Papers by Jonathan C R Hill
Religious Studies, Jan 1, 2010
In this paper we investigate composition models of incarnation,
according to which Christ is a co... more In this paper we investigate composition models of incarnation,
according to which Christ is a compound of qualitatively and numerically different
constituents. We focus on three-part models, according to which Christ is composed
of a divine mind, a human mind, and a human body. We consider four possible
relational structures that the three components could form. We argue that a
‘hierarchy of natures’ model, in which the human mind and body are united to
each other in the normal way, and in which they are jointly related to the divine
mind by the relation of co-action, is the most metaphysically plausible model.
Finally, we consider the problem of how Christ can be a single person even when
his components may be considered persons. We argue that an Aristotelian
metaphysics, according to which identity is a matter of function, offers a plausible
solution: Christ’s components may acquire a radically new identity through being
parts of the whole, which enables them to be reidentified as parts, not persons.
Philosophy and Theology 22, 1-2, 2011
In this paper, we examine Abelard’s model of the incarnation and place it within the wider contex... more In this paper, we examine Abelard’s model of the incarnation and place it within the wider context of his views in metaphysics and logic. In particular, we consider whether Abelard has the resources to solve the major difficulties faced by the so-called “compositional models” of the incarnation, such as his own. These difficulties include: the requirement to account for Christ’s unity as a single person, despite being composed of two concrete particulars; the requirement to allow that Christ is identical with the pre-existent Son, despite the fact that the pre-existent Son is a (proper) part of the incarnate Christ; and finally the requirement to avoid Nestorianism, i.e., the position that Christ’s proper parts are persons in their own right. We argue that Abelard does have adequate solutions to these problems. In particular, we show that his theories of relations and predication can be put to use in defence of a compositional account of the incarnation.
Philosophy and Theology, Vol 20, 2009
What metaphysics can plausibly back up the claim that God became incarnate? In this essay we inve... more What metaphysics can plausibly back up the claim that God became incarnate? In this essay we investigate the main kinds of models of incarnation that have been historically proposed. We highlight the philosophical assumptions in each model, and on this basis offer novel ways of grouping them as metaphysical rather than doctrinal positions. We examine strengths and weakness of the models, and argue that the so called ‘composition models’ offer the most promising way forward to account for the pivotal Christian belief that, in Christ, true divinity and true humanity meet in a genuine union.
Faith and Philosophy, 2012
Christian tradition holds not simply that, in Christ, God became human, but that at the end of hi... more Christian tradition holds not simply that, in Christ, God became human, but that at the end of his earthly career Christ became exalted (possessing and exercising the divine attributes such as omnipotence and omniscience), and yet remained perpetually human. In this paper I consider several models of the incarnation in the light of these requirements. In particular, I contrast models that adopt a temporalist understanding of divine eternity with those that adopt an atemporalist one. I conclude that temporalist models struggle to accommodate the doctrines of Christ’s exaltation and perpetual humanity, and that the only viable atemporalist models are compositionalist ones.
International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, 2012
Thomas Aquinas is often thought to present a compositionalist model of the incarnation, according... more Thomas Aquinas is often thought to present a compositionalist model of the incarnation, according to which Christ is a composite of a divine nature and a human nature, understood as concrete particulars. But he sometimes seems to hedge away from this model when insisting on the unity of Christ. I argue that if we interpret some of his texts on the assumption of straightforward compositionalism, we can construct a defence of Christ’s unity within that context. This defence involves the claim that the divine unity is so great, and the relation between Christ’s two natures so unusual, that the divine unity can be transferred to the composite Christ as a “borrowed property”.
British Journal for the History of Philosophy, 2011
Berkeley argues that our ideas cannot represent external objects, because only an idea can resemb... more Berkeley argues that our ideas cannot represent external objects, because only an idea can resemble an idea. But he does not offer any argument for the claim that an idea can represent only what it resembles - a premise essential to his argument. I argue that this gap can be both historically explained and filled by examining the debates between Cartesians and sceptics in the late seventeenth century. Descartes held that representation involves two relations between an idea and its object – resemblance and causation – and that these relations are very closely linked to each other. I look at variations upon this claim in later Cartesians, especially Desgabets and Re ́ gis. I also examine the critics who attacked this claim, especially Huet, Foucher, and Du Hamel, who developed arguments similar to Berkeley’s but concluded that (Cartesian) representation is simply impossible. I also argue that Malebranche, although an adherent of the Cartesian theory of intentionality, used a modified version of this argument to argue for his claim that ideas do not exist in the mind at all. These thinkers, and especially Malebranche, provide the context in which we should understand Berkeley.
History of Philosophy Quarterly, 2010
Gottfried Leibniz's belief that the actual world is the best possible world is one of the best-kn... more Gottfried Leibniz's belief that the actual world is the best possible world is one of the best-known aspects of his philosophy. It is also well known that Leibniz offers a number of apparently very different definitions of "best possible world." In this paper, I consider just one of these definitions, on which much of the recent literature has focused, which we may call the "fruitfulness criterion." On this criterion, put simply, the best possible world has the simplest laws but the most complex phenomena. The laws can be called "fruitful" because they produce much more complexity than they possess themselves. R ecent literature has questioned whether the fruitfulness criterion means that, in Leibniz's view, God was forced to trade some complexity of phenomena for the sake of having simpler laws, or whether Leibniz thinks that the actual world has more complex phenomena than any other and unusually simple laws. And there is disagreement over whether the fruitfulness criterion is supposed to be definitive of the best possible world or simply a feature that it happens to instantiate. Was God's motive in choosing to instantiate this possible world the fact that it has simple laws and complex phenomena, or did he follow other criteria? Are there other features that both laws and phenomena may have that are also desirable but not linked to their simplicity and complexity?
Journal of Medical Biography, 2010
Evagrius Ponticus was one of the most important and influential spiritual writers in the early Ch... more Evagrius Ponticus was one of the most important and influential spiritual writers in the early Christian church. This author argues that he suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder: in particular, the demonic ‘thoughts’ which he repeatedly describes meet all the criteria for obsessions. If this is true, it offers a new perspective on the relation between pastoral theology and psychiatric disorders: the spiritual tradition which Evagrius helped found may, as a result, have tended to exacerbate such symptoms in others, but it also possessed the resources to address them in a practical way.
British Journal for the History of Philosophy, 2009
Richard Sorabji has argued that Gregory of Nyssa proposed, in the fourth century CE, a version of... more Richard Sorabji has argued that Gregory of Nyssa proposed, in the fourth century CE, a version of philosophical idealism that anticipated the more well-known metaphysics of George Berkeley. Other scholars, notably Darren Hibbs, have challenged this interpretation, arguing that Gregory was actually a more conventional materialist. In this paper I examine the motives behind Gregory's metaphysics, locating his discussion in the Christian and Platonic concern about how an immaterial God could create a material world. I examine a range of Gregory's texts to argue that he did, in fact, hold a version of idealism importantly similar to Berkeley's.
Australasian Journal of Philosophy, 2009
In ethics, “probabilism” refers to a position defended by a number of Catholic theologians, mainl... more In ethics, “probabilism” refers to a position defended by a number of Catholic theologians, mainly in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. They held that, when one is uncertain which of a range of actions is the right one to perform, it is permissible to perform any which has a good chance of being the right one – even if there is another which has a better chance. This paper considers the value of this position from the viewpoint of modern ethical philosophy. The unusual nature of probabilism as a theory focusing upon permissibility, rather than right-making properties, is explored and related to some modern attempts to set out “satisficing” and “hybrid” ethical theories. Such theories try to distinguish between what is best and what is permissible, and probabilism can be understood as an alternative way of supplementing a theory of right-making properties by adding to it a theory of permissibility. But a more radical version is also possible, where one abandons any attempt to identify right actions or right-making properties, and instead considers permissibility alone. Accordingly, a “multi-account theory” of permissibility is proposed and defended as a model of how many people actually make moral decisions.
History of Philosophy Quarterly, 2008
Leibniz' views on relations have, over the past couple of decades, been increasingly recognised a... more Leibniz' views on relations have, over the past couple of decades, been increasingly recognised as central to his metaphysics. But his texts on the topic are cryptic and open to a wide range of interpretations. Particular attention has been paid to his "rewriting project", a series of notes in which he seeks to rewrite relational statements in a non-relational way. This is sometimes taken as evidence that Leibniz was a non-realist about relations. I argue that such a conclusion makes a number of unwarranted assumptions about what a "rewriting project" can really tell us about an authors metaphysics, and that to determine what Leibniz really thought about relations, we need to look at his other writings on that topic.
Book Chapters by Jonathan C R Hill
The Metaphysics of Incarnation - ed. Anna Marmodoro and Jonathan Hill, 2011
Incarnation is a central doctrine to Christianity: believers hold that Jesus was, in some way, id... more Incarnation is a central doctrine to Christianity: believers hold that Jesus was, in some way, identical with God whilst also being fully human. This doctrine raises a number of philosophical problems. This chapter gives an overview of some of these problems and the different ways in which Christian thinkers have sought to overcome them.
Books by Jonathan C R Hill
The growth of both philosophy of mind and cognitive science has developed our understanding of th... more The growth of both philosophy of mind and cognitive science has developed our understanding of the human mind in ways that just a few decades ago were unthinkable. As ideas from philosophy of mind begin to cross over into philosophy of religion, there is renewed interest in questions about the divine mind, about how it might relate to a human body, and about whether incarnation itself might be articulated with the conceptual tools offered by the current research developments in the philosophy of mind. This book offers original essays by leading philosophers of religion representing these new approaches to theological problems such as incarnation.
The doctrine of incarnation - that Jesus Christ was God become human - has always been one of the most central and distinctive features of Christianity. Similar doctrines about divine humans can be found in other religions, from the claims to divinity made by ancient kings and emperors to the concept of avatars in Hinduism. But many people regard the notion that a human being could also be divine as unjustifiable or incoherent, and none of the many attempts to articulate it philosophically has earned general acceptance.
The authors explore, from a variety of different viewpoints, whether any metaphysically rigorous and coherent model of incarnation can be defended today. Their aim is to give readers a clearer sense not only of the problems and possible new solutions associated with incarnation itself, but of how the notion of incarnation may be fitted in to wider current debates in philosophy.
The growth of both philosophy of mind and cognitive science has developed our understanding of th... more The growth of both philosophy of mind and cognitive science has developed our understanding of the human mind in ways that just a few decades ago were unthinkable. As ideas from philosophy of mind begin to cross over into philosophy of religion, there is renewed interest in questions about the divine mind, about how it might relate to a human body, and about whether incarnation itself might be articulated with the conceptual tools offered by the current research developments in the philosophy of mind. This book offers original essays by leading philosophers of religion representing these new approaches to theological problems such as incarnation.
The doctrine of incarnation - that Jesus Christ was God become human - has always been one of the most central and distinctive features of Christianity. Similar doctrines about divine humans can be found in other religions, from the claims to divinity made by ancient kings and emperors to the concept of avatars in Hinduism. But many people regard the notion that a human being could also be divine as unjustifiable or incoherent, and none of the many attempts to articulate it philosophically has earned general acceptance.
The authors explore, from a variety of different viewpoints, whether any metaphysically rigorous and coherent model of incarnation can be defended today. Their aim is to give readers a clearer sense not only of the problems and possible new solutions associated with incarnation itself, but of how the notion of incarnation may be fitted in to wider current debates in philosophy.
A comprehensive guide to every significant Christian theologian from the first century to the dea... more A comprehensive guide to every significant Christian theologian from the first century to the death of John Duns Scotus in 1308, the "Dictionary of Theologians" provides an invaluable window into the complex world of early and medieval Christian thought. The Dictionary encompasses the mainstream Eastern and Western traditions, as well as all notable heretical and sectarian movements, including information not previously available in English. Over 300 entries, indexed by name, each providing an accessible summary of a theologian's life and writings that reflects recent scholarship, as well as an up-to-date bibliography containing a wide range of the most important primary and secondary texts and translations. Useful for all levels of academia, the thoroughness of Hill's compilation provides an indispensable resource for even the most penetrating of studies on so large and varied a range of Church thinkers.
Today Christianity is the largest religion in the world, its influence felt in every corner of th... more Today Christianity is the largest religion in the world, its influence felt in every corner of the globe. But where did this religion come from? How did it take shape and formulate its beliefs? This enthralling book takes us back to the beginnings, setting us in the world of the Roman Empire and assessing the dominant philosophies of the time. How was the New Testament written and determined? How, after the first century AD, did Christianity set out on the road to an intellectually coherent account of its faith? How did it relate to the other main religion that grew up at the same time - Gnosticism. In The Crucible of Christianity we see the battle lines drawn and understand how notions of orthodoxy and heresy emerged. We meet the key thinkers who forged Christianity out of the crucible of dispute and conflict.
(Republished 2013 as "Christianity: The First 400 Years" )
Jonathan Hill explores how Christian thinkers, as well as selected philosophers and other religio... more Jonathan Hill explores how Christian thinkers, as well as selected philosophers and other religious leaders, have addressed key issues over the centuries. Considering the arguments for and against each position, he encourages readers to think the issues through for themselves in this enjoyable, discursive book. Questions include: - How can we believe in God when there is so much suffering? - Does science mean the end of religion? - Does life after death really exist? - Is freedom just an illusion? - Is there such a thing as evil? - Have we any good reason to believe in God? - What is the ultimate goal of life? - What does it mean to lead a good life?
What good, if any, has Christianity ever given to Western society? What value is there in seeking... more What good, if any, has Christianity ever given to Western society? What value is there in seeking to preserve its influence, especially in our day and age? For many, Western culture is now a post-Christian culture and much the better off for having put its Christian past behind it. In "What Has Christianity Ever Done For Us?" Jonathan Hill tells the story of the centuries-long entanglement between Christianity and Western culture. In doing so, he provides an in-depth treatment of the profound impact that Christianity has had on Western society. Employing a rich, narrative style packed with events and people, Hill describes the place of Christianity both in Western history and in our current cultural milieu.
This excellent addition to the Lion Histories series explores one of the most interesting periods... more This excellent addition to the Lion Histories series explores one of the most interesting periods of history - the Enlightenment of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The book begins by describing how the Middle Ages came to an end with the Renaissance and the Reformation, setting the scene for the Enlightenment. Jonathan Hill then takes the reader on a fascinating tour of the central themes and characters of this turbulent period.
A society with no grasp of its history is like a person without a memory. This is particularly tr... more A society with no grasp of its history is like a person without a memory. This is particularly true of the history of ideas. This book is an ideal introduction to the thinkers who have shaped Christian history and the culture of much of the world. Writing in a lively, accessible style, Jonathan Hill takes us on an enlightening journey from the first to the twenty first centuries. He shows us the key Christian thinkers through the ages - ranging from Irenaeus, Origen, Augustine and Aquinas through to Luther, Wesley, Kierkegaard and Barth - placing them in their historical context and assessing their contribution to the development of Christianity.
Uploads
Papers by Jonathan C R Hill
according to which Christ is a compound of qualitatively and numerically different
constituents. We focus on three-part models, according to which Christ is composed
of a divine mind, a human mind, and a human body. We consider four possible
relational structures that the three components could form. We argue that a
‘hierarchy of natures’ model, in which the human mind and body are united to
each other in the normal way, and in which they are jointly related to the divine
mind by the relation of co-action, is the most metaphysically plausible model.
Finally, we consider the problem of how Christ can be a single person even when
his components may be considered persons. We argue that an Aristotelian
metaphysics, according to which identity is a matter of function, offers a plausible
solution: Christ’s components may acquire a radically new identity through being
parts of the whole, which enables them to be reidentified as parts, not persons.
Book Chapters by Jonathan C R Hill
Books by Jonathan C R Hill
The doctrine of incarnation - that Jesus Christ was God become human - has always been one of the most central and distinctive features of Christianity. Similar doctrines about divine humans can be found in other religions, from the claims to divinity made by ancient kings and emperors to the concept of avatars in Hinduism. But many people regard the notion that a human being could also be divine as unjustifiable or incoherent, and none of the many attempts to articulate it philosophically has earned general acceptance.
The authors explore, from a variety of different viewpoints, whether any metaphysically rigorous and coherent model of incarnation can be defended today. Their aim is to give readers a clearer sense not only of the problems and possible new solutions associated with incarnation itself, but of how the notion of incarnation may be fitted in to wider current debates in philosophy.
The doctrine of incarnation - that Jesus Christ was God become human - has always been one of the most central and distinctive features of Christianity. Similar doctrines about divine humans can be found in other religions, from the claims to divinity made by ancient kings and emperors to the concept of avatars in Hinduism. But many people regard the notion that a human being could also be divine as unjustifiable or incoherent, and none of the many attempts to articulate it philosophically has earned general acceptance.
The authors explore, from a variety of different viewpoints, whether any metaphysically rigorous and coherent model of incarnation can be defended today. Their aim is to give readers a clearer sense not only of the problems and possible new solutions associated with incarnation itself, but of how the notion of incarnation may be fitted in to wider current debates in philosophy.
(Republished 2013 as "Christianity: The First 400 Years" )
according to which Christ is a compound of qualitatively and numerically different
constituents. We focus on three-part models, according to which Christ is composed
of a divine mind, a human mind, and a human body. We consider four possible
relational structures that the three components could form. We argue that a
‘hierarchy of natures’ model, in which the human mind and body are united to
each other in the normal way, and in which they are jointly related to the divine
mind by the relation of co-action, is the most metaphysically plausible model.
Finally, we consider the problem of how Christ can be a single person even when
his components may be considered persons. We argue that an Aristotelian
metaphysics, according to which identity is a matter of function, offers a plausible
solution: Christ’s components may acquire a radically new identity through being
parts of the whole, which enables them to be reidentified as parts, not persons.
The doctrine of incarnation - that Jesus Christ was God become human - has always been one of the most central and distinctive features of Christianity. Similar doctrines about divine humans can be found in other religions, from the claims to divinity made by ancient kings and emperors to the concept of avatars in Hinduism. But many people regard the notion that a human being could also be divine as unjustifiable or incoherent, and none of the many attempts to articulate it philosophically has earned general acceptance.
The authors explore, from a variety of different viewpoints, whether any metaphysically rigorous and coherent model of incarnation can be defended today. Their aim is to give readers a clearer sense not only of the problems and possible new solutions associated with incarnation itself, but of how the notion of incarnation may be fitted in to wider current debates in philosophy.
The doctrine of incarnation - that Jesus Christ was God become human - has always been one of the most central and distinctive features of Christianity. Similar doctrines about divine humans can be found in other religions, from the claims to divinity made by ancient kings and emperors to the concept of avatars in Hinduism. But many people regard the notion that a human being could also be divine as unjustifiable or incoherent, and none of the many attempts to articulate it philosophically has earned general acceptance.
The authors explore, from a variety of different viewpoints, whether any metaphysically rigorous and coherent model of incarnation can be defended today. Their aim is to give readers a clearer sense not only of the problems and possible new solutions associated with incarnation itself, but of how the notion of incarnation may be fitted in to wider current debates in philosophy.
(Republished 2013 as "Christianity: The First 400 Years" )