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Guido de Graaff explores the political dimension and significance
of friendship, arguing that its specific contribution lies not only
in its theological approach, but also in its particular focus
distinguishing the 'political' from the 'social' and/or 'civic'.
The book's explorations are framed around a particular story of
friendship: the story of Bishop George Bell and German theologian
Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Drawing on Hannah Arendt and Oliver O'Donovan,
de Graaff argues that Bell and Bonhoeffer's story can be read as
one of friends assuming the responsibility of political judgment in
an emergency situation - their story casts doubts on secular
politics as the primary context for interpreting the friends'
judgments. Thus the book provides a more comprehensive account of
the story, also interpreting it against the background of the life
of the church (with special attention to John 15 and Romans 12). De
Graaff concludes by showing how a theological account is vital for
discerning the distinct politics of the church, including
opportunities for Christian engagement in secular politics.
Guido de Graaff explores the political dimension and significance
of friendship, arguing that its specific contribution lies not only
in its theological approach, but also in its particular focus
distinguishing the 'political' from the 'social' and/or 'civic'.
The book's explorations are framed around a particular story of
friendship: the story of Bishop George Bell and German theologian
Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Drawing on Hannah Arendt and Oliver O'Donovan,
de Graaff argues that Bell and Bonhoeffer's story can be read as
one of friends assuming the responsibility of political judgment in
an emergency situation - their story casts doubts on secular
politics as the primary context for interpreting the friends'
judgments. Thus the book provides a more comprehensive account of
the story, also interpreting it against the background of the life
of the church (with special attention to John 15 and Romans 12). De
Graaff concludes by showing how a theological account is vital for
discerning the distinct politics of the church, including
opportunities for Christian engagement in secular politics.
Description: The question of the nature of humanity is one of the
most complex of all philosophical and theological inquiries. Where
might one look to find a decent answer to this question? Should we
turn to an investigation of genetics and DNA for such answers?
Should we look to the history of humanity's adaption and evolution?
Should we look to humanity's cultural achievements and the form of
its social life? In this intriguing and provocative collection of
essays, philosopher Robert Spaemann reacts against what he calls
""scientistic"" anthropology and ventures to take up afresh the
quaestio de homine, ""the question of man."" Spaemann contends that
when it comes to the nagging question of what we truly are as human
beings, understanding our chemical make-up or evolutionary past
simply cannot give us the full picture. Instead, without doing away
with the findings of modern evolutionary science, Spaemann offers
successive treatments of human nature, human evolution, and human
dignity, which paint a full and compelling picture of the meaning
of human life. Crucial to any anthropology, he demonstrates, is our
future as well as our past. And our relationship to God as well as
to our next-door neighbor. All of these themes coalesce in a vital
contribution to the question of what it means to be human.
Endorsements: ""Robert Spaemann is one of the brightest minds in
contemporary philosophy, and the four fresh approaches to the old
question 'What is Man?' presented in this collection of essays
prove the point. The quartet provides the ideal companion to
Spaemann's seminal work on 'Persons' and a timely challenge to the
host of reductionist anthropologies that swamp the intellectual
scene today. DeGraaff and Mumford are to be thanked for making this
collection available to English speaking readers in a translation
that is accurate and elegant at the same time."" --Bernd
Wannenwetsch University Lecturer in Ethics at the University of
Oxford and Fellow of Harris Manchester College About the
Contributor(s): Robert Spaemann taught at the universities of
Stuttgart, Heidelberg and Munich until 1992. Previous translations
of his work include Basic Moral Concepts (1989), Happiness and
Benevolence (1999) and Persons (2006). Guido de Graaff is a
doctoral student in Christian Ethics at Harris Manchester College,
Oxford. James Mumford is a doctoral student in Christian Ethics at
Magdalen College, Oxford.
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