What Is the Nature & Purpose of Creation | Marc Cortez

Lecture Title - The Natural, the Supernatural, and the Meaning of Creation One of the great debates in modern theology involves the relationship between nature and grace in our understanding of creation. Does a Christian view of creation require us to approach this discussion exclusively from the perspective of grace, focusing on the centrality of Christ, the gospel, and the eschatological end for which God created the universe? Or should the doctrine of creation begin from a “natural” standpoint, seeking to understand the nature and purpose of creation in its own right before exploring how the doctrines of grace contribute to our understanding of creation? Although such questions may sound somewhat academic, they have vital implications for how we address ecological concerns, approach human flourishing, and engage in interdisciplinary dialog with the modern sciences. If theology is the study of God in relation to that which he created, then questions about the nature of creation, often neglected in Protestant theology, stand at the center of the theological task. Marc Cortez (PhD University of St. Andrews) is Professor of Theology at Wheaton College and a previous Henry Resident Fellow of The Creation Project. His publications include Theological Anthropology: A Guide for the Perplexed (T&T Clark, 2010), the T&T Clark Reader in Theological Anthropology (T&T Clark, 2017), and Resourcing Theological Anthropology: A Constructive Account of Humanity in the Light of Christ (Zondervan Academic, 2018). The Henry Center for Theological Understanding provides theological resources that help bridge the gap between the academy and the church. It houses a cluster of initiatives, each of which is aimed at applying practical Christian wisdom to important kingdom issues—for the good of the church, for the soul of the theological academy, for the sake of the world, and ultimately for the glory of God. The HCTU seeks to ground each of these initiatives in Scripture, and it pursues these goals collaboratively, in order to train a new generation of wise interpreters of the Word—lay persons and scholars alike—for the sake of tomorrow’s church, academy, and world. Visit the HCTU website: https://henrycenter.tiu.edu/  Subscribe to the HCTU Newsletter: https://bit.ly/326pRL5 Watch the HCTU on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HenryCenter Connect with us! https://twitter.com/henry_center https://www.facebook.com/henrycenter/ https://www.instagram.com/thehenrycenter/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehenrycenter

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This is our archive of public lectures and conversations where scholars and pastors offer careful reflection on a range of biblical, theological, and ecclesial topics. The HCTU seeks to bridge the gap between the academy and the church by cultivating resources and communities that promote Christian wisdom. This is accomplished through a cluster of initiatives, each of which is aimed at applying practical Christian wisdom to important kingdom issues—for the good of the church, for the soul of the theological academy, for the sake of the world, and ultimately for the glory of God.