There has been a battle for quite some time between the Christian church and Humanism. Humanism is the idea that mankind is inherently good and is of supreme importance. The Christian church teaches that mankind is a fallen creation, born into wickedness, inheriting a sin nature, and directly responsible for all of the evil in the world. Christians believe that God is of supreme importance. And yet, the two beliefs can find common ground, if they are willing to look.
A message of the Christian church is that mankind is created in the image of God. This fact is made clear from the first chapters of Genesis, which is the first book in the Bible. From the beginning, mankind was set aside for some really good things. God created people to be an earthly representation of his goodness. Yes, mankind betrayed the trust of God and fell from grace, but we are fortunate in the New Testament to have been restored to the mercy and grace of God.
In Ephesians, the Apostle Paul refers to us as "God's workmanship" that were "created to do good works that He prepared for us to do in advance" (Ephesians 2:10). This message is not saying that mankind is inherently good, but it is saying that believers in Jesus have been regenerated in their nature to do good things that God has prepared for them to do. Furthermore, Philippians states that we ought to set our minds on all things that are good and wonderful. Fill your mind with the goodness of God and reflect on all He has done. The Christian mind, as it is stated in Romans, is supposed to be that of a renewed nature, no longer focusing on wickedness, but moving forward in righteousness. God is good and He has placed the Holy Spirit within us to lead us in all righteousness. Ladies and gentleman, here is the common ground between believers and humanists.
Humanists start with the premise that mankind is good. I remember listening to a humanist by the name of Alex Epstein talking about how mankind is actually good for planet earth. He also taught that mankind's first priority should be the well-being of the human race; that we should not compromise technology for the sake of saving Mother Earth and other species of animals. Through his lecture, it was clear that he believes that mankind is unique in the world of earth's creatures.
Granted, humanism does not necessarily have a religious code like Christianity. Christianity teaches that certain human behaviors are the result of our sin nature and can be avoided. The difference is immense, but is it possible that mankind's quest to be good is ground upon which Christians and humanists stand?
Ultimately, the goal of Christians is to lead people into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Standing on common ground, we can work towards theological discussions. Asking the questions, such as "Why are humans good?" and "Why were they created to rule over the animals?" can bring deeper thought and understanding to those who believe in the goodness of mankind.
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