Question One
The implication that human beings cannot thrive without a relational community is based on Adam's situation. The Bible has two different accounts of creation, and although they tend to differ, theologians and Christians believe that they are complementary. In the first account, God created man and woman and ordered them to procreate and fill the earth. Since everything God had thus far created was good in his eyes, the command implies that the multiplication of the human species would be good (Jensen, 2017). However, as it is clearly visible in the Bible and the modern world, that is not always the case. The tower of Babel is the best example of how much damage mankind could do when they multiplied.
However, since God commanded Adam and Eve to procreate, and He is, after all, all-seeing; it must imply that even though there is a downside in relational community, it is important for survival. This implication is further evidenced by the second account, where God created Adam first. God saw that Adam needed a helper, so he created animals and asked him to name them. Still, no suitable helper was found among the animals (Jensen, 2017). So, God created Eve, and it was only them that Adam was satisfied. In fact, the first time Adam is recorded in the Bible to have spoken is when he saw Eve. The statement had a poetic feel to it, showing how overjoyed he was. Lastly, if man needs man to survive, then that must mean that there is a way for men to live together in peace. This peace can only be achieved if everyone loved their neighbors just as they love themselves.
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Question Two
The major difference between the scientific and Biblical myth is that science does not believe in creation. Theories such as the Big Bang and Evolution propagate that the world just came to be without the help of any supernatural being. On the other hand, the Bible posits that God created everything in the world. Further, while everything else was made from word of mouth, human beings are God's own handiwork (Harris, 2016). The difference between these two myths fuel their interpretation of life.
The scientific theory believes that human beings may have a function; one that each individual can identify and choose for themselves. The Biblical myth believes that human beings have a predestined purpose, also known as God's will (Harris, 2016). This interpretation informs the respective believers on how to lead their lives.
Question Three
The mind and body dualism, also known as the bio-cognitive nature of man, is one of the interpretations of man in the behavioral sciences. Theology posits there is more to a man other than his mind and body, which is material reality, spiritual reality, the living soul, and mind as an intersection between body and spirit (Harris, 2016). The theological interpretation of man is quite complex because, unlike the belief that man's existence was accidental, theologians believe that God purposefully created man.
The major argument against the bio-cognitive nature by the theological nature is that since God made man in his own likeness, it would not make sense for God to comprise only two parts. The living soul is the part of human beings that will live forever, even after death, an element that counters the scientific view that there is no afterlife (Harris, 2016). The spiritual reality allows human beings, Christians especially, to connect with God through prayer and worship. The mind connects the body and spirit, allowing the Christian in question to think and act in a Godly way.
Question Four
Formation is when a child is raised in a Christian family or community and grows to believe in God because that is the truth they have been exposed to. Although theologians do not accrue to the blank slate theory, the only beliefs and values that a child adopts are those that their guardians have taught them. Until the child is well exposed, they would have no reason to doubt or abandon what their parents taught them.
Transformation is where an adult who had no prior understanding of Christianity becomes a Christian by choice. Unlike the child who did not make the choice in formation, the transformed adult understands why they chose to be a Christian. Reformation is where an adult who became a Christian through transformation remediates their reasons for Christianity (Harris, 2016). Formation is the preferred version because when a child is exposed through school and other social activities, they are unlikely to abandon the Christian values that have been imparted in them from an early age.
Question Five
The culture war is the clash between different ideas without the means for a resolution. People from different races, tribes, genders, sexuality, and religions live in one nation, and the disparity in cultures poses a threat to correlation (Jensen, 2017). One element of the culture war; melting pot versus pluralism, is the conflict between people who want to retain their cultures and those who want to adopt a common culture.
This element poses a threat to spiritual development since Christians cannot efficiently pass on Christian values to their prodigy. As aforementioned, spiritual formation is the preferred way of adopting Christian values (Jensen, 2017). If children are not given definitive and consistent spiritual direction, they may end up confused and lost. Such is the potential impact of culture wars. Although nationalism is important, Christian household and congregations should purpose to retain their beliefs and pass them on to their children.
References
Harris, M. (2016). The nature of creation: Examining the Bible and science . Routledge.
Jensen, L. A. (2017). Different worldviews, different morals: America’s culture war
divide. Human Development , 40 (6), 325-344.
