A World Split Apart: Dualism in Western Culture and Theology

by M. James Sawyer

Christian faith and theology always reflect the culture patterns of thinking, understanding and worldview in which they are planted. Western Culture for nearly 2500 years has looked to the philosophical heritage of ancient Greece to interpret reality, particularly the dualistic patterns of thinking set forth by Plato and Aristotle. In contrast to this Greek dualism, Christianity arose out of the Hebraic worldview whose thinking patterns are holistic, as opposed to dualistic. But both Catholicism and Protestantism have been held captive to various forms of dualism since the fifth century.
Dualism has robbed Western culture of freedom and cut us off from and hope of a true knowledge of reality in itself. Instead it has limited knowledge to mere appearances. In the past century, the rise of the theories of Relativity and Quantum Mechanics has shown that reality is holistic and interrelated rather than reflecting two underlying irreconcilable (dualistic) realms. A World Split Apart provides a survey of dualism and its effects on Western culture and theology. And shows that we can truly have a holistic understanding of reality, and opens the door for a more profound, consistent and rational understanding of the Trinity, the person of the incarnate Christ and the implications that these theological realities have for all of life.

43 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2014

Reviews

[James Nickel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent summary of the historical flow of thought grounded in Trinitarian dynamics. Readers of T. F. Torrance will appreciate this work.