The Crown of Creation: Humanity and the Image of God | Roundtable Discus...

How do we understand humanity as the “crown of creation” and as being made in the image of God?  How is biblical Christianity’s understanding of this different from other concepts and world religions?

Theo Global’s Adam Smith sat down with Dr. Talant Aktanzhanov (Kazakhstan), Dr. Julian Gutierrez (Colombia/USA), and Dr. Michael Horton (USA) to discuss the contours of what it means to be human in light of biblical teaching, and in contrast to alternate views and concepts. 

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0:45 - Introductions

3:50 - What does it mean to be the “crown of creation,” made in the image of God?

5:40 - Ancient Near East cultures used “son” and “image” similarly, signifying God’s representatives. 

7:20 -  Humanity contrasted in Christianity and Islam 

12:25 - God relates to humanity through covenant

13:25 - Humanity contrasted in Christianity, Transhumanism, and Gnosticism

15:20 - Humanity’s relationship with body and soul

17:25 - Importance of centering our concept of humanity on the doctrine of God and creation

20:20 - Christianity does not seek to discard our humanity, but conforms to Jesus who is the true image of God.

22:00 - Individualism, Self-determination, and Belonging. Assumptions about what it means to be human in different parts of the world

23:40 - Christianity’s Creator/Creature distinction: We are not God vs becoming gods in Mormonism, and Transhumanism. 

28:00 - We must remember to extend the dignity of being the image of God to others

DR MICHAEL S. HORTON is Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sola Media, the home to Core Christianity, White Horse Inn, Modern Reformation, and Theo Global. He is the J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California. DR. TALANT AKTANZHANOV is from Almaty, Kazakhstan and serves as a seminary professor.  DR. JULIAN GUTIERREZ is originally from Colombia. He is a professor of systematic theology at Redemption seminary and at CTD Latam in Peru. He serves as Systematic Theology Book Review Editor for Themelios Journal. ADAM SMITH is the Chief Operating Officer at Sola Media and has led the Theo Global project since 2015. He serves as Managing Editor for Theo Global’s Theology Together Series and the Theo Global Journal.  He is a minister in the Presbyterian Church of America. FOLLOW US

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