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Poster - Textual or Investigative

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In his work Ethics of Authenticity, Charles Taylor explores the contours of anthropology through studying contemporary philosophical thought in the postmodern West, wherein human identity is viewed as an internal, unique, moral ideal that finds fulfillment through the affirmation of others. This phenomenon has been termed by Robert Bellah as expressive individualism (hereafter EI). Though the political and societal implications of EI have been discussed by Carl Trueman and other scholars, the intersection between EI and contemporary existential anxiety from a theological perspective has not been substantially studied. We argue that EI is a significant contributing factor to the heightened existential anxiety experienced in the West. Applying W. Ross Hastings’s theological and Trinitarian approach to human anthropology and ethics, we argue that the external pressures of EI alienate individuals from their larger communities, resulting in increased anxiety due to instability in interpersonal relationships. Moreover, the internal pressures of EI distance the individual from meaning beyond the self. Without a transcendent telos, individuals today are left with unfulfilled desires and increased discontentment. Ultimately, we conclude that a theological approach to the issue of anxiety provides novel frameworks that can inform ministerial care. For future research, we suggest further exploration of the intersection between EI and anxiety in the fields of clinical psychology and applied apologetics.

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Apr 15th, 12:00 PM

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled: A Theological Investigation of Expressive Individualism and Existential Anxiety

Poster - Textual or Investigative

In his work Ethics of Authenticity, Charles Taylor explores the contours of anthropology through studying contemporary philosophical thought in the postmodern West, wherein human identity is viewed as an internal, unique, moral ideal that finds fulfillment through the affirmation of others. This phenomenon has been termed by Robert Bellah as expressive individualism (hereafter EI). Though the political and societal implications of EI have been discussed by Carl Trueman and other scholars, the intersection between EI and contemporary existential anxiety from a theological perspective has not been substantially studied. We argue that EI is a significant contributing factor to the heightened existential anxiety experienced in the West. Applying W. Ross Hastings’s theological and Trinitarian approach to human anthropology and ethics, we argue that the external pressures of EI alienate individuals from their larger communities, resulting in increased anxiety due to instability in interpersonal relationships. Moreover, the internal pressures of EI distance the individual from meaning beyond the self. Without a transcendent telos, individuals today are left with unfulfilled desires and increased discontentment. Ultimately, we conclude that a theological approach to the issue of anxiety provides novel frameworks that can inform ministerial care. For future research, we suggest further exploration of the intersection between EI and anxiety in the fields of clinical psychology and applied apologetics.

 

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