-----Original Message-----
From: John W. Burgeson
To: ateo@whitworth.edu; asa@calvin.edu
Sent: 2/14/00 10:50 AM
Subject: Re: the "image of God"
Adrian wrote: " the theologian Berkouwer explained that there are at
least two
other ways of understanding the imago dei: as an
office/responsibility/function, and as a relationship in conformity to
God."
That's all very well and good -- perhaps even true. But I see no
way to approach it scientifically. Such a definition must remain, I
think,
in the realm of religious philosophy; untestable.
Because of that -- an alien from space who looks like, suppose, a fire
breathing dragon but in other respects behaves as a human being is ?
To say "not imago dei" is to make an untestable claim.
[stuff deleted]
Like most origins arguments -- what constitutes imago dei seems not
capable of being answered definitively. Or at least with substantive
agreement.
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Yes, what constitutes humanity cannot be tested definitively. This is
perhaps the most significant point - whenever we try to find a set of
definitive physical or psychological traits to describe humanity, we run the
tremendous risk of excluding some individuals. Given our history of racism
and prejudice, we should reject such attempts. Furthermore, scientifically,
there is no basis to argue for a clear boundary between one species and
another. While it may be interesting to discuss whether extinct fossilized
creatures were human or not, the danger is when we overextend whatever
criteria we apply to those creatures to people living today.
God has given us enough information to know how to relate to other living
creatures (including humans) appropriately. But when it comes to creatures
that we can only imagine (those of the past, extraterrestrials, and other
possibilities), I say we cross that bridge when we get there, if we ever do.
It is simply too risky to even attempt to come up with a scientific
definition of what constitutes humanity when there is no immediate need to
do so.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Feb 15 2000 - 10:34:19 EST