Reimagining the Human: Theological Anthropology in Response to Systemic Evil

by Eleazar S. Fernandez BOOK PREVIEW This book explores theological anthropology - the doctrine of what it means to be human and to be created in God's image. Fernandez argues that our life in the image of God is damaged and frustrated by the systemic evil of society, particularly the four radical evils of classism, racism, sexism, and naturism (destructive practices against the ecosystem). At the heart of these four evils are matters of faith and idolatry - worshiping human constructs and living under the lie of false securities. Idols demand the sacrifice of our souls, bodies, time, and anything that we cherish most. Endorsements “Fernandez is not the first to seek liberation simultaneously from classism, racism, sexism, and what he calls naturism. But he provides in this book the most thorough account of their interconnections and of the nature of the human that is freed from these distortions. He points wisely to how life can be lived in the process of such liberation in all its continuing failures and imperfections. In these ways, he provides a basis for the endless task of moving ahead on multiple fronts at once.” John B. Cobb Jr., Claremont School of Theology "Eleazar Fernandez builds here hope-filled bridges among many theological strands, ethnic groups, denominations, religions, and the daily struggles of a wide variety of oppressed peoples across the globe. In doing so, he succeeds where many have hitherto failed, constructing a theological anthropology that really makes sense of the Christian hope amid, despite, and over against the reigning idols of our times-money, power, weapons, technology, whiteness, maleness, and the destruction of our environment. Hooray for this reimagining of the human!" —Otto Maduro, Drew University Theological and Graduate School