The ontology of the soul and Pauline renewal of the mind

: how holistic dualism accounts for the restructuring of the soul and human flourishing

Abstract

According to Christianity, transformation and renewal is necessary for human flourishing. The aim of my thesis is to provide a biblical ontology of human persons that supports a coherent explanation of Pauline transformation and renewal of the mind. I argue that holistic dualism provides a successful ontological framework that coheres with relevant biblical, philosophical, and scientific data. My methodology locates transformation and renewal as entailments in human flourishing and fitness grounded in the fundamental structure of reality. I proceed by carving out a biblical ontology of persons including a matrix for sanctification, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and a Christological exemplar for human agency. Next, I provide a model of the image of God founded upon the image-bearing agent and agency that coheres with my biblical ontology. I then explicate five views of the human person and soul landing on J. P. Moreland’s organicist view of holistic dualism. Next, I explicate the structure of the soul merging Moreland’s organicist structure with Richard Swinburne’s mental structure and provide an anatomical model of the soul. Finally, I turn to the sciences and provide an account of organismic plasticity and neuroplasticity that coheres with the restructuring of both the immaterial and material structures of the soul and body. In conclusion, I provide a synthesis of three models of transformation from theology, philosophy, and science integrated with Pauline renewal of the mind in concurrence with the agency of the Holy Spirit. I find that holistic dualism provides a successful ontology that unifies the human person and coheres with essential data providing a positive account of Pauline renewal and human flourishing.

Date of Award	2 Jul 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of St Andrews
Supervisor	Oliver Daniel Crisp (Supervisor)