Anthropomorphism and God

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I would like to exchange ideas on anthropomorphism and the literal sense of the Holy Bible.

To me it seems really important and really basic.

How does anthropomorphism affect the literal sense of Genesis 1-3?

Thanks!
 
Uh… there may be a few people who don’t understand the word “Anthropomorphism”, so you might want to explain it.

I understand it of course (yeah, that’s the ticket), but others may not. 😉
 
World English Dictionary
anthropomorphism (ˌænθrəpəˈmɔːfɪzəm)
— n
the attribution of human form or behaviour to a deity, animal, etc
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🙂

That is a deep question. Unfortunately I have no time too answer tonight.
 
Noteworthy:

AndrewA gave a definition of the term.

To me this is so basic or fundamental that I do not know how to begin.

Perhaps the first point is to say that God is Love.

But I am not sure how to proceed from there.

I am looking for ideas, help, suggestions and the like.

God Bless!
 
One could also state the inverse of the proposition that perhaps we view ourselves as God is, that is; we see our nature as God’s. After all, we are made in His image, and thus it is logically follows that we could best understand God while looing at ourselves, alebit a limited understanding. I don’t know what thse implications for biblical interpretation is, but I wish just to offer it.
 
Jim_Baur said:
I would like to exchange ideas on anthropomorphism and the literal sense of the Holy Bible.

To me it seems really important and really basic.

How does anthropomorphism affect the literal sense of Genesis 1-3?

Thanks!
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Briefly, it demonstrates that not everything in Scripture is literal and that, therefore, one needs the guidance of the Church to discern the various senses of Scripture.
 
Other points of our faith on which I am reflecting: Trinity, Person as we say of God.

Any ideas?

Thanks!
 
Jim_Baur said:
Noteworthy:

AndrewA gave a definition of the term.

To me this is so basic or fundamental that I do not know how to begin.

Perhaps the first point is to say that God is Love.

But I am not sure how to proceed from there.

I am looking for ideas, help, suggestions and the like.

God Bless!
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But I wouldn’t think of love as a strictly human virtue or emotion-especially the love that scripture attests to. OTOH, even terms such as Father and Son may convey imprecise concepts that nonetheless give us the nearest understanding possible of the nature and relationship of those persons of the Trinity.
 
Jim_Baur said:
Other points of our faith on which I am reflecting: Trinity, Person as we say of God.

Any ideas?

Thanks!
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Jim, you’ll have to flesh-out your thoughts on this one ;); what is the difficulty that you have? BTW, Frank Sheed addresses personhood and the Trinity in Theology for Beginners.
 
When the Holy Bible says God’s arm or face, what does the Holy Bible mean?

Is the literal, God has a face?

God has a hand?

Is God’s face figurative?

Is God’s hand figurative?

What is the literal meaning of such statements?
 
Jim_Baur said:
I would like to exchange ideas on anthropomorphism and the literal sense of the Holy Bible.

To me it seems really important and really basic.

How does anthropomorphism affect the literal sense of Genesis 1-3?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I really think that anthropomorphism should be treated as fantasy in the same genre as elves and dwarfs. With this understanding, no conflict.

-Prophecy
 
Jim_Baur said:
When the Holy Bible says God’s arm or face, what does the Holy Bible mean?

Is the literal, God has a face?

God has a hand?

Is God’s face figurative?

Is God’s hand figurative?

What is the literal meaning of such statements?
Click to expand...
Jim, unless one is a Mormon, these are not literal. “Face” indicates His Presence, “hand” indicates His Power.
 
God has no form.
Then again, God has form.
Then again, God has an infinite number of forms.

Someone never saw the ocean before, and someone else tried to explain it: “Oh, the waves! Oh, the vastness!”
 
Jim_Baur said:
When the Holy Bible says God’s arm or face, what does the Holy Bible mean?

Is the literal, God has a face?

God has a hand?

Is God’s face figurative?

Is God’s hand figurative?

What is the literal meaning of such statements?
Click to expand...
Jim, The NT says no one has seen God at any time. Since He made, time, space and matter He transends them. He is Eternal or outside time, he is without body or outside space and is not composed of anything, or outside matter. There are no limitations in God. That is the best we can do.
 
The Virgin Mary is the mother of God.
The son to whom she gave birth has a human body (now glorified), with face, arms, etc.
Therefore God (in the Person of the Son) has a human body (and soul).

Not only that, but also:
The Church is the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, who is God the Son.
I am a member of the Church.
Therefore God (in the Person of the Son) has my body (and soul).
“I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20)
 
God is also described in terms exclusive to animal forms. Especially when first revealed, spiritual realities need to be attached to material symbols.
 
beadam

Thank you for your help.

If you could give me the biblical passages, it would really help, thanks.

Again, thank you!
 
Duet Ch 32
[He found him in a desert land, in a place of horror, and of vast wilderness: he led him about, and taught him: and he kept him as the apple of his eye.
[11] As the eagle enticing her young to fly, and hovering over them, he spread his wings, and hath taken him and carried him on his shoulders.

Psalms 16:8
From them that resist thy right hand keep me, as the apple of thy eye. Protect me under the shadow of thy wings.

Hosea ch 5
Ephraim is under oppression, and broken in judgment: because he began to go after filthiness. [12] And I will be like a moth to Ephraim:

The entire 39th chapter of Job describes God’s powers seen in animals.

A horse and rider can symbolize a body and soul unless you are as humble as St Francis and you call your body brother ***.:o
 
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