Title

Neither Because nor in Spite of: A Critical Reflection on Willard's Read of the Beatitudes

School/Department

School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Publication Date

11-2010

Abstract

In The Divine Conspiracy, Dallas Willard offers a much-needed corrective to a prevailing understanding of the Beatitudes according to which they are virtues or conditions for blessing in God's kingdom. Unfortunately, Willard weds this corrective to an implausible read of the more positive sounding beatitudes (e.g., purity of heart and peacemaking) according to which they are vices or unattractive conditions in spite of which one can be blessed. In what follows, I hope to rescue the main thrust of Willard's gloss on the beatitudes from his interpretation of these particular traits.

Keywords

Beatitudes; Dallas Willard;

Publication Title

Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care

Volume

3

Issue

2

First Page

230

Last Page

238

DOI of Published Version

10.1177/193979091000300207

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