The Relevance of Theological Anthropology in the Modern Era

The podcast episode explores the significance of theological anthropology in addressing current challenges and developments. It discusses how classical Lutheran dogmatics in the 16th and 17th centuries did not extensively address theological anthropology due to the absence of certain challenges. Present challenges, including the questioning of the sex binary, the denial of human nature, and the critique of older anthropological models rooted in Hellenistic categories, demand a new direction in theological anthropology that remains faithful to confessional Lutheran theology while developing and moving forward. The episode argues that Lutheran confessions provide a basis for further theological development and that theological anthropology should be grounded in scholastic realism as adopted by the Formula of Concord and the Lutheran Orthodox writers of the 17th century. The podcast proposes a contemporary theological anthropology that retains essentialist metaphysics, recognizes God's image in humanity as both accidental and essential, and explores the nature of body, soul, and spirit. It emphasizes the importance of addressing challenges posed by materialism, self-creationism, and the denial of objective human nature. The episode concludes with a call to action for the church to develop a robust theological anthropology that addresses these challenges in a faithful and relevant manner.