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Company, Philipsburg.         [ Links ]

Huizinga, J., 2004, Herfsttij der Middeleeuwen, Olympus, Amsterdam.         [ Links ]

Josephus, F., 1974, The Works of Flavius Josephus, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids.         [ Links ]

Kimbrell, A., 1993, The Human Body Shop, Harper Collins, London.         [ Links ]

Knight, K., 2003, 'Guilds' viewed 08 November 2003, from http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/0766c.htm        [ Links ]

Kramer, J.P. & Van Schagen, K.H., 1967, Historisch Overzicht van de Lichamelijke Opvooeding, Nijgh & Van Ditmar, 's Gravenhage-Rotterdam.         [ Links ]

Kugel, J., 1970, Inleiding in the Geschiedenis van de Gymnastiek, Elinkwijk, Utrecht.         [ Links ]

Murray, J., 1976, Collected Writings of John Murray: The Christian Ethic, The Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh.         [ Links ]

New Zealand Business Roundtable for the Education Forum, 1994, Curriculum, Assessment and Qualifications: An evaluation of current reforms, Business Roundtable, Auckland.         [ Links ]

0'Rourke, M., 1993, The New Zealand Curriculum Framework, Learning Media Ltd., Wellington.         [ Links ]

Postman, N., 1985, Amusing Ourselves to Death, Penguin Books, New York.         [ Links ]

Silversides, D., 1998, 'Doctrine, Hope, and Glory', viewed 12 July 2011, from http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=326058521        [ Links ]

Smith, M.M. & Bryant, J.L., 2011, 'Mind-body and mind-gut connection in inflammatory bowel disease', Gastroentological Nursing 25, 213-217, viewed 04 January 2011, from http://journals.lww.com/gastroenterologynursing/Abstract/2002/09000/Mind_Body_and_Mind_Gut_Connection_in_Inflammatory.8.aspx        [ Links ]

Ter Gouw, J., 1871, 'De Gilden', viewed 08 Aug 2011, from http://leende.dse.nl/pw/geschiedenis/leendsegilden.html        [ Links ]

Tripp, E., 1988, Classical Mythology, Collins, London.         [ Links ]

Van Til, C., 1932, A Survey of Christian Epistemology, Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Company, Philipsburg.         [ Links ]

Vollmer-Conna, U., Bennett B., Wakefield D., Hickie I. & Lloyd A., 2010, 'The relationship between distress and the development of a primary immune response to a novel antigen', viewed 24 December 2010, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159103001077        [ Links ]

Wood, D., 2003, 'A Mood Journal, Oppositional Defiant Disorder', viewed 29 December 2003, from http://leende.dse.nl/pw/geschiedenis/leendsegilden.html        [ Links ]

 

 

Correspondence:
Herm Zandman
25 Hay Terrace
Kongorong 5291
South Australia
Email: hermzandman@bigpond.com

Received: 28 Feb. 2011
Accepted: 25 July 2011
Published: 02 Oct. 2012