I Believe in Man: A Credal Confession of the Human Creature

Abstract

Seifert presents a Lutheran account of the human creature organized around the three articles of the Apostles’ Creed and Luther’s catechetical explanations. In response to materialist and technologically driven accounts of humanity, he argues that human identity and purpose can be understood rightly only in relation to the triune God. Under the First Article, he examines humanity’s special creation, creaturely limits, embodied and spiritual constitution, sexual differentiation, relationships, and dominion over creation. He considers competing explanations of the soul’s origin and distinguishes humanity’s created nature from its corruption through sin. His treatment of the image of God acknowledges remaining, distorted likenesses while emphasizing the complete loss of original righteousness. Under the Second Article, Christ’s redemption restores human identity and establishes the relationship between righteousness received before God and righteousness practiced toward the neighbor. Under the Third Article, the Spirit renews humanity through the means of grace and brings that renewal to completion in bodily resurrection. Pastoral examples and recommendations for preaching, congregational practice, and worship demonstrate how the church’s confession both proclaims and shapes its understanding of human life.

Abstract produced by GPT-6.1 Sol.