I'm continuing on with thoughts from John Dyer, in his book, From the Garden to the City. Dyer now moves into the biblical realm (he's been there already, but now it's much more deliberate and obvious) to discuss our view of technology.
When God made man, He created him to reflect His image (Genesis 1.26). We do this in four ways (or using four categories):
1. We think
This reflects the rational processes God gave to us. He gave us intelligence and the ability to think. God is a rational God.
2. We relate
We reflect the relationship existent in the Trinity, where the Father relates to the Son who relates to the Spirit and each to the other and so on. We were originally made to interrelate and be interdependent. Sin has made us want to be independent and isolated.
3. We rule
God put made on this earth to "have dominion" and "subdue the earth" (Genesis 1.26, 28)
4. We create
Note this carefully: In Genesis 2.5, we're told "there was no man to work the ground." Before sin, before the Fall, work was a "good" thing (good, in the sense that it was given us by God, along with the rest of creation, which He pronounced "good"). In giving us work to do, God expected us to be creative. With the exception of "messing with" the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, there weren't too many limits placed upon Adam.
Dyer then points out four broad categories which man created within:
1. Things––the physical objects we create (e.g., a bridge, perhaps to cross the rivers Pishon, Gihon or Tigris and get to some other kinds of food there)
2. Images––while physical things, these now represent something (so perhaps Adam made a sign, along the pathway, that said "Bridge Crossing Ahead" with a little picture upon it)
3. Rituals––what do we do with the things and images? If Adam had created a toothbrush, he, no doubt, would have brushed those perfect looking pearly whites every morning, noon and night.
4. Language––this was created in order to share the meaning of these other three. The thing about language, as Dyer points out, is that we use it to shape culture, as well as have culture, in turn, shape language. So, language is a tool that is used by us to do things.
All these were given to us by God, brought into a good and perfect setting. However, as we'll find out a bit later, that perfect setting didn't last. So how does that, therefore, shape our technologies (things, images, rituals and languages)?
Hang in there for more to come.