Why Christian Anthropology Needs a Thoroughly Anthropological Turn

Taking its point of departure from experience of the Alder Hey organs scandal, this contribution calls theological anthropology to turn towards social anthropology as a crucial resource for a more adequate understanding of both the context of the realities it speaks about and the people it is addressing and the contents of its own message. First, the need for social anthropological insights in order to get a more realistic view of our context is illustrated by the case of assisted reproductive technologies. Second an ethnographical approach is proposed to unfold how the contents of Christian ethics takes shape as Christian human being lived out in the world - explained by reference to Robert Orsi's notion of 'lived religion'.