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This fall at Ross Road we address a fundamentally important question: what does it mean to be human?  Many people throughout history have attempted to answer that question, yet, at the same time, we don’t think about it much in our daily lives.  As a result, many people–Christians included–are searching for purpose and meaning for their lives.  Distorted ideas about what it means to be human lead to dehumanization which leads to pain, despair, and victimization.  What if we could deeply embrace a Biblical vision of the human person?  What if Christ-followers could hold out the hope of a life motivated by God’s intention for His creation?  

In this series we’ll tackle some tough questions, as you’ll see below in the schedule of topics.  We’ll be confronted and challenged in our own thinking: all the while, we’ll look to God’s Word for truth.  Much of the series will be anchored in Genesis 1-3 in which we see God’s intention for His creation.  Scripture from the Old and New Testaments will help us see God’s wisdom throughout the Bible.  

We hope you’ll join us, in-person or online!  May God shape us to be who He wants us to be.

In Him,

Craig

 

SCHEDULE

September 7: Introduction

September 14: God as Creator

September 21: Humans as Created in the Image of God

September 28: Work & Vocation

October 5: Individuals in Community

October 12: Fallen (Sin)

October 19: Saved (Grace)

October 26: Gendered People

November 2: Embodied Souls

November 9: The Sanctity of Life

November 16: Technology



RECOMMENDED READING

Here are some suggested resources to consider when thinking about theological anthropology:

  • The Story that Makes Sense of Our Stories (Genesis 1-11), by Darrell Johnson
  • Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions About Life and Sexuality, by Nancy R. Pearcey
  • Cuckoos in our Nest: Truth and Lies About Being Human, by Iain Provan
  • Reclaimed: How Jesus Restores our Humanity in a Dehumanized World, by Andy Steiger
  • Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution, by Carl R. Trueman

–or–

  • The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution by Carl R. Trueman 

(Note: the previous two books are by the same author and cover much of the same ground.  The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self is longer and more scholarly; Strange New World is intended to be briefer and more accessible.  Take your pick!)

  • Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible’s Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture, by Christopher Watkin