An Anthropological Defense of God

Anthropology, unlike other studies, is the study of man, but we cannot manage the philosophic and emotional distance necessary to see clearly. Lloyd Sandelands approaches the anthropological quest for God by comparing the faiths of modern social science and the Christian church. He describes the social scientific faith as an imagined state of nature that sees the individual as solitary, self-sufficient, and contented, while the Christian faith unites us as male and female persons in one flesh before God. He finds that the one paradoxically denies freedom, denies want, and denies the good, while the other affirms freedom, affirms want, and affirms the good. An Anthropological Defense of God attempts to establish that an anthropology in God succeeds where an anthropology in science fails, measured by its ideas and findings about man and its wisdom in teaching us how to live.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 112 pages
Publication date: 13 June 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Anthropology, the study of man, stands apart from all other disciplines due to its unique subject matter: humans. As humans, we are inherently incapable of maintaining the necessary philosophical and emotional distance to gain a clear understanding of ourselves. Consequently, we are forced to make assumptions about our nature that cannot be substantiated. In essence, anthropology begins with faith.

Lloyd Sandelands approaches the anthropological quest for God by comparing the faiths of modern social science and the Christian church. Sandelands characterizes the social scientific faith articulated by figures such as Hume, Kant, Rousseau, and Schopenhauer as an imagined state of nature that perceives the individual as solitary, self-sufficient, and contented. In contrast, the Christian faith unites us as male and female persons in one flesh before God.

The author poses challenging questions about the fundamental concepts of human study, such as what constitutes a person and what defines society. He explores how the different metaphysics of science and the church lead to distinct anthropologies. A worthwhile anthropology must address the questions of human freedom, desire, and the nature of the good.

Comparing the answers provided by science and the church, Sandelands discovers a paradoxical truth: while the one denies freedom, denies desire, and denies the good, the other affirms freedom, affirms desire, and affirms the good. Between these two anthropologies, he discerns only one true study of man.

In his recent book, An Anthropological Defense of God, Sandelands expands on this idea and argues that an anthropology in God succeeds where an anthropology in science fails. Such success is measured not only by its ideas and findings but also by its ability to provide a comprehensive and holistic understanding of human existence.

In conclusion, anthropology, as the study of man, is uniquely positioned to explore the depths of our humanity. However, our inherent limitations prevent us from gaining a clear and objective perspective on ourselves. By comparing the faiths of social science and the Christian church, Sandelands offers a thought-provoking exploration of the anthropological quest for God. Through his analysis, he reveals the paradoxical nature of human existence and the need for a comprehensive and holistic understanding of our nature.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032340326