My dissertation responds to a problem at the intersection of moral philosophy and critical theory: How can one think the human subject as morally agential (and therefore responsible) if the subject is not self-constituting?

I answer this question by turning to a parallel problem in Christian theology, namely, the alleged antinomy between divine grace and human freedom. I argue for (1) a constructive reading of the Spirit that (2) resolves the antinomy between divine grace and human agency and thereby (3) furnishes conceptual resources for an account of the human subject as morally agential despite its self-opacity and dependency. The main point of the dissertation is to show that dipping into a pertinent theological tradition is an especially promising approach to a philosophical problem about the human subject—even for those who do not share the theological tradition’s theistic commitments. To succeed in its aim, then, the dissertation must hold itself accountable to multiple standards of rigor: not only those of academic theology, but also those of moral philosophy and critical theory. I look forward to the Marty Seminar’s interdisciplinary writing workshop: it will provide an invaluable resource for me as I write to multiple publics.