27 Mar Discuss the importance for you, in your own process of theological growth, to examine evidence from all areas of God’s self-revelation in coming to your conclusions as opposed to simply pulling a few proof text from the Bible.

The Question of Origin

Humanity—The Image of God

Sin

Content:

We have looked at both the origin of humanity and the image of God and as well as the nature and effects of sin.

 

Tasks:

In light of this reality, in 1,000–1,200 words, answer two of the following in a Microsoft Word document:

 

Discuss the importance for you, in your own process of theological growth, to examine evidence from all areas of God’s self-revelation in coming to your conclusions as opposed to simply pulling a few proof text from the Bible.

What would a rigorous application of the reality of humanity as the image of God make in your life and those to whom you minister?

Discuss the theological implications the doctrine of human depravity.

How are we to understand the nature of sin?

Submission Details:

In a minimum of 500 words for each question answered, write your response in a Microsoft Work

 

Notes to help

The Question of Origin

Several lessons ago, we looked at the question of the virgin birth, noting how for apologetic purposes, the doctrine of the virgin birth was raised to the level of one of the five fundamentals during the fundamentalist-modernist controversy. This lesson looks at the origin of humanity, a doctrine that fundamentalists and many evangelicals have raised to the level of a fundamental over the last half century. But this issue is unlike the issue of the virgin birth. In this case, it is not an affirmation that humanity finds its origin in God that is seen as fundamental; rather, a particular interpretation of the biblical account has been raised to the level of a fundamental of the faith. The issue is Young Earth Creationism, which reads the early chapters of Genesis through the lenses of Scottish Common Sense epistemology and a hyper-literal interpretation of the Genesis creation accounts. This affirmation demonizes “atheistic science” and adopts a full-blown dualism that, in effect, denies that God has revealed Himself through His creation.

 

The debate around the issue of the origin of humanity provides a window through which to view the interrelatedness of biblical and theological studies. In this case, we even step beyond biblical studies into the realms of philosophy and science.

 

As part of the readings this week, you will read Erickson’s survey of various understandings of who we are as human beings commonly espoused by society. You will then look at key issues surrounding the origin of humanity. These are issues that involve both scripture and scientific evidence.

 

Additional Materials:

From your course textbook Christian Theology, read the following chapters:

 

Introduction to the Doctrine of Humanity

The Origin of Humanity

Read the following article:

 

Scripture, Theology and Science: Personal Reflections and Conclusions

Recommended Resources:

 

Randolph, Richards E, and Brandon J. Obrien.

Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes:

Removing Cultural Blinders to Better

Understand the Bible. (Downers Grove:

InterVarsity Press, 2012.)

Humanity—The Image of God

Some time ago, a British journalist asked the question, “If you had an infant that was suffering from a congenital condition and could never lead a normal life, wouldn’t it be the kind and most loving thing to suffocate the baby with a pillow?” The audience was horrified, but the journalist didn’t understand why.

 

The belief that humanity is unique and privileged in all creation is under attack. It is common to hear that human beings are just the product of the chance product of blind evolution. The last decade has seen the attacks on the uniqueness and dignity of humanity escalated to a level that was unthinkable even two decades ago. We have seen the worldwide phenomenon of the commoditization of humanity. In the U.S., one manifestation is the practice of freezing embryos for possible later implantation—embryos that are not used are destroyed. We see human trafficking, sexual slavery, and economic enslavement by the criminal underworld. Other forces are at work to change the very nature of humanity. Nearly fifty years ago, B. F. Skinner argued that it is the place of science to reengineer humans, stating boldly, “A scientific view of man offers exciting possibilities. We have not yet seen what man can make of man.”

 

Scripture takes a radically different starting point. In Genesis 1, we find that human beings are created in the image of God. This phrase, when unpacked, radically challenges views that would reduce humanity to merely an animal at the top of a blind evolutionary chain, to merely a machine, or to merely a tool for the economic benefit of others.

 

In this lesson, we look at humanity, and particularly humanity as the image of God, unpacking the implications of the concept to enable us to grasp our created identity: those who are made to reflect the presence of God on earth.

 

Additional Materials:

From your course textbook Christian Theology, read the following chapters:

 

The Image of God in the Human

The Constitutional Nature of the Human

The Universality of Humanity

Heiser, Michael, S. “The Image of God.” Published Jan, 2016, 1:18.56

 

Sin

In this section, we move into an examination of sin. This is the point in our theological journey where if we are honest and allow ourselves to engage the topic, we must admit that sin fascinates and allures us while at the same time enrages and repulses. It holds fascination, because sin’s temptation strokes our egos. It tells us we can get away with something we know is wrong using the justification that we won’t get caught. It feeds our pride and it deludes us into thinking that we are accountable to only ourselves. In short, sin tempts us to play god.

 

Sin is Not the Way It Is Supposed to Be (Plantinga 1995). Sin disrupts shalom. It repulses and enrages us because in life, as well as in ministry, we come face to face with the horrendous damage it causes to the innocent who are the victims of sin: the grief of the family of the murder victim, the devastation of the molestation victim and the family, and the outrage and sense of violation of the victim of robbery.

 

This is a subject that cannot properly be approached simply through the detached intellect. If we are human, we cannot just coolly try to construct a doctrine of sin that we can assert is true. Yet as much as we try, we cannot ultimately understand: sin is, in some sense, insanity. It defies understanding. Yet we sin.

 

In this section, you will be reading Erickson’s thorough treatment of the subject. We also recommend several volumes that address the issue of sin from its existential dynamic, its motivation (Tillich), its downward cycle (Peters), and its allure (Ramm), and the horrendous life shattering damage it leaves in its wake (Allender).

 

Reference:

Plantinga, Cornelius, Jr. Not the Way It Is Supposed to Be. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995.)

 

 

Additional Materials:

From your course textbook Christian Theology, read the following chapters:

 

The Nature of Sin

The Source of Sin

The Results of Sin

The Magnitude of Sin

The Social Dimension of Sin

From your course textbook The Survivor’s Guide to Theology, read the following chapter:

 

Dispensationalism

Recommended Resources:

 

Peters, Ted. Sin, Radical Evil in Soul and Society.

(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994)

Plantinga, Cornelius. Not the Way It’s Supposed To

Be: A Breviary Of Sin. (Grand Rapids:

Eerdmans, 1995.)

Allender, Dan. The Wounded Heart. (Colorado Springs:

NavPress, 1990.) (Allender’s subject is the

effects of sexual abuse, but can validly be

viewed as an examination of the pathology

of sin viewed through the lens of sexual

abuse. This work is a must for anyone in

ministry).

Mercandante, Linda. Victims and Sinners: Spiritual

Roots of Addiction and Recovery. (Louisville:

Westminster John Knox Press, 1996.)

Gilkey, Langdon. Shantung Compound. (San Francisco:

Harper & Row, 2012.) (This book is Gilkey’s

personal confrontation with the fallen nature of

humanity during his incarceration in a Japanese

internment camp in China during WWII.)

Menninger, Karl. What Ever Became of Sin? (New

York: Hawthorn Books, 1972)

Peck, Scott M. People of the Lie. (New York: Simon &

Schuster, 1983.)