The belief that humans are sinful and dependent on grace is described as which concept?

• A. Puritan anthropology
• B. Romantic anthropology
• C. Enlightenment anthropology
• D. Transcendental anthropology

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how different movements understood human nature. The belief that humans are sinful and dependent on grace reflects a view that people cannot save themselves and must rely entirely on divine grace for salvation. This characterization is emblematic of Puritan anthropology, which holds to total depravity and the necessity of grace to redeem humanity. In Puritan thought, human efforts are insufficient on their own; salvation comes through God’s grace, often emphasized within beliefs about predestination and the atonement.

In contrast, Romantic anthropology tends to portray humanity as fundamentally good or capable of moral growth through imagination and emotion; Enlightenment anthropology emphasizes reason, autonomy, and progress achievable through rational effort; Transcendental anthropology highlights an inward, spiritual self connected to nature and the divine, focusing on inner truth rather than inherent depravity. The description in the question best matches Puritan anthropology.