10 of those

What makes us brilliant?

What makes us deadly? 

What makes us sapiens?

 

Those are the questions at the heart of the bestselling Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.

 

In many ways the story of humanity in the 21st century is a tragic tale of confusion and anxiety about those very questions. Who are we? How do we know? What value do we have, and why? What divides us and what unites us as a race? Are we gods, or cogs in a machine? Villains or victims?

 

All that confusion and anxiety shows how far humanity has moved from the knowledge that it is made in God’s image. And so in Primer issue 11 our focus is the doctrine of humanity. What does Scripture teach and how does that affect the way we think about the major ethical issues of the day, such as abortion, technology, and power?

 

CONTENTS:

 

Introduction – Order out of Chaos (David Shaw)

Our editor introduces the issue and articles.

 

“O Brave New World that has Such People in it!” (Sarah Allen)

The story of humanity, as told by four recent books.

 

Thus Spoke Nietzsche (Stephen Williams)

A vision of humanity after "the death of God".

 

Focusing the Image (David Shaw)

The doctrine of humanity in Scripture.

 

Ghost in the Machine (John Wyatt)

Technology and the future of humanity.

 

And Who is My Neighbour? (Mark Meynell)

The image of God and the exercise of power.

 

Safe Spaces (Andrew Nicholls)

An interview about abortion.