Reflection for the Week - November 19

Theology often tries to define ‘human nature’ in relation to God – humans are images of God. Science often attempts to define ‘human nature’ without God, say through biology, anthropology, and genetics. Both these endeavors, without the other, are woefully reductionistic and thus unhelpful. Integrated critical interaction between them is crucial for going forward. But, alas, even when we move in the direction of embracing a transdisciplinary perspective, which is better by far, we’re left with a fair amount of uncertainty about human nature and thus need to be open to a panoply of possibilities, as we build off what is provisionally known and venture further into the niche of the unknown.