OPPapers.com

Anthropology Paper

Anthropology

"The doctrine of humanity."
Important because:
1. Relationship to other major doctrines.
a. Highest of God's creation and we learn more about God from humanity than any other creation, "in God's image and likeness." Copy resembles original.
b. Teaches about Christ since he was human, to understand Christ one must understand humanity. Humanity teaches about Jesus and human nature of Jesus teaches about what humanity can and should be.
c. Without humanity, no incarnation, atonement, regeneration, justification, or church.
d. View of humans determines many others, much care since we are studying ourselves.
2. Biblical revelation and humans coverge.
a. Theology treats something that everyone admits exists.
b. Good place to start a conversation with an unbeliever, but may not end here. Human concerned with who we are, what is happening, and where we are going.
c. Paul Tillich, method of correlation: answering/apologetic theology (rather than telling). All of life in reality and culture is used as starting point to get to God: art, literature, movies, politics, philosophy, etc. Asks, what is important? And then answers appropriately with "God." Answer of God is given in terms that people understand and language they know.
d. Begin with questions and problems people have and preach/work from there.
3. Humanity receives much attention already in most disciplines.
a. Psychology, sociology, business, medicine, political science, anthropology, ethics.
4. Present crisis regarding humanity's self-understanding, "What is a human being?"
a. Youth discovering who they are.
b. Loss of historical roots, history is lost field of knowledge, regarded as impractical or irrelevant.
c. Traumatic occurrences in national life: assassinations, terrorism, wars, possible nuclear holocaust. What is humanity doing?
5. It affects how we minister.
a. Understanding of humans and our destiny determines our actions. Primarily physical (comfort),...