What is consciousness? Is the mind a machine? What makes each of us a person? How do our bodies relate to our minds?

In this deeply engaging exploration of what it means to be human, Rowan Williams addresses these frequently asked questions with lucid meditations that draw from findings in neuroscience, philosophy, psychology, and literature. Then he presses on to ask, Might faith be necessary to human flourishing? If so, why? And how can a traditional Christian practice—namely, silence—help us advance on the path to human maturity?

The book ends with a brief but profound meditation on Christ’s ascension, inviting readers to consider how, through Jesus, our humanity in all its variety and vulnerability has been transfigured and taken into the heart of the divine life.

Being Human is a book that readers of all religious persuasions will find both challenging and highly rewarding. Questions at the end of each chapter encourage personal reflection or group discussion.

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
— author of Not in God’s Name: Confronting Religious Violence
“Rowan Williams is one of today’s most brilliant and profound thinkers. His Being Human is a rich and thought-provoking meditation on the themes of consciousness, language, relationship, speech, silence, and what it is to be a person. A marvelous and moving work—philosophical theology at its very best.”

Iain McGilchrist
— author of The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World
“Williams never disappoints: his reflections on such important topics as the nature of consciousness, how we view time, and the wisdom of silence make vital reading.”

Spirit & Life
"Williams is a clear and sometimes poetic writer. He can be trusted to be theologically sound and spiritually profound."

Spirit & Life
"I have no hesitation in recommending this book. . . . Overall Williams is a clear and sometimes poetic writer. He can be trusted to be theologically sound and spiritually profound."