AI Theology

Pneuma to pneuma

Given the series I started this week, contrasting the dualistic versus tripartite visions of New Testament anthropology, I thought we'd give ChatGPT a shot at sorting this stuff out.

So, I asked the chatbot: "Is New Testament anthropology best described as dualistic (body and soul) or tripartite (body, soul and spirit)?"

The answer:

The question of whether the New Testament anthropology is best described as dualistic (body and soul) or tripartite (body, soul, and spirit) is a topic of debate among scholars and theologians. There are varying perspectives and interpretations regarding the nature of human beings as presented in the New Testament.

Some scholars argue that the New Testament presents a dualistic anthropology, where human beings are understood as consisting of two distinct parts: a physical body and an immaterial soul. According to this view, the soul is often associated with the individual's inner life, emotions, and consciousness, while the body is seen as the physical vessel that houses the soul during earthly existence. This dualistic understanding can be found in passages such as Matthew 10:28 where Jesus speaks of the soul and body as distinct entities: "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell."

On the other hand, some scholars argue that the New Testament presents a tripartite anthropology, where human beings are understood as consisting of three distinct parts: a physical body, an immaterial soul, and an immaterial spirit. According to this view, the spirit is seen as the aspect of a person that is associated with God's activity or divine influence, and it is often linked to regeneration, sanctification, and the work of the Holy Spirit. This tripartite understanding can be found in passages such as 1 Thessalonians 5:23 where Paul writes: "May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

It's important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the New Testament contains a diversity of language and concepts related to human anthropology, and different interpretations may be valid within different theological traditions. Some scholars may lean towards a dualistic understanding, while others may favor a tripartite view. Ultimately, the question of whether the New Testament presents a dualistic or tripartite anthropology is complex and subject to interpretation, and different scholars and theologians may hold different perspectives on this issue.

This is good. Much of this I've already highlighted in the first two posts of this week's series, and will discuss some more in the posts to come next week.

The helpful contrast between soul and spirit that ChatGPT makes, in discussing the tripartite model, is this: "the spirit is seen as the aspect of a person that is associated with God's activity or divine influence." When we think about the "soul" and "spirit" we often think about them as objects, things, or substances. How is this thing, the soul, related to this other thing, the spirit? But ChatGPT's answer nudges us in a different direction, toward thinking about the locus of God's action. 

Specifically, in the New Testament the soul is rarely described as being the site or locus of divine action or influence. By contrast, God's activity in our lives is overwhelmingly described as being mediated through pneuma, the spirit. As we explore the contrast between the soul and spirit in the current series, a key takeaway in the New Testament imagination is that Divine and human interactions are typically described as a Pneuma-to-pneuma relation. Our relationship to God is pneumatical. God's Spirit interacting with our spirit.