Pieces and Parts

Biblical anthropology is that part of theology dealing with the nature of Mankind. The foundation of Biblical anthropology and, by extension, the foundation of a Christian approach to the study of psychology is that, on the one hand, Mankind was created by a loving God in His image. On the other hand, Mankind was made from the dust of the earth and is part of the “natural” order. We are both God-like and animal-like. Physically, we are like the animals. We are born, we grow old, and our bodies eventually die. However, like God, we are spiritual beings. As such, a comprehensive psychological description of the nature of Mankind must recognize our God-likeness. Though created in the image of God, the fall changed us. We are all sinners by birth and by choice; restored and renewed in salvation and sanctification. Unlike the animals, we have moral discernment, freedom to choose, and responsibility for our behavior. We are relational beings. We are more than products of conditioning, unmet needs, chemical imbalances, and traumas. We are not autonomous, we are more than the sum of our parts, and more than complex machines in closed cause-and-effect systems.