Being Human: Bodies, Minds, Persons

What is consciousness? Is the mind a machine? What makes each of us a person? How do our bodies relate to our minds?

In this deeply engaging exploration of what it means to be human, Rowan Williams addresses these frequently asked questions with lucid meditations that draw from findings in neuroscience, philosophy, psychology, and literature. Then he presses on to ask, Might faith be necessary to human flourishing? If so, why? And how can a traditional Christian practice—namely, silence—help us advance on the path to human maturity?

The book ends with a brief but profound meditation on Christ’s ascension, inviting readers to consider how, through Jesus, our humanity in all its variety and vulnerability has been transfigured and taken into the heart of the divine life.

Being Human is a book that readers of all religious persuasions will find both challenging and highly rewarding. Questions at the end of each chapter encourage personal reflection or group discussion.

• Christ the Heart of Creation
• Being Disciples: Essentials of the Christian Life
• Being Christian: Baptism, Bible, Eucharist, Prayer
• Holy Living: The Christian Tradition for Today
• Advent: The Once and Future Coming of Jesus Christ
• For the Life of the World: Theology That Makes a Difference (Theology for the Life of the World)
• That All Shall Be Saved: Heaven, Hell, and Universal Salvation
• An Ocean of Light: Contemplation, Transformation, and Liberation
• Happiness and the Christian Moral Life: An Introduction to Christian Ethics
• Tokens of Trust: An Introduction to Christian Belief