April 4, 2024
Humanity: Humus to Homage
How do you feel? “I am ONLY human.” or “I AM human.”
In the biblical account, God made man out of the dust of the earth and then breathed into
man and proclaimed over that which He had made in His own image, “It is very good.”
Recently, in the Anglican Journal there were two mentions of our humanity. In one, a
homeless man, in describing how he has been treated says, “Suddenly I am not human.”
In the other, Archbishop Linda Nichols writes that when people had expectations beyond
her gifts and capacities, “I struggled to be recognized as a human being.”
The homeless man felt that he had been treated as if he were less than human while the
archbishop felt that she was expected to be more than human. They both wanted to be
recognized as simply human.
Even when we want to run like a deer, fly like a bird, swim like a fish and burrow like a
groundhog we want to be human. As grateful as we are for artificial limbs and organ
transplants we want it to be clear that they do not make us to be anything other than
human. When we use drugs or computing machines we see them as aids and not
substitutes for our humanity.
In science fiction there have been cybernetic and robotic ‘people’. It makes for great fun
and challenges us to contemplate what it means to be human. Still, we maintain our
uniqueness as humans “made in the image and likeness of God”.
Of late, all of the above has come under serious challenge by some people who believe
that it is not only possible but desirable that humans will evolve themselves into
something that is beyond humanity. They speak of ‘trans-humanity’. Their aim is to use
various technologies like drugs and artificial intelligence to change us into something
other than we have been up until now.
That aim is tempting but it is also marred by pride, arrogance and hubris. It is a
temptation to want to be more than God made in the Creation and then became at the
Incarnation. “I believe in one God….Who for us men….was made man.” (The Creed)
While we shun thoughts of becoming other than human, we rejoice in the hope of
glorified and sanctified humanity in Christ.
Almighty God.
you wonderfully created
and more wonderfully restored our human nature.
May we share the divine life of your Son Jesus Christ,
who humbled himself to share our humanity,
and now reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, ever one God.
Amen.