Category: Imagio Dei
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Imago Dei and the Material World (Part 2)
Yesterday I presented the "spirit/mind versus material world" dualism within Christianity. I showed how it impacts our understanding of the imago Dei, the image of God. This dualism is not a recent development. It extends back to the beginning of the Church. The Hebrew world knew little of these dualisms, but once the Church entered…
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Imago Dei and the Material World (Part 1)
What are we to make of the world we live in? What is our relationship to the created order? Many Christians in recent years have reevaluated the significance of the material world in light of the biblical narrative. Recovery of eschatological and teleological frameworks has become central to this renewed interest. Until recently, most mainline…
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The Chief End
Scot McKnight had an interesting post at Jesus Creed last Thursday called Is the chief end … missional? You are no doubt familiar with the first question of the Westminster Catechism: Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever. (If you are…
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“Male and Female” in God’s Image?
I recently wrote about the Equal in Being, Unequal in Role formula of complementarians, and its logical inconsistency. There is another variation of this claim that says that male and female "bear God's image," but male and female play "different" (eternally hierarchical) roles. This is usually framed something like this: "The man's role is to…
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KC Emergent Cohort Conversation
For those of you in the Kansas City area, the Kansas City Emergent Cohort is getting together tonight at the Wesport Flea Market in Westport (Home of the best-tasting and most artery-clogging hamburgers in the metro.) I have been invited to offer some reflections about economics in the Emerging conversation. I have given my little…
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Theology and Economics: A Matter of Will
I have made the case that free market capitalism does not guarantee just economic outcomes. The synergy of property rights, scientific rationalism, capital markets, and technology and infrastructure are better understood as powerful amplifiers of human actions and values. Condemning the "technology" of free market capitalism for the evil in the economy is akin to…
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Theology and Economics: A Quick Review
The Vision and Mission of God Visio Dei (Vision of God) – The triune God existing in prefect shalom with all creation, dwelling in perfect community with His animate eikons as they fill the earth and fulfill their call to be stewards of creation. Missio Dei (Mission of God) – Reclaim and renew all creation…
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Theology and Economics: Prosperity and the Christian Ethos
Over the last several posts, we have reviewed William J. Bernstein's four factors that led to prosperity in the modern world. Property Rights Scientific Rationalism Capital Markets Technology and Infrastructure Various cultures have seen the emergence of one or more of these for some time. The ancient Greeks had a form of property rights for…