The Possibility of Reconciliation of The Doctrine of "Imago Dei" of Christianity With Transhumanism

Year 2020, Volume: 9 Issue: 5, 3624 - 3650, 29.12.2020

Muhammet Yeşilyurt

https://doi.org/10.15869/itobiad.797477

Cited By: 4

Abstract

Our study, which discusses the possibility of reconciling the imago Dei doctrine in Christianity with transhumanist thought, aims to draw attention to the relationship between religion and technology, which is increasing its importance, and to the theological problems that arise in connection therewith, specifically through the relationship between Christianity and Transhumanism, as well as to point out the problems of understanding and interpreting the imago Dei showing up within the framework of this relationship. Transhumanism, which seems to have placed the most important teachings of Christianity into its religious roots, involves the physical, mental and cognitive development of human beings by means of scientific-technological tools and methods; and aims to eliminate diseases, aging and death. The vast majority of Christians, are skeptical of the aforementioned aims and often rejects them, as they believe that they are detrimental to the imago Dei doctrine, which purports that man is created in the image of God. According to the transhumanist thought, the real field that the Divine image is manifested is the "creativity" quality of the human being, therefore transhumanism asserts that human beings can also practice the act of creation just like God and can bring about changes both in his own body and in the physical environment outside himself. Christianity, which takes the act of creation exclusive to God, regards any change in the body that takes place outside the will of God as an intervention to the imago Dei doctrine and God's plan, and therefore rejects. Based on the data, in our study, it was concluded that it is not possible to reconcile Christianity’s imago Dei doctrine with transhumanism.

Keywords

History of Religions, Christianity, Imago Dei, Transhumanism, Posthumanism, Religion, Technology

Hıristiyanlığın “Imago Dei” Öğretisinin Transhümanizmle Uzlaştırılmasının İmkânı

Abstract

Hıristiyanlıktaki imago Dei öğretisinin transhümanist düşünceyle uzlaştırılma ihtimalini konu edinen çalışmamız; önemini giderek artıran din-teknoloji ilişkisine ve buna bağlı ortaya çıkan teolojik sorunlara Hıristiyanlık-transhümanizm ilişkisi özelinden dikkat çekmeyi ve bu ilişkiyle beliren, imago Dei’yi anlama ve yorumlama sorunlarına işaret etmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Dinî kökenlerine Hıristiyanlığın en mühim öğretilerini yerleştirdiği görülen transhümanizm, bilimsel-teknolojik araç ve yöntemlerle insanın fiziksel, zihinsel ve bilişsel açılardan geliştirilmesini; hastalıkların, yaşlanmanın ve ölümün ortadan kaldırılmasını hedeflemektedir. Hıristiyanların büyük çoğunluğu mezkûr hedeflere, insanın Tanrı suretinde yaratıldığını ifade eden imago Dei öğretisine zarar verecek nitelikte olduğuna inandığı için şüpheyle bakmakta çoğu zaman da onları reddetmektedir. Tanrısal suretin tezahür ettiği asıl sahanın insanın “yaratıcılık” özelliği olduğunu ileri süren transhümanist düşünceye göre insan da tıpkı Tanrı gibi yaratma eyleminde bulunabilir ve hem kendi bedeninde hem de kendi dışındaki fiziksel çevrede değişiklikler meydana getirebilir. Yaratma fiilini yalnızca Tanrı’ya münhasır kılan Hıristiyanlık ise beden üzerinde, Tanrı’nın arzusu dışında gerçekleşen herhangi bir değişikliği imago Dei doktrinine ve Tanrı’nın planına bir müdahale olarak görür ve reddeder. Verilerden hareketle çalışmamızda Hıristiyanlığın imago Dei öğretisinin transhümanizmle uzlaştırılmasının mümkün olamayacağı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.   

Keywords

Dinler Tarihi, Hıristiyanlık, Imago Dei, Transhümanizm, Posthümanizm, Din, Teknoloji

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