Actually, the title should be "Anthropomorphism CORRECTLY defined by Relational Hermeneutics"
Anthropomorphism is a catch-basin rationale for passages of Scripture which a classical theologian cannot correctly exegete or interpret.The above definition is accurate. Classicists do not realize that under their assumptions, either all or NONE of Scripture is anthropomorphic. It is appalling that one would arbitrarily declare a portion of Scripture as having an anthropomorphic interpretation and declare the others as literal as if he were God Himself being able to discern one passage from another as figurative or literal.
Anthropomorphisms have been used as an excuse for how an All-Wise God communicates Divine Truth with man's CRUDE intelligence; when in fact, it is the classical interpreter's hidden message that it is really an excuse for God's Crude means of communication with intelligent men!
There is ONLY ONE true anthropomorphism, if you will - - God became flesh in Jesus Christ!
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Anthropomorphism is the old claim that humans create God or gods in their own image. The Bible clearly states that God created human beings (male and female!) is God's own image.(Gen 1:26-27)
ReplyDeleteTherefore the Bible makes the fantastic claim we humans are theopomorphic, rather than God is anthropomorphic.
However,it is only because humans are theopomorphic that the Father could send the Son as a human being to be born, live, die, and be resurrected for us, that we can be reconciled with God and live for and with God, we can understand God's Creation, and that we can share God's love with others.
Anthropomorphism is really a pagan concept; pagan, because it is the perception of human qualities in God or a god without the benefit of revelation. Unfortunately, most classicists like Thomas Aquinas, and now even many Reformed theologians especially of the Hyper-Calvinist variety, tend to use this lame excuse in defining many characteristics of God.
ReplyDeleteAs do so many "scholastics", they succumbed to pre-Christian Greek philosophies and incorporated them into their purportedly Biblical theologies, effectively distorting the very concept of the God of the Bible.
The Bible instead teaches that man is theomorphic. I pointed this out in my blog on "Axiomatic Foundations...". I could not agrree with you more!