Joseph Sverker explores the division between social constructivism and a biologist essentialism
by means of Christian theology. For this Sverker uses a fascinating approach: He lets critical
theorist Judith Butler psycholinguist Steven Pinker and systematic theologian Colin Gunton
interact. While theology plays a central part to make the interaction possible the context is
also that of the school and the effect of institutions on the pupil as a human being and
learner.In order to understand what underlies the division between nature and nurture or
biology and the social in school Sverker develops new central concepts such as a kenotic
personalism a weak ontology of relationality and a relational and performative reading of
evolution. He argues that most fundamental for what it is to be human is the person
vulnerability bodiliness openness to the other and dependence. Sverker concludes that the
division between constructivism and essentialism discloses a deeper divide namely that between
fundamentally vulnerable persons on the one hand and constructed independent individuals on the
other.
