Table Of ContentTHE EMERGENCE OF ETERNAL LIFE
Thequestionofwhetherlifeexistsbeyonddeathremainsoneofthe
mostpertinentofourexistence,andtheologianscontinuetoaddress
what relevance the answer has for our life in the present. In this
book, William J. Hoye employs the phenomenon of emergence –
the way higher forms of existence arise from a collection of simpler
interactions – as a framework for understanding and defending the
concept of Eternal Life, showing how it ‘emerges’ from our present
life, our human longing for fulfillment and happiness, and our
strivingforknowledgeofreality.HoyeusestheworkofKarlRahner
andThomasAquinastoexplorequestionsconcerningsuffering,the
ultimate relevance of morality, and how the fundamental idea of
responsibility changes when viewed eschatologically. Contemporary
reasonsfordenyinganafterlifeareexaminedcriticallyandextensively.
This book will be of great interest to those studying systematic
theology,theologicalanthropology,andCatholictheology.
william j. hoye is Professor of Systematic Theology at the Uni-
versityofMu¨nster.Heistheauthorofmanybooks,includingmost
recentlyDieWirklichkeitderWahrheit(2013);Tugenden.Wassiewert
sind,warumwirsiebrauchen(2010);LiebgewordenetheologischeDenk-
fehler(2006);andDiemystischeTheologiedesNicolausCusanus(2004).
THE EMERGENCE OF
ETERNAL LIFE
WILLIAM J. HOYE
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Hoye,WilliamJ.
Theemergenceofeternallife/WilliamJ.Hoye.
pages cm
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
isbn978-1-107-04121-9(hardback)
1.Futurelife–Christianity. 2.CatholicChurch–Doctrines. I.Title.
bt903.h69 2013
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To
myfriend“Mitch,”
AldenF.Mitchell
Contents
1 Introductiontothequestion page1
1.1 Emergence:ThecausalityofEternalLife 5
1.2 Thehappeningofreality(Creation) 10
2 Motivationsfordisbeliefinalifeafterdeath 13
2.1 Difficulties 13
2.2 TheExperiencePrejudice 20
2.3 ThePraxisPrejudice 42
2.4 Hedonism 58
2.5 TheambivalentteachingofChristianFaith 64
3 AjustificationofthetraditionalChristianbelief
inEternalLife 77
3.1 Thequestion 77
3.2 Transcendentalhopeinone’sownresurrectionasthehorizonfor
80
experiencingtheresurrectionofJesus
3.3 Realityastheliberatinghorizon 84
3.4 Wonder 85
3.5 Byhisverynaturemanstrivesforfulfillment 86
3.6 Therationalityofreality 92
3.7 Thefinalandcomprehensivegoalofhumannature 97
3.8 Theexpectationofthefulfillmentofhumandesire 99
3.9 Thecompatibilityofthedogmaonhellwiththeforegoing
104
argumentation
4 EternalLifeasthevisionofGod 111
4.1 Emergenceasthelightofglory 112
4.2 Theactofattention 119
4.3 TheBiblicalteachingthatEternalLifeconsistsincontemplative
120
knowledge
4.4 Thewidespreadacknowledgmentoftheprimacyofknowledgein
122
theEuropeantraditionuntilthemodernage
4.5 Man’seschatologicalunionwithGodastheapprehensionoftruth 129
4.6 Truthandthepredicativestructureofexperience 135
vii
viii Contents
4.7 ThenecessarystructureofthevisionofGod 144
4.8 ThemodeofGod’spresence:Theformaintelligibilis 148
4.9 ThevisionofGodasthewholeofEternalLife–enfolded 153
4.10 Never-endingwonderinthevisionofGod 157
4.11 Interimconclusion 167
5 Thehumanfactor 169
5.1 Happinessandhumannature 169
5.2 Aminimalandmaximalheuristicprinciple 171
5.3 Thedesirefortruth 176
6 LifehistoryasthepredeterminationofEternalLife 180
6.1 Theeternityofsalvationasthefulfillmentoftime 181
6.2 Timeandeternity 183
6.3 LongingintimeasthepredeterminationofthevisionofGod 191
6.4 Thetheologicalnotionofmemory 201
6.5 Theeternalsignificanceoftemporalsuffering 204
6.6 Theeternalrelevanceofmorality 216
7 Sensuality:theresurrectionofthebody 237
7.1 Sensualityasanendinitself 243
7.2 Sensualpleasureasapartofeternalhappiness 247
7.3 Thedifferencebetweenjoyandhappiness 249
7.4 Thecorporealunfoldingofthevision 252
7.5 Thesoulandthebody 258
8 TheemergenceofEternalLife–aconclusion 276
Bibliography 278
Index 290
Description:The question of whether life exists beyond death remains one of the most pertinent of our existence, and theologians continue to address what relevance the answer has for our life in the present. In this book, William J. Hoye uses the phenomenon of emergence - the way higher forms of existence arise
