The Implications of an Evangelical Theology of the Body for Christocentric Spiritual Formation

Abstract

Christocentric spiritual formation approaches that incorporate the physical body are lacking in the literature base. The physical body plays a crucial role in spiritual formation; failure to recognize the significance of human embodiment in this way neglects a fundamental aspect of the imago Dei. This thesis researches the biblical view of human embodiment and assesses how the physical body relates to spiritual formation. Often, the soul⎯or spiritual dimension of believers⎯is elevated at the expense of the physical body within the Christian context due to insufficient theology of human embodiment. This is often rooted in a dualistic, compartmentalized understanding of humanity. The relationship between the physical body and spiritual formation is rooted in an evangelical theology of human embodiment founded in Scripture, which is necessary for a holistic understanding of the human person. The Bible demonstrates that God has created the whole person with the purpose of bringing glory to himself.