Christian Physicalism? by R. Keith Loftin Joshua R. Farris

Author:R. Keith Loftin,Joshua R. Farris
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lexington Books, a division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.

Chapter 11

Sanctification and Physicalism

R. ScottSmith

For the Christian, sanctification is the process by which we grow into the likeness of Jesus Christ. As image bearers, Christians can become like Christ through being his disciple, and this process includes (at least) moral, intellectual, and volitional transformation. Since the Christian is to become like Christ and live as he did, this growth is developed through deep, intimate union with him, living just as he did in a deep heart and mind unity with the Father in the power of the Spirit.

Now, on the received Christian tradition, these abilities have been understood as involving a body-soul unity in humans, as well as various mental states (such as thoughts and beliefs) and immaterial properties (such as the moral and intellectual virtues). However, are these abilities to become like Christ truly workable on a physicalist view of humans?

To explore this question, first, I will develop a biblical portrait of what is involved in becoming like Christ morally, intellectually, and volitionally, and how that requires a deep unity with the Lord’s heart and mind, all in the power of the Spirit. I will sketch how this process and its relationship to our nature as image bearers has been understood traditionally to involve a dualism of body and soul, as well as a dualism of properties, in human persons.

Second, I will sketch some main points of Christian physicalism. Third, I will explore to what extent we can become like Christ in these ways on that ontology. I will develop three main lines of argument that physicalism undermines sanctification. For one, I will argue that relationships with God and other humans are impossible on physicalism. However, that result undermines our being able to fulfill the many “one another” obligations in Scripture, as well as our being able to live in relationship with God. For another, physicalism disrupts our being able to have knowledge, which undermines our ability to grow into having the mind of Christ. Furthermore, physicalism makes it impossible to grow in virtue, or even make sense of what it means to be virtuous. A crucial reason for these results is that physicalism cannot accommodate intentionality, the ofness or aboutness of our thoughts, beliefs, experiences, etc. In conclusion, I will draw out some further implications from this study.

Biblical Portrait of the Life United with Christ

While Scripture portrays the unfolding of God’s great plan of redemption, it also presents that within a larger, overarching theme, which spans the entirety of Scripture, even before the fall, and into eternity. This can be helpfully stated as follows, from God’s perspective: “I will be your God, you will be my people, and I will dwell in your midst” (cf. Rev. 21:3). God wants to be intimate and personal with his people who are set apart (sanctified) for him.

Several passages address aspects of this theme, such as Jeremiah 31:33c: “I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”1 In God’s plan to accomplish his salvation, Jesus “became flesh, and dwelt [tabernacled] among us” (John 1:14).

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