Abstract

Contemporary reflection on the being and behavior of man has provided a colorful variety of portraits. We are already quite familiar with homo ludens ; homo symbolicus ; homo politicus ; homo sociologicus ; homo viator ; homo loquens ; homo significans ; and "psychological man". The reader of Farley’s recent book, Ecclesial Man, may well expect but another profile of the above referenced proliferating portraits. Fortunately, he will find that this is not the case. "Ecclesial man" is not simply another profile of an already institutionalized portrait, nor is he an eclectic synthesis of a variety of portraits. The inquiry of this present work is directed to the origins of anthropological reflection as they proceed from prereflective involvements within a concretely experienced life-world.