Lecture 1 Flashcards
What is Anthropology?
• It is the study of man (or humans).
• anthropos -
1. refers to human being, man, or person of either sex, with a focus on participation in the human race.
2. Can also refer to a single person who serves as a representative, or federal head.
• logos - Carrie’s the sense of giving reason to something. The underlying rationale for belief.
Therefore anthropology is an attempt to give a reasonable account for why we are the way we are.
What is secular humanism?
Secular humanism - is the belief that the human person (and not God) is at the center of life.
• it says to lead ethical lives and achieve human flourishing we only need reason, science, and experience.
• religion is the product of social, cultural conditions that give rise to human experience in local contexts.
• it is the opiate of the masses that allow us to endure pain and suffering.
The humanist manifesto:
• began as an attempt to understand the place of religion in a secular context.
• says, if there is religion it only has context in the here and now.
• instead of prayer and worship, humanists find their religious emotions expressed through a cooperative effort to promote social well-being.
• no belief in the supernatural.
A Christian response to the humanists “cooperative effort to promote social well-being”?
In place of prayer and worship, the humanist finds his religious emotions expressed in a cooperative effort to promote social well-being.
• the problem is not the social ethic, but that it has the wrong orientation.
1.) it is not grounded in a larger view of God that defines what it means to cooperate and promote well-being.
2.) we are made others centric by design, but Christians are anthroposensitive (we are aware of the needs of humans). We are not anthropocentric- humans are the center of the world.
A Christian response to secular humanist view denying the reality of the supernatural:
Secular humanism asserts the primacy of nature and the human race.
• the Biblical view of humanity holds that every individual is within a divine and liturgical perspective.
- we are created by God, and made for worship.
• this is the starting point for understanding every single person.
(The answer to this may be all four of the anthropological question)
How does a Biblical anthropology seek to understand humanity?
It seeks to understand humanity in relation to:
• self
• others
• the world
• God
Our understanding of God informs all other domains.
4 basic questions of anthropology:
1.) ontological question - asks, Who am I? What does it mean to exist?
2.) epistemological question- asks, How can I know? How can I know what I know?
3.) ethical question - asks, what am I to do? (Ethos is custom or habit)
4.) teleological question - What is my purpose? Why am I here?
Answer to the ontological question:
Asks, who am I?
A: you are created in the image of God.
What is the answer to the epistemological question?
Asks, how can I know? And how can I know what I know?
A: we are created with the capacity to know God, self, others, etc. to the extent that God has made knowledge possible through general and special revelation.
What is the answer to the ethical question?
Asks, what am I to do?
A: we are created to love.
We are created to love God and reflect his character in a life of obedience, service, and worship.
What is the answer to the teleological question?
Asks, what is my purpose? Why am I here?
A: we are made to glorify and enjoy God for all eternity.
• true humanity is ultimately experienced in communion with the triune God.
How is Anthropology to be understood from a theological context?
(Give two examples from theologians)
Biblical anthropology is best experienced in fellowship with Christ.
It conforms to the words of Christ and in accordance with scripture through the power of the Holy Spirit.
1) “nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is true and sound wisdom consists of two parts, knowledge of God and of ourselves. - Calvin
2) theology is the science of living blessedly forever. Blessed life ariseth from the knowledge of God.” - Perkins
