Biblical anthropology is uniquely centered on the image of God in man. Interestingly, Christian Scripture does not explicitly define the exact character of this image and instead focuses on God’s identity and on His redemptive plan for mankind. Modern Bible interpreters are left to examine the image of God in man historiographically, comparing theologians’ attempts to provide a definition from church history alongside the Christian Scriptures.
Psychology and the Image
Throughout history, the image of God in man has remained a mystery. Within the church, various iterations of this doctrine have all centered around man’s relationship with God. Outside the church, ideas about the ultimate nature of humanity are varied and have long involved discussion of a soul irrespective of a creator. In Plato’s (428–348 BC) Dialogues, the soul of man is described as a charioteer and two horses, one good and one bad (Phaedrus252). In this way, Plato talks of the complexity of man and an inner...
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Blaine, D. (2020). Biblical Anthropology. In: Leeming, D.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24348-7_200034
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