Chapter 10 A BIBLICAL TRUSTEESHIP OF HUMANITY
Earth, Empire and Sacred Text - Muslims and Christians as Trustees of Creation - David L. Johnston
David L. Johnston [+ ]
Saint Joseph’s University
Description
This chapter concludes the second section of this work on interpreting scriptural texts—the human caliphate as seen in the Qur’an, and now, as viewed from the Bible. First, I present some of the salient exegetical questions relevant to the dominion of humanity in the Genesis 1 and 2 creation narratives. It entails, among other things, taking into serious consideration Gen. 1:26-31 as a literary unit and a discussion relative to its central concept, the “image of God.” Second, I take a historical look at this passage’s interpretive “career” among Jews and Christians. This leads me, thirdly, to engage the theological discussion, a process that will call to mind not only other passages, both in the Old and New Testa- ments, but even more, a framework of thought discernible through the whole sweep of biblical revelation. The conclusion shows both the extent and the limit of a common Muslim–Christian theology of humanity and creation.