The THE MYSTERY OF HUMANITY has ,as its departure point, John Paul's series of lectures that came to be known as the theology of the body. Who is right about what it means to be human? The Greeks envisioned an ideal humanity. Their ethereal sculptures depict a transcendent, spiritual model. But today many scientists view human beings as mere machines. And some believe we will be able to make machines with human-like intelligence in the near future. The biblical view of humanity is different from both of these. For the writers of Scripture, to be human is to be in the image of God. Guided by this view,John Paul II   affords the rediscovery of the meaning of the whole of existence, the meaning of life,Through phenomenological application. And this application is especially needed in the modern theology of African Catholic faith. Benedict's writings are discussed especially in view of their relevance to the notion of the Human Person and the implicit and explicit dignity of the individual believer.   TABLE OF CONTENTS   The Prologue    PART I: The Original Man 1.      IN THE BEGINNING  2.      THE ORIGINAL SOLITUDE 3.      THE ORIGINAL UNITY 4.     THE NUPTIAL MYSTERY 5.      THE ORIGINAL INNOCENCE    PART II: The Historical Man 6.      THE EXPERIENCE OF SHAME 7.      CHRIST APPEAL TO THE HUMAN HEART 8.      MANICHEANS AND THE MASTERS OF SUSPICION 9.      ETHOS AND EROS 10.      THE REDEMPTION OF THE BODY     PART III: The Eschatological Man 11. THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY