Dichotomy to Intrinsic Unity
Ancient philosophers Socrates and Plato considered the body as a prison for the soul, while Aristotle taught that they function in a state of unity. Self-flagellation was recommended down the centuries in Christian monastic circles as a way to spiritual maturity through the infliction of pain in one’s body. Such dualist perceptions of body and soul, pessimistic portrayals of body and divinized notions of soul continue to be subjects of ongoing discussions in philosophical, spiritual and theological queries.
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S. Baskar Antony, SJ, teaches Systematic Theology at Arul Kadal, the Jesuit Formation Centre for Theology, Chennai.
