Many of us are strangers to ourselves as well as to others. We tell a few self-descriptive facts, as if what we own or how we earn our living or where we went to school somehow summarizes our 20 or 40 or 70 years of life. We are left, however, with a haunting feeling that there is really more to us than that--more than perhaps, we even know. The nature of our humanity often remains a mystery. "The wonderful strand of colors and accts that weave the tapestry of humanity are stunning in their complexity and common simplicity," states Molly Marshall in the introduction to What It Means to Be Human. Marshall devotes this book to analyzing the patterns of behavior characteristic to the human family and giving insight into the unique identity and purpose of being human. Focusing on scripture and current issues, Marshall encourages individuals to claim the dignity of being human as well as to express thanks to God for the gift of life.