A Self in Crisis

This article explores the transformation of the self in secular culture through the lens of Wolfhart Pannenberg’s theological anthropology. It analyzes secularization as an ambivalent historical process rooted in the Reformation and the fragmentation of moral and metaphysical horizons. Engaging sociological and philosophical perspectives, the study argues that the modern self is not fully autonomous but remains structurally open to transcendence. Pannenberg’s dynamic understanding of the imago Dei presents an alternative to postmodern conceptions of identity, grounding human freedom, truth, and dignity in divine relationality and eschatological fulfillment. At the same time, the article critically assesses tensions in Pannenberg’s rational to God, especially his account of atheism and divine inaccessibility. It questions whether Christianity persists as a hidden foundation of modern culture or has lost public significance altogether. Ultimately, the article challenges prevailing assumptions about autonomy and meaning while reaffirming the theological conditions of human dignity in secular modernity and contemporary society.