Eberhard Jüngel and Existence Being Before the Cross

This book interrogates the contemporary Lutheran theologian Eberhard Jüngel’s theological anthropology, arguing that Jüngel’s thought can provide a model for theological engagement with philosophical accounts of existence. Focusing on Jüngel’s theology of existence, the author explores the thought of philosophers, including Heidegger and Hegel, their influence on and application to his theology, and argues that Jüngel’s account of humanity should be seen as a response to atheistic existentialist accounts of existence. In showing how Jüngel’s theology is informed by and dependent on philosophical thought, this book provides a new lens on the interplay between philosophy, theology, and religion in twentieth-century German thought. It will be of particular interest to researchers in philosophy, theology, and philosophy of religion.

Introduction PART I: Sourcing the self 1. The problem of philosophy 2. The problem of being 3. The problem of theology PART II: Theology from the cross Introduction: Theology out of the cross 4. Sin, death, and nothingness 5. The call and response of faith 6. Community and love Conclusion

Deborah Casewell is a Humboldt Research Fellow in Philosophy at the University of Bonn.