GENE 100 Week 1 Assignment

GENE 100 Week 1 Assignment | regent-university

The Greek philosopher, Aristotle, argued that all humans share one goal--to flourish. Throughout the centuries, societies and individuals have wrestled with how to promote flourishing.

That is the focus of this course. How do I flourish in my friendships? In my family? In my workplace?

Questions about flourishing are not just theoretical, but practical. Who doesn't want to have better friendships? A happier home life? A more purposeful work place? 

God's Word, revealed to us in the Holy Bible, speaks to these issues. While the Bible may not use the term "human flourishing," the story of the Bible shows humans how to live a good, true, beautiful, and purposeful life...how to flourish. However, Christianity's answer to the problem of human flourishing is different from all other philosophies or religions. The Bible tells us that we cannot flourish in our own strength. Why? Because we are corrupted by sin. We were created for relationship with God, but humans have attempted to flourish apart from God. 

So, for Christians, human flourishing centers on a person--Jesus Christ. When we place our trust in Christ and his work, we are transformed. We are  not only saved from our sin but we begin a process of becoming like Christ.

Central to trusting God and being transformed is to believe and understand his Word. Romans 12:2 tell us: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2, ESV). Check out the attached slide to see a visual representation of the overall theme of the course.

So we need to be transformed in our mind. Central to human flourishing is the making of the Christian mind. And central to that is understanding and following God's Word. The Holy Bible will be our foundation throughout this class. To that end, it is important to understand what the Bible is, how to read it, and how to apply it in your own life. Check out these three short videos on those subjects.