The Value of the Soul in the Religious Views. An Overview targeting the Salvation of an Individual Cover Image

The Value of the Soul in the Religious Views. An Overview targeting the Salvation of an Individual
The Value of the Soul in the Religious Views. An Overview targeting the Salvation of an Individual

Author(s): Cosmin Tudor Ciocan
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, Metaphysics, Islam studies, Comparative Studies of Religion, Ancient Philosphy, East Asian Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Religion
Published by: EDIS- Publishing Institution of the University of Zilina
Keywords: self-awareness; consciousness; salvation; Neoplatonism; metaphysics; transcendence; matter;

Summary/Abstract: The Soul is considered, both for religions and philosophy, to be the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being, conferring individuality and humanity, often considered to be synonymous with the mind or the self. For most theologies, the Soul is further defined as that part of the individual, which partakes of divinity and transcends the body in different explanations. But, regardless of the philosophical background in which a specific theology gives the transcendence of the soul as the source of its everlasting essence – often considered to survive the death of the body –, it is always appraised as a higher existence for which all should fight for. In this regard, all religious beliefs assert that there are many unseen battles aiming to take hold of the human soul, either between divinity and evil, or between worlds, or even between the body and the soul itself. These unseen battles over the human soul raging in the whole world made it the central item of the entire universe, both for the visible and the unseen worlds, an item of which whoever takes possession will also become the ruler of the universe. Through this philosophy, the value of the soul became abysmal, incommensurable, and without resemblance. The point for making such a broad overview of the soul in religious beliefs is the question of whether we can build an interfaith discourse based on the religions’ most debated and valuable issue, soul?

  • Issue Year: 6/2019
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 233-244
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: English