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Humanity in God’s Image: Missionary Anthropology Insights

Explore the theological significance of humanity as God's creation, examining the three views on the image of God and the relationship between humanity and God. Learn how anthropology contributes to missions by understanding diverse cultures.

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Humanity in God’s Image: Missionary Anthropology Insights

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  1. MISSIONARY ANTHROPOLGY People are God’s Creation

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. Humanity in God’s Image • Three Views on the image of God • Substantive • Relational • Functional

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. Humanity in God’s Image • Christ’s View of People • Spiritual • Social • Psychological • Physical • Biological • Cultural

  13. IntroductionMissionary & Anthropology People should be understood as integrated being

  14. Humanity in God’s Image • Perceptions of the “them” • Non-human • Savages • Primitives • Aborigines • People

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. 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

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