The Oldest Temple in the World—- Part Four

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 11:13 pm by Guest Contributor

The Oldest Temple in the World—- Part Four 2015-03-13T23:13:59-04:00 Guest Contributor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The little skit by the minions above and the Gobeckli Tepe Temple both raise questions about what it means to be human.

Are we all just hunter-gatherers moving through life driven by our urges and needs? Or are we something much more than that? What does it really mean to be human? The Bible suggests that begin created in God’s image provides some sort of answer or clue. Some scholars have thought being created in the image of God had to do with our being mini-creators and rulers of the world, like God on a smaller scale. But that has to do with vocation, not nature. The reference to the image of God in the Genesis story suggests something about human nature— a unique capacity for relationship with God, a relationship which involves language and communication as the story of the Garden suggests. It is interesting that the Hebrew word ‘tselem’ is the word for both image and idol in the OT. In a sense humans were created to be God’s image, God’s representative on earth. This is why making an idol of, much less worshipping something less than human as a deity is idolatry. Humans are to be the ‘tselem’ not make ‘tselems’ of lesser things. But there is more. As the Bible moves along it becomes apparent that God intends for humans to reflect God’s character— God is holy, just, loving, kind, compassionate etc. and humans are expected to be so as well on a lesser scale. We are to reflect the moral character on earth. When we get to the NT and we are told that Christians are to be conformed to the image of Christ, again the issue is about character as well as other things. We are to be Christ-like in thought, word, and deed. Furthermore this all provides a clue for the relationship between theology and ethics in the Bible. God is holy and so should we be, and only humans have the capacity to reflect the moral character of God. Image of God concepts show us the connection between theology and ethics.

But back to Gobeckl Tepe for a moment. If that temple tells us anything it is that humans are in a compromised situation. That far from being a garden or a paradise, the world was more like a zoo where all the animals are running lose, and running the zoo! In that sort of fallen world, the inherent human instinct and knowledge that they need divine help to survive and thrive is understandable. But it also bespeaks of something else—- God seems distant, has to be summoned, has to be appeased, has to be beckoned. But why? Because deep in the heart of the humans at Gobeckli Tepe and elsewhere is a recognition that they are fallen creatures needing divine help. But where did such a recognition come from? If human fallenness was a created part of who humans were and what it meant to be human (is it really true that to be human one must be a sinner, one must engage in wicked and harmful behavior) why then the universal reaching out to God for something more, something better, for transformation and salvation from all that goes bump in the night, all the wee beasties. As it turns out archaeology in this case has uncovered not merely the inherent religious character of humans from Day One, it also has uncovered its inherent vulnerability and instinctive need for God and for transendence above the human dilemma. Think on these things.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

June 19, 2011

The Oldest Temple in the World--- Part Three

Next Post

June 20, 2011 Sherlock the Dragon!

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month November 2026 October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz