What is theological about theological anthropology?

Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to provide a brief overview of the field of theological anthropology. It emphasises the need to gain clarity on the distinctively Christian content of theological anthropology. It explores different ways of distinguishing current contributions to theological anthropology, i.e. in terms of an identification of current theological schools, with reference to the typical questions that are raised in theological anthropologies and various aspects of Christian doctrine that may be used as a point of departure for an adequate theological anthropology. The essay concludes that there is a need for a thorough reintegration of the doctrines of creation, sin, providence, redemption and consummation and that eschatology is the theological locus where such an integration has to take place. Anthropology may be viewed as one particular lens through which the whole of Christian doctrine may be focused and filtered.