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

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.

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