Apprehending "The Human": Theological Anthropology and the Crisis of Credibility in the Social Sciences

ABSTRACT:I specify both challenges and opportunities for integrating social scientific and theological accounts of "the human." I first show that the interests of many theological ethicists lead them to engage social scientific studies. I then demonstrate that numerous social scientists caution against relying on their publications about the human since these results are of questionable generality and veracity. I next identify some research practices that are recommended by social scientists for restoring the credibility of their publication record. I also illustrate how theological ethicists can benefit from adopting these practices in their quest to provide a general and true account of the human. I conclude that theological anthropology is a rich locus for interdisciplinary engagement, though lasting work on this topic requires sacrificial commitment to the truth, honest willingness to scrutinize one's sources, and patient attention to particularities.