Biblical Anthropology. A Message for Contemporary People

The book, edited by Fr. Marcin Kowalski, compiles papers from the International Biblical Conference titled "Biblical Anthropology. A Message for Contemporary People," held at the Catholic University of Lublin on October 20-21, 2021. The event was a joint effort by the Biblical Studies Section of KUL and the Pontifical Bible Commission.

Drawing inspiration from the recently published document by the Pontifical Biblical Commission, titled "What Is Man? An Outline of Biblical Anthropology," the authors engage in a thoughtful exploration of themes related to biblical anthropology and their relevance to today's world. Discussions span various topics, including the significance of the divine image in humans and the relational nature of human beings. They delve into complex issues such as the knowledge of God, the human spirit and emotions, dependence and independence among individuals, and free will versus divine determinism. Other areas of focus are the body, desires, and spirit in the human makeup, the Platonic dimensions of the 'inner man' according to Saint Paul, and eschatological perspectives of humans. The volume explores marriage, gender relations, and the parallels between marital love and Christ's love for the Church. It also examines biblical anthropology in the context of postmodern group identity, the ethics of asymmetrical relationships, humans in the created world, the archetype of humans as pilgrims, and the Christological model of human nature.

The contributors aim to address how to convey the truths of biblical anthropology to modern individuals, engaging with contemporary science while preserving the distinctiveness of the biblical message. Notably, the English-language volume features contributions from well-regarded experts in biblical anthropology, such as Susan Eastman, Nuria Calduch-Benages, Craig Keener, Joel B. Green, and Volker Rabens.

The publication is rounded out with biblical, ancient writings, and personal indices, providing further resources for the reader.