The Significance of the Unity of Nature and History in Wolfhart Pannenberg's Theological Foundation for Ethics

Abstract

<p>This dissertation is focused on the German theologian, Wolfhart Pannenberg's (b. 1928) systematic attempt to think of nature (the physical world) and history (especially the activities of human culture) as a unity. I argue that Pannenberg, through the idea of the image of God, has not only placed human culture at the center of natural history, but has taken the non-human world into history. Human existence is understood as sharing a common destiny in interdependence with the non-human world.</p> <p>I attempt to show that it is especially through the doctrines of creation and Christology that Pannenberg seeks to ground the unity of the process of reality. I also argue that Pannenberg understands human openness in terms of a fundamental relationship to God. I try to show that Pannenberg conceives of creatures as destined to participate in the divine life of love. Participation in divine love entails loving the world.</p> <p>entails loving the world. The intention of this analysis of Pannenberg's thought is to argue that his conception of the unity of reality, which is based on divine love, provides a theological foundation for ecologically conscious ethics. Little work has been done on Pannenberg's foundation for ethics. Pannenberg himself has not explicitly outlined the possible contribution of his thought to the problem of ecological ethics.</p>