Christian Anthropology: Irenaeus

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Christian Anthropology Irenaeus

1. General theories of human nature four
   components.
2. Christian anthropology main contours.
3. The problem of evil.
4. Fall of Adam in the NT.
5. St. Irenaeus interpretation of human condition.

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General theories of human nature

• What kind of world do we live in? Background
  believes about the world.
• Who are we? Background beliefs about human
  nature.
• What went wrong? Diagnosis of the problem.
• How can we make things right? Prescription how to
  solve the problem.
• (Adopted from Leslie Stevenson, Seven Theories of
  Human Nature, with some modifications)

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Christian anthropology

1. The world is created by God and depends upon God.
   
2. We are created in the image and likeness of God.
   We are not self-made.
3. Problem sin. Breach in the relationship with
   God. Disobedience to the will of God.
4. Solution God in Christ takes the initiative to
   restore this relationship. Humans return to God
   through Christ in repentance. Ultimate destiny
   heaven or hell.

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Beginnings of humanity according to St. Irenaeus
of Lyons

• ORIGINAL STATE. Child-like, imperfect frail.
• FIRST TRANSGRESSION. Adam disobeyed God out of
  thoughtlessness and curiosity. He was deceived by
  the Devil.
• CONSEQUENCES. Mortality, weakness of will,
  proneness to sin. Freedom of will essentially
  intact. Humans gained in experience of the moral
  dimension of existence.
• METHOD OF TRANSMISSION. All human beings were
  present in Adam.

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The origin of soul three views

• Creationism
• Traducionism
• Pre-existence

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Pelagius

• British theologian exegete
• Taught in Rome in late 4th-early 5th c.
• Anthropology of ascetic movement
• Ad Demetrias

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Seminar