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THEOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

THEOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY. Coastland University – Pastor Brett Peterson. What is anthropology?. Anthropology is the systematic study of humankind.  - man  - word/study Emergence of the discipline Two major goals: Understand uniqueness and diversity

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THEOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

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  1. THEOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY Coastland University – Pastor Brett Peterson Theology – Pastor Brett Peterson

  2. What is anthropology? • Anthropology is the systematic study of humankind. •  - man •  - word/study • Emergence of the discipline • Two major goals: • Understand uniqueness and diversity • Discover fundamental similarities

  3. Four-field Approach • Four subdisciplines bridge science and humanities: • Physical Anthropology • Archaeology • Linguistics • Cultural Anthropology

  4. Physical Anthropology • Primarily concerned with humans as a biological species • Most closely related to natural sciences • Major research areas: • Human evolution • Modern human variation • Subdisciplines: • Palaeoanthropology, primatology, forensics, palaeopathology, human osteology, genetics

  5. Choose what you want to believe: Dr. George Wald, 1967 Noble Peace Prize in Science: “When it comes to the origin of life on this earth, there are only two possibilities: creation or spontaneous generation (evolution). There is no third way. Spontaneous generation was disproved 100 years ago, but that leads us only to one other conclusion: that of supernatural creation. We cannot accept that on philosophical grounds (personal reasons); therefore, we choose to believe the impossible; that life arose spontaneously by chance.”

  6. ¿Is it easy to believe in evolution? The transition from a frog to a prince in an instant is considered a Fable The transition from a frog to a prince in 4 billion years is called SCIENCE! The possibility that a single cell could randomly combine to begin the random formation of all that exists in 4.6 billion years is 1:1040.000 ¡The number of atoms in the entire universe is 1080 !

  7. Discovery of “Big Bang” • April 24, 1992, George Smoot of COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer), recorded the event: • “What we found is evidence for the birth of the universe. It’s like looking at God.” Stephen Hawking said, “It is the discovery of the century, if not of all time.”

  8. Implications of discovery • Universe can be traced back to a single, ultimate origin of matter, energy, space (with dimensions of length, width, and height) and time. • Theological significance: The cause (Entity) of universe who brought the universe into existence existed and created from outside (i.e., independent) of matter, energy and space-time dimensions. • The universe exhibits more than 60 characteristics that require exact timing for their existence, and all of life as we know it. • Theological significance: The Entity who caused existence must be personal, intelligent, powerful and caring (only reasonable explanation for creative provision for our needs)

  9. A Caring God • Astronomer George Greenstein, in The Symbiotic Universe, 1988, “As we survey all the evidence, the thought insistently arises that some supernatural agency– or rather, Agent, must be involved. Is it possible that suddenly, without intending to, we have stumbled upon scientific proof of the existence of a Supreme Being? Was it God who stepped in and so providentially crafted the cosmos for our benefit?” (Hugh Ross) • “Through his power all things were made—things in heaven and on earth, things seen and unseen, all powers, authorities, lords, and rulers. All things were made through Christ and for Christ. He was there before anything was made, and all things continue because of him.” Col 1:16-17

  10. Archaeology • Archaeologists seek out and examine the artifacts (material products) of past societies. • Archaeology is not treasure-hunting (a la Indiana Jones). • Subdisciplines of archaeology: • Prehistoric, historic, Classical, Biblical, underwater • Modern “trash”

  11. Linguistic Anthropology • Subfield of anthropology, philosophy, and English • Main research areas: • How language is used • Relationship between language and culture • How humans acquire language • Fields of linguistics: • Structural, historical, sociolinguistics

  12. Cultural Anthropology • Sometimes known as ethnology, cultural anthropology examines contemporary societies and cultures throughout the world. • Participant observation: • Ethnography • Ethnographic data

  13. Holism and Applied Anthropology • Training in all four fields required • Links to other social sciences • Sociology, psychology, economics, political science, history • Applied Anthropology • Sometimes called the 5th field • Offers practical solutions to cultural problems • Chapter 18

  14. The Scientific Method • A logical system used to evaluate data derived from systematic observation. • Inductive – first data, then theory • Deductive – first theory, then evaluation Inductive Model Deductive Model

  15. What Is Anthropology? • The Study of the Doctrine of Man • His origins • His nature • His destiny Theological Anthropology

  16. A Prelude • The 16th Century: • Age of Discovery • “Mercantilism” • European World View – chosen by God • Thomas Hobbes – the lives of savages are “nasty, brutish, & short”

  17. Enlightenment • 18th Century: • All people capable of progress toward civilization • “The Noble Savage” • 1800 Society for the Observation of Man • Comparative anatomy • Comparative Languages • Museum of Comparative Ethnography

  18. Context for Unilineal Evolution • 19th Century: • 1855 Berlin Conference • Colonialism – economic & political domination • Transfer of wealth to Europe • Increasing Racism

  19. Christian Anthropology: Irenaeus General theories of human nature: four components. Christian anthropology: main contours. The problem of evil. Fall of Adam in the NT. St. Irenaeus’ interpretation of human condition.

  20. General theories of human nature • What kind of world do we live in? Background believes about the world. • Who are we? Background beliefs about human nature. • What went wrong? Diagnosis of the problem. • How can we make things right? Prescription how to solve the problem. (Adopted from Leslie Stevenson, SevenTheoriesofHumanNature, with some modifications)

  21.  Human nature according to the advertisement industry. • 1. We are basically consumers. • 2. The world is a conglomerate of material goods, some of which we have and the majority of which we do not have. • 3. Basic problem: we do not have what is being advertised. • 4. Solution: purchase it and be happy. Theological Anthropology

  22.  Human nature according to Karl Marx. • 1. We are products of social forces and relations. • 2. Human history is a class struggle. At the heart of the development of history and indeed at the heart of the real are hard economic laws: money—product—money. Theological Anthropology

  23. Any explanation of history in terms of spiritual intentions is a pious nonsense and a delusion. • 3. Problem: unequal distribution of means of production. Working class people are alienated from what they produce. • 4. Solution: violent revolution. It will restore justice and create classless society (everybody is equal to everyone else. Everybody makes the same). Theological Anthropology

  24. Christian anthropology • The world is created by God and depends upon God. • We are created in the image and likeness of God. We are not self-made. • Problem: sin. Breach in the relationship with God. Disobedience to the will of God. • Solution: God in Christ takes the initiative to restore this relationship. Humans return to God through Christ in repentance. Ultimate destiny: heaven or hell.

  25. The Origin of Man • Naturalistic • Process of Evolution • Theistic • Theistic Evolution • Special Creation Theological Anthropology

  26. Naturalistic • Defined by the modern theory of Evolution • Denies Biblical revelation • Denies the special nature of man • Founded in atheistic humanism • Hostile to God and the Scriptures • Taught as “de facto” truth • Sees man as the end product of a series of “accidents” and “chances” over millions of years of time Theological Anthropology

  27. Theistic Evolution • An attempt to merge the Bible and Evolution • Attempts to explain creation in terms of an evolutionary model engineered and supervised by God • Supported by those who want a supernatural God, but who also want to be seen as “scientific” and “rational” by peers Theological Anthropology

  28. Theistic Evolution • Two Major Brands: • Gap Theory • Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 are separated by a gap of millions of years where evolutionary processes took place - thus the creation account in Genesis 1:3ff is not really a creation, but a re-creation. • Day-Age Theory • Each “day” of Genesis 1 is actually an indeterminate period of time millions of years in length during which evolution guided the creative process. Theological Anthropology

  29. Refuting Theistic Evolution • There is no Biblical evidence or support that there is or was a gap between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2. • Death, the “engine” of evolution, did not exist prior to the fall of man. • All fossil records, including dinosaurs, can be easily explained in term of the original creation and flood accounts of Genesis. Theological Anthropology

  30. Refuting Theistic Evolution • The “days” of Genesis 1 are most clearly understood to mean literal, 24 hour, days • #1 - Whenever “yom” is used with an ordinal number in the Old Testament, e.g. first, second, third, it ALWAYS refers to a literal, 24 hour day. • #2 - The usage of the term “evening and morning” suggest strongly that this is a 24 hour day, not a long geological age. Theological Anthropology

  31. Refuting Theistic Evolution • #3 - Since God is omnipotent, He would not need to take eons of time to evolve something He could call into existence in a moment of time. • #4 - The Bible says God rested on the seventh day, and Adam fell after the seventh day. Clearly the usage of day here cannot refer to some long geological age. Theological Anthropology

  32. Refuting Theistic Evolution • #5 - The seven days of the work week, with the seventh being a day of rest, was founded on the creation week according to Exodus 20:11 • #6 - The near universal acceptance and usage of a seven-day week going back thousands of years in many different human cultures and traditions. Theological Anthropology

  33. Refuting Theistic Evolution • #7 - There is nothing in the text of Genesis 1 that would lead anyone to thing of these as anything but 24 hour periods of time. • #8 - The evolution of plants during the third “age” would be impossible since the sun and mood were created during the fourth “age.” Theological Anthropology

  34. Refuting Theistic Evolution • #9 - Many plants could not have evolved during the third “age” without the existence of insects for pollination who were created during the fifth “age.” • #10 - The existence of liquid water would be impossible for billions of years without the heat of the sun created during the fourth “age.” Theological Anthropology

  35. Refuting Theistic Evolution • #11 - The sun and moon, created on day four, were to rule over the day and night and to separate light from darkness - a clear reference to a 24 hour day. • #12 - God rested on the seventh day - are we to understand that as referring to a long geological age of millions of years? Theological Anthropology

  36. Special Creation • God created man • Of the Dust of the Ground - Genesis 2:7 • On day Six - Genesis 1:26-27 • Both Male and Female - Genesis 1:27 • In innocence - Genesis 1:31 • In His Image - Genesis 1:27 • To have dominion over Creation - Genesis 1:26 • To multiply and fill the earth - Genesis 1:28 Theological Anthropology

  37. The Nature of Man • The Image of God - Imago Dei • Dichotomy and Trichotomy • Origin of the Soul Theological Anthropology

  38. The Image of God • Thought to be many things • Physical form • We proved that scripture indicates God is a Spirit being with a physical form – both the Father and the Son have that form. Only the Spirit is just Spirit. • Noetic capacity • Man can reason and has an intellect, emotion, and will - he can think and reason. • Animals have this too but not to as large a degree! Theological Anthropology

  39. The Image of God • Spiritual Capacity • Man is “God Conscious” • Although this is true, it does not necessarily imply that the image of God refers to this capacity only. • Man is an eternal being, unlike animals • Man has a “moral” sense of right and wrong • Relational Capacity • Most likely is the closest - man was created to have a relationship with God. • Of all beings in creation, man alone has the ability to form and develop relationships. Theological Anthropology

  40. Image of God • Gen 1:26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Theological Anthropology

  41. Fallen “man” still is God’s image Gen 9:6 speaks of “man”as “in the image of God” James 3:9 describes “man” as “after the likeness (‘omoiwsin) of God” I Cor. 11:7 says “man” is the “image and glory of God” THE IMAGE OF GOD Theological Anthropology

  42. I m a g e • H6754 • צלם • tselem • tseh'-lem • From an unused root meaning to shade; a phantom, that is, (figuratively) illusion, resemblance; hence a representative figure, especially an idol: - image Theological Anthropology

  43. l i k e n e s s • H1823 • דּמוּת • demuth (198b); from H1819; likeness, similitude: - figure (1), figures like (1), figures resembling (1), form (4), like (4), likeness (8), pattern (1), resembling (1), something resembling (1), which resembled Theological Anthropology

  44. Image of God • Perhaps it is best to see the Image of God as being manifested in many ways • Mainly, the Hebrew word is clear – it is a physical representation that is given an eternal soul that has; • Spiritual Capacity • Ability to form relationships - and relate to his Creator -nAbility to think, reason, feel, and decide - Responsibility for decisions, both good and bad - Moral capacity Theological Anthropology

  45. Composition of non-material part Survey of Anthropology • Dichotomous view: • Two-part being: body and soul • Soul and spirit are same substance w/ different functions • Man became a living soul (Gen 2:7) • “Soul” and “spirit” used interchangeably (Gen 41:8 w/ Ps 42:6) • “Body” and “soul” constitute whole person (Matt 10:28; 1 Cor 5:3) • Trichotomous view: • Three-part being: body, soul and spirit. Different in substance and function • Soul is seen as a lower power consisting of man’s imagination, memory, and understanding • Spirit is a higher power, consisting of reason, conscience, and will • (a) Paul seems to emphasize the three-part view in desiring the sanctification of the entire person (1 Thess. 5:23). • (b) Hebrews 4:12 implies a distinction between soul and spirit. • (c) 1 Corinthians 2:14–3:4 suggests a threefold classification: natural (fleshly), carnal (soulish), and spiritual (spiritual)

  46. Composition of non-material part2 Survey of Anthropology • Multi-faceted view: • Soul and spirit commonly describe non-material part, but also 4 other terms are used: • “Heart” describes emotions (Jer 17:9 "The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? • Jer 17:10 "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.

  47. ` • “Conscience” for moral sense, but may be seared and unreliable (1 Tim 4:2); May be weak and overreact (1 Cor 8:7,10,12) • “Mind” is intellect (Rom 1:28), blinded by Satan (2 Cor 4:4); darkened and futile (Eph 4:17-18); but can be renewed (Rom 12:2) Mat 15:19) y volitional (Rom 10:9-10; Heb 4:7) aspect • “Will” of unbeliever tends to follow desires of flesh (Eph 2:2-3), but the believer can will to do God’s will (Rom 6:12-13) Survey of Anthropology

  48. Dichotomy • Views man as material and immaterial • The material refers to physical form and existence • Immaterial refers to the “soul” or “spirit” • Support for this view is that the terms “soul” and “spirit” are used interchangeably in the Bible - Luke 1:46-47, James 5:20 Theological Anthropology

  49. Trichotomy • Man consists of body, soul, and spirit • Body - physical existence • Soul - intellect, emotion, will, personality • Spirit - God-consciousness Theological Anthropology

  50. Trichotomy • Support for Trichotomy • Apparent distinction between soul and spirit - 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Hebrews 4:12 • The Hebrew word “nephesh” is translated beast, creature, and soul - Leviticus 24:18, Genesis 2:7, Genesis 2:19 • Apparent three levels of consciousness (self, world, and God) Theological Anthropology

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