Theology, Psychology and the Plural Self (Ashgate Science and Religion Series)

Is the human self singular and unified or do we each have several selves? This book explores the very different answers that Christian theology and the secular Human Sciences tend to give to this ancient question. The latter have largely abandoned the idea of the single unitary self, whereas the former continues to idealise it. Those few theologians that have taken the idea of self-plurality seriously deem it to be a pathological condition, indicative of a contemporary social malaise. Through an original analysis of recent theological and secular literature, this book examines and explains the extent of the disparity between the disciplines.Introducing a novel psychological framework to distinguish various understandings of self-plurality, the author argues that Theology's blanket condemnation of the notion is inappropriate. The author suggests that a possible reconciliation of theology and the human sciences depends upon a reconceptualisation of the self in terms of a personal narrative. "Is the human self singular and unified or essentially plural? This book explores the seemingly disparate ways that Christian theology and the secular human sciences have approached this complex question. The latter have largely embraced the idea of the plural self as an inescapable. even adaptive feature of psychological life. Contemporary Christian theology, by contrast, has largely neglected recent psychological accounts of the naturalness of self-plurality, and has sought to reaffirm the self's unity in opposition to those postmodern theorists who would dismantle it." Through an original analysis of recent theological and secular accounts of self and personhood, this book examines the extent of the inter-theoretical disparity and its broader implications for theology's dialogue with the human sciences in general, and psychology in particular. It explains why theologians ought to take questions about the plurality of self very seriously, and how they overlap with many of the central concerns of contemporary theological anthropology, including the notions of relationality, particularity and human sinfulness. Introducing a novel psychological framework to distinguish various understandings of self-disunity, the author argues that contemporary theology's blanket condemnation of self-multiplicity is misconceived. and identifies a possible means of reconciling theological and human scientific accounts. "Through an original analysis of recent theological and secular accounts of self and personhood, this book examines the extent of the inter-theoretical disparity and its broader implications for theology's dialogue with the human sciences in general, and psychology in particular. It explains why theologians ought to take questions about the plurality of self very seriously, and how they overlap with many of the central concerns of contemporary theological anthropology, including the notions of relationality, particularity and human sinfulness. Introducing a novel psychological framework to distinguish various understandings of self-disunity, the author argues that contemporary theology's blanket condemnation of self-multiplicity is misconceived. and identifies a possible means of reconciling theological and human scientific accounts."--BOOK JACKET Is the human self unified or do we each have several selves? This book explores the answers that Christian theology and the secular Human Sciences tend to give to this question. Introducing a framework to distinguish the understandings of self-plurality, this work argues that Theology's blanket condemnation of the notion is inappropriate.