The first step in dealing with this issue is to land on a workable definition of what it means to live as a human. Reformed theologian Anthony Hoekema provides a useful way of thinking about humanity when he observes that:
God placed man [and woman] into a threefold relationship: between man and God, between man and his fellowmen, and between man and nature.*
This understanding of humanity’s relational dimension is seen within the Bible’s opening chapters, with Adam subservient to God (Genesis 2.16-17), in partnership with Eve (Gen 2.21-14) and in dominion over nature (Gen 2.19-20). Of course these relationships are distorted through the fall (Gen 3), but in Jesus – the model human – we see one man who successfully lives out these relationships as they are intended to be lived. And if we abide in Jesus (John 15), then it’s possible for us to participate in and enjoy these renewed relationships; to start living as we were created to live.
But aside from being relational, human life has another characteristic in that it’s an embodied life. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul speaks of the hope of a renewed physical existence for us humans; our physical bodies will be perfected in the age to come. The relational ideal is an ideal which is pursued within a physical framework. This has always been God’s intention and is what we look forward to on the other side of death.
The perspective of human life being an existence of embodied relationships can act as our touchstone when speaking of how we are to approach life once we log in…
* Created in God's Image (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans), 1986, 75.
OK, 10 points if you can tell me what these people are doing, 10 more points if you can tell me the city, 20 points if you can tell me the street.
12 comments:
where do you even get these pictures from???
I took 'em ... on my trip to the uk. Now there's a hint.
The media is really getting on the 2nd Life bandwagon - 4 Corners is covering it next Monday night. In the promo, the reporter asks "What is virtual sex?".
I think this area of virtual relationships will be one of the more serious pastoral issues to arise out of 2nd Life - must our Christian values govern the way our avatars behave? Will Christians use their avatar to indulge in "virtual" sinful activities they don't feel they can get away with in embodied life?
watching the changing of the gaurds?
Well...ok. They're actually watching the New Years Day parade in London. But as the Changing of the Guard is a kind of parade, and since there were some guards in this particuar parade, and since 'London' is implicit in your answer, then I'll give you 20 points.
Can any one guess the street? It's a famous London one.
Fleet Street?
Regent St
Oxford
Hint: It's one of the purple streets on the Monopoly board.
The three purple streets on the monopoly board are Pall Mall, White Hall and Northumberland Avenue. I also recognise the architecture of the building from my visit to London last year. I think it may be the Admiralty building or one of the old defence department buildings. Given all that my guess is the street is White Hall.
Good work Mike. 20 points to you.
I find your point about embodiment to be the most stimulating. As, on the one hand, a child of the digital age, and on the other, railing against the neo-gnostic metaphysic that many christians exhibit towards the material world, I'm keen to hear you further on the implications of embodiment for digital-anthropology.
- Seumas
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