The Development of Wolfhart Pannenberg's Theological Anthropology: A Model of Theological Construction in Interdisciplinary Method

The Development of Wolfhart Pannenberg's Theological Anthropology: A Model of Theological Construction in Interdisciplinary Method

LEI Tin Kwan

This paper aims to study the development of Wolfhart Pannenberg's theological anthropology by addressing and clarifying two questions one may face when trying to understand the development of his theological anthropology. (1) It is thought that there was a shift in Pannenberg's theological anthropology in terms of methodology and content from Anthropology in Theological Perspective to the second volume of his Systematic Theology. (2) Scholars have often based their study of Pannenberg's theological anthropology on his Anthropology in Theological Perspective or the earlier published What Is Man? Contemporary Anthropology in Theological Perspective. However, in view of (1), should we not approach Pannenberg's theological anthropology—such as its starting point and foundation—differently? After an investigation of how he understands the work of theology and the development of his theological anthropology, this paper concludes that there was no shift in Pannenberg's theological anthropology from Anthropology in Theological Perspective to the second volume of his Systematic Theology. In addition, in view of our understanding of Pannenberg's theological anthropology, it is clearly more appropriate to use the relevant parts of the latter work as a starting point and basis for the study of his theological anthropology. Finally, this paper shows that Pannenberg has used a theologically grounded interdisciplinary method to construct his theological anthropology and even his entire theological system.