In April 2025, the trustees of Union University approved A Framework for Biblical Anthropology as a guiding statement for the university. Union’s president, Dr. Dub Oliver, had placed in our current strategic plan the crafting of such a statement since most of the hot button issues of our day are rooted in anthropology, revolving around the question of what it means to be human. You can see the press release here and the statement itself here.

Over the last year I have been involved in a few different venues to help introduce others to this statement, as we hope it will serve as a resource not only for Union but for churches and other educational institutions as well. Thanks to Center Director, Dan Darling, for inviting us to write that column,

Dr. Oliver and I wrote a column for the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary describing the statement, the reason for it, and some of our hopes for it. I also was a guest on two different podcasts to discuss the statement, its value for today, and related issues. Jon Swan and Colin Smothers hosted me on the CBMW podcast, and Benjamin Quinn hosted me on the podcast of the Center for Faith and Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Thanks to each one who has invited these discussions.

If you would like to know more about this statement, you can check out that column or those podcasts. Or, read the document itself.