Redeeming Sociology: A God-Centered Approach

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In their pursuit of social welfare, sociologists and everyday citizens alike have adopted a worldview that fails to account for both the nature of God and the depravity of humankind. Ignoring God and sin has resulted in misguided analyses and ineffective solutions to societal issues. The time has come to rethink the study of sociology as those faulty assumptions have clearly affected the discipline as a whole.

Recognizing that human relationships are derived from the triune relationships within the Godhead, Poythress argues that social interactions must be assessed through a biblical framework that takes seriously the problem of sin. He has thus written this compelling volume to stimulate the reconfiguration and transformation of a worldview gone awry, helping us to think rightly about fallen human relationships and our models for understanding and improving them.

Redeeming Sociology advocates a biblically informed approach based on the Trinitarian nature of God, his governance of the world, and his redemption accomplished in Christ—a model that will help to reform the field of sociology as well as the beliefs and behaviors in our own relationships.

352 pages

“Using the triadic analytical technique derived from the truth of the Trinity, Poythress continues his quest for an undistorted, biblical understanding of the sciences, this time zeroing in on linguistics and sociology. This is a work of first-rate thinking. Demanding yet enriching, this book is a major contribution to modern reformation and its intellectual renewal.”
—J. I. Packer, Board of Governors' Professor of Theology, Regent College

“It is fairly common today for preachers and theologians to speak of relationships as crucial to the gospel, and to invoke the divine Trinity as the ultimate model therein, but this point has rarely been presented in theological depth. Poythress takes up that task, showing in great detail the biblical depth of this picture. He explains that human relationships make no sense apart from God's nature, creation, and providence. Indeed, this book presents a powerful argument against the exclusion of God from sociology and psychology. And it extends the argument of his recent books (on interpretation, science, and language) that the God of Scripture is the foundation for everything human.”
—John M. Frame, Emeritus Professor of Systematic Theology and Philosophy, Reformed Theological Seminary

“In the spirit of Abraham Kuyper, Vern Poythress has given us a valuable guide to thinking about godly relationships in our secular world. He develops a biblical understanding of how the distortions of sin have fractured our relationships with God and his people. I commend Poythress for his insightful thinking in this book, which joins the ranks of his similar contributions on science and literature.”
—J. Lanier Burns, Research Professor of Theological Studies, Senior Professor of Systematic Theology, Dallas Theological Seminary

“Vern Poythress has done thinking Christians a great service by engaging in rigorous theological reflection on relationships—that all-important facet of human existence that we are inescapably immersed in, are shaped by, and yet often take for granted. Church leaders will benefit from this fine book.”
—D. Michael Lindsay, President, Gordon College