Book Description
The tension between theology and science regarding human nature has concerned theologians for centuries. This tension is founded upon the conflict between Hellenic dualist and Semitic 'seemingly' monist models of theological outlooks that have influenced faith and science throughout human history. However, such conflict belies a hidden undercurrent that connects both viewpoints. A discussion of theology which does not think in radical Christological terms could easily identify Gregory of Nyssa as a dualist and Ephrem the Syrian as a monist. A careful examination and synthesis, however, of their interpretations of Genesis 3:21 proves that Christianity is not so limited as to fail to provide an answer to the age old inquiry regarding the nature of humanity in a unitary Christocentric model. While the role of Christian theology is to answer the 'why' and not the 'how', in addition to addressing the 'why', this book also proposes a novel way for science to think about the 'how'. The analysis of the theological works of these two ancient Christian authors regarding creation, the image and likeness, the fall, the 'garments of skin' and the incarnation of the Word will show that in Christ, humanity is not only returning to a protological point but also being invited to fulfill its teleological invitation to partake of divine nature.
