Christian Formation: An Integrative Approach - B&H Publishing Group

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especially the imago dei, reminds us the root of our humanity is found in
our Creator in whose image we were created. We are human because we are
God’s image-bearers. Christian anthropology provides a theological context
in which the social sciences (especially those most relevant to Christian educators
such as learning theories and human development) can be effectively
utilized in the service of ministry. In this section, we will itemize some of
the insights provided by theology for the use of the social sciences by Christian
educators so as to demonstrate that theology can provide the essential
grounds for constructively using developmental and learning theories in
Christian education.
First, we cannot substitute the imago dei with any number of developmental
theories. As humans, we develop throughout our lifespan and
in various areas of measurable progress such as cognitive, social, moral, or
personality – as reflected by numerous theories. Yet innate to our humanity
is that we are God’s image-bearers. We do not develop into the imago dei;
we are the imago dei. However, developmental theories do provide a lens
through which to see growth of many distinctly human dimensions within
individuals – from infancy to elderly. For example, a better understanding
of how humans develop cognitively would provide insight for a children’s
minister to express theological truths to young minds or help struggling
adolescents find their identities in light of personality development theories
while always affirming their innate value to God as His image-bearers.
Second, Christian anthropology affirms that humanity’s constitution
is both physical and nonphysical, not one or the other. Humans cannot be
reduced to either physical or nonphysical; we are inseparably both. Though
distinguishably different, we cannot be separated in our thinking. 22 Monism,
affirming the existence of either the physical or the nonphysical, and
dualism, arguing for the absolute independence of the physical and nonphysical,
are simply insufficient. Hence, Christian theology views humanity
holistically as material and immaterial, body and soul-spirit, not one or
the other. Developmental theories likewise explain human development
as a part of our physical makeup and yet moving beyond the physical. For
example, Piaget advanced structuralism, wherein cognitive development
was attributed to the actual development of the brain’s net of neurons; but
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