Christian Humanism as a Philosophical and Anthropological Lens for the Humanities

Humanism shares similar views with Christianity, specifically regarding the understanding of the human person. This similarity has given rise to the possibility of a Christian form of humanism rooted in the belief in the physical and spiritual well-being of the human person, aided by the supernatural. This form of humanism provides a more comprehensive framework for studying and understanding the human person, his values, dignity, experiences, development, and happiness. The knowledge of the human person and the means towards his integral well-being remains the focus of Christian humanism. Likewise, the humanities, through its various disciplines, has been concerned with the question of what it means to be human and to exist in society. In today’s world marked by the accelerated advancements in science and technology, moral secularism, and anthropological reductionism, the humanities struggle to attain an integral understanding of the essence and existence of the human person. This paper proposes the principles of Christian humanism as an effective philosophical and anthropological lens through which the humanities may be refocused and strengthened in their inquiry into the essence of the human person and his existence in society. This paper seeks an interdisciplinary engagement between the valuable insights from Christian teachings, the fundamentals of humanism, and the humanities. The paper presents a brief historical survey of the development of humanism and its influence on the ideas of Christian and secular humanism. The paper also highlights the philosophical and anthropological principles of Christian humanism in an interdisciplinary dialogue with the humanities.