What Does it Mean to Be Human?

By Matthew Barrett–

I am preparing to teach Christian Social Ethics this summer and one of the most controversial issues in our own day is over the value of a human life. This most fundamental and basic topic comes up repeatedly with discussions oscillating around abortion, Euthanasia, Capital Punishment, and Stem Cell Research. That said, here is a fascinating discussion with a handful of ethics scholars, including Chuck Colson, Robert George, and Scott Rae, over the most fundamental question: “What Does it Mean to Be Human?”

Matthew Barrett (Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is Assistant Professor of Christian Studies at California Baptist University (OPS). He is also the founder and executive editor of Credo Magazine. Barrett has contributed book reviews and articles to various academic journals, and is the author of the forthcoming book with P&R, Salvation by Grace: The Case for Effectual Calling and Regeneration. He is the editor, along with Ardel Caneday, of the forthcoming book: Four Views on the Historical Adam (Zondervan, 2013). He also edited Whomever He Wills: A Surprising Display of Sovereign Mercy.