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MISSIONARY ANTHROPOLGY. People are God’s Creation. Humanity in God ’ s Image. Scriptures Gen. 1:26-27 Gen. 5:1 (male & female) Gen. 9:6 (image after fall) 1 Cor.11:7 James 3:9 Rom. 8:29 2 Cor. 3:18. Humanity in God ’ s Image. People are God’s chief concern Created humanity
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MISSIONARY ANTHROPOLGY People are God’s Creation
Humanity in God’s Image • Scriptures • Gen. 1:26-27 • Gen. 5:1 (male & female) • Gen. 9:6 (image after fall) • 1 Cor.11:7 • James 3:9 • Rom. 8:29 • 2 Cor. 3:18
Humanity in God’s Image • People are God’s chief concern • Created humanity • Communicates with humanity • Provides for humanity • Loves humanity • Died for humanity • Mission is to humanity
Humanity in God’s Image • Christ died for all of humanity • Humanity is God’s central concern • Everything we have revealed of God points to two relationships (Mt. 22:37-40) • Humanities’ relationship to God • Humanities’ relationship to each other
Humanity in God’s Image • Three Views on the image of God • Substantive • Relational • Functional
Humanity in God’s Image • Substantive View – holds that the image of God is a part of the nature of humanity being physical, psychological, or spiritual. • Reason is what distinguishes us from animals • God is cognitive therefore humanity is cognitive • No distinction between “image” & “likeness” • Irenaeus • Medieval Scholastics • No loss of image • Martin Luther – all but a glimmer of the image of God is lost • Gen. 9:6 – image still present after the fall
Humanity in God’s Image • Relational View – holds that the image is not inherently in humanity but occurs at the experiencing of a relationship with God or people. • Ability to have relationships distinguishes people from animals • Problems • People were created with an image • The image was not something people gained through an experience only
Humanity in God’s Image • Functional View – holds that the image of God is something humanity does as in exercising dominion over the creation. • Fits the context of Gen. 1:26 (see also Ps. 8:5-6) • Problems • Created in the image of God and given dominion • Limited to one aspect of humanity’s characteristics • Leaves out the spiritual and eternal nature
Humanity in God’s Image • Image of God • The Substantive View allows for the exercise of both relationships and dominion over the world. • The essence of humanity shares in the attributes of God in a limited way. • Goodness • Ruling • Freedom of will and thus freedom to act
Humanity in God’s Image • Image of God • Eternal aspect of humanity • Soul is usually referring to physical life • Spirit is usually referring to the spiritual essence of a person • Spirit or soul • Soul can include both physical and spiritual nature • Mt. 10:28 • Mt. 16:26 • James 1:21 • James 5:20 • Spirit – eternal aspect, correlates to the image • Lk. 23:46 • Acts 7:59 • James 2:26
Humanity in God’s Image • What is a person? • Biological or material beings only • Secular materialism • Determined by their environment • Material and spiritual beings • Transcendent and earthly dimensions • Interactive with environmental and spiritual aspects
Humanity in God’s Image • Christ’s View of People • Spiritual • Social • Psychological • Physical • Biological • Cultural
IntroductionMissionary & Anthropology People should be understood as integrated being
Humanity in God’s Image • Perceptions of the “them” • Non-human • Savages • Primitives • Aborigines • People
Humanity in God’s Image • Theological Assumptions • God’s mission • Every person is created in God’s image • Every person is of value to God and should be to us • God communicates (authority of scripture) • Christ centered • Work of the Holy Spirit • Need for the kingdom of God • The church as God’s instrument • Priesthood of all believers
Humanity Is Us GOD Kingdom of God or Rule of God Humanity in the Image of God Rejection of God’s Rule Acceptance of God’s Rule
Missions & Anthropology • Anthropology’s contribution to missions • Better understanding of cross-cultural situation • Systematic means to understand cultures • Gave insights into Bible translation • Clarified aspects of conversion • Social • Individual • Helped in focusing on communication relevancy • Assisted in finding bridges