Running head: THE IMAGO DEI

The Imago Dei Daniel W. Pieratt Grand Canyon University: HTH-505 May 30, 2012

THE IMAGO DEI The Imago Dei Introduction So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27 ESV). The meaning of man being created in the image of God has been debated, continuously, over the centuries. Did God form man to look like Himself

or did He bestow divine-capacities within man in order for man to be and live like God? Or could this Image of God be some combination of the two? Various theologians have tackled this question and some of their beliefs will be discussed. Additionally, and attempt to form an opinion as to what The Imago Dei (The Image of God) will occur near the end of this article. Theological Anthropology As we have learned through the scriptures, God did create this universe and all within it. God also created man in His own image. Currently there are three separate beliefs as to what it is meant by In Gods Image. The Cambridge Dictionary of Christian Theology summarizes these three beliefs as follows:

Gods intention to create human beings in the divine image is correlated with their being assigned dominion over the other animals (Gen. 1:26), have interpreted the phrase functionally: human beings bear Gods image in that they rule over creation on Gods behalf.

In the modern period especially, others have argued that the parallelism between Gods having created humankind in the image of God and male and female in Genesis 1:27 implies that the divine image should be understood relationally, as something found in those patterns of human mutuality typified by the loving union of man and woman in marriage.

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The most widely held position, however, has interpreted the divine image noetically, as referring to some mental capacity (e.g., reason, freedom, or self-consciousness) that elevates human beings above all other earthly creatures by virtue of the fact that they possess distinct spiritual capacities that reflect Gods own transcendence of the material order.

The third example does seem to be the most plausible belief in that God created man to be in charge of the earth and its welfare while, subsequently, bestowing divine-capacities within man that are a direct reflection of God Himself. Gordon D. Kaufman In reading Kaufman, one will find that he agrees with much of the Theological Anthropology when he writes, The doctrine of the image of God thus expresses simultaneously man's uniqueness with respect to the lower ani-mals and man's special relationship to God. And it does this through referring both to the peculiarities of man's being created in God's image (Kaufman, p. 157). But he takes this perspective and adds the element of sin and being separated from God as he states, Sin is the disruption and negation of that positive relationship to God for which the doctrine of the imago Dei stands. To be a sinner is thus to be one in whom God's image has somehow become radically defaced or even destroyed (Kaufman, p. 157). Kaufman does find one problem with this belief when he says, If it is said that sin only slightly mars the image of God so that man retains the capacity to turn to God, then the importance of salvation through Christ is considerably diminished, and in principle it becomes unnecessary (Kaufman, p. 157).

Stanley J. Grenz

THE IMAGO DEI The key to understanding the Image of God concept is answering the following questions: What does it mean to say that we are created in the image of God? How did our fall into sin affect the divine image in us? In what ways and in what sense are we like God?

Structural View Grenz summarizes these questions when he writes, The precise characteristics - human capabilities- bound up with our possession of the image of God include above all our rationality and moral nature, to which some proponents add our capacity for holiness (Grenz, 1994, p. 169). Unfortunately, this doesnt account for the how the fall affects our image of God. Grenz argues that since we are fallen, how can we still possess rationality? Early beliefs solved this dilemma by biblically defining between the image of God and the likeness of God. Irenaeus described the divine image as our rationality, moral freedom, and responsibility, which we retain despite human sinfulness (Grenz, 1994, p. 169). Adam lost the divine likeness in the fall but through the redemption of Jesus Christ, it is restored. Relational View The Protestant Reformers which included Martin Luther and John Calvin believed that the image of God was exclusively the original righteousness which mankind lost in the fall. They believed that the image of God was marred extensively. Within this belief, it is still believed that some form of the divine image is retained in all of mankind but it has been severely altered and decreased. The asserted, fallen humankind is not just deprived, but depraved (Grenz, 1994, p. 71). Dynamic View

THE IMAGO DEI This viewpoint was also supported by the Protestant Reformers in that Even though we have lost the image of God through sin, it can be restored through the Word and the Holy Spirit

(Grenz, 1994, p. 172). To summarize, mankind is in a fallen state and has lost the original image of God but does retain a changed and diminished version due to sin. Only through sanctification through Jesus Christ can this image of God be restored. Tertullian Tertullian was an advocate of baptism as the way to restore the image of God. He makes this clear when he writes, Thus humanity is restored to God into his likeness, for he had originally been in his image. The state of being in the image of God relates to his form; in the likeness refers to his eternity; for humanity receives back that Spirit of God which at the beginning was received from Gods inbreathing, but which was afterwards lost through falling away (McGrath, 2011, p. 345). It can be gathered that mankind, initially, had the image of God but lost it through sin. Mankind, due to being bound by sin, cannot reclaim the image of God but must be redeemed through God and baptized so that death is abolished. Once this is completed, man can be restored, by God, back into His image. Origen A distinction between image and likeness is made in that when God said let us make man in our image. He did not mention likeness at this time. Origen believed that mankind was given the image of God but would not attain the likeness of God except by its own efforts by imitating God. Mankind could reach perfection, in the end, through the fulfillment of his works. Conclusion

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God did create man in His image. My belief is that when God created Adam, man was perfect, righteous, holy, and without sin. Although mankind was perfect, it was not equal to God in that mankind did not possess the attributes of omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. Through disobedience to God, mankind fell from perfection and became shackled to sin. Through sin, God and mankind are separated and mankind is ultimately unable to bridge the distance between it and God. Even though mankind is in a fallen state, it has retained a diminished and altered form of the image of God. Mankind still has God-given attributes of of intellect, emotion, will, and moral choice. We are not able to regain our original image of God as we are still shackled to sin and unable to achieve righteousness. Only through Gods divine intervention are we able to be restored. Mankind is born into sin and unable to break its bonds on its own. We are in a fallen state we cannot recover from. Only through Salvation given to us by God through Jesus Christ our Lord are we able to be plucked from our fallen state and restored to a relationship with God.

References Grenz, S.J. (1994). Theology for the Community of God. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

THE IMAGO DEI Kaufman, G.D. The "Imago Dei" as Man's Historicity. The Journal of Religion, Vol. 36, No. 3 (Jul., 1956), pp. 157-168 Published by: The University of Chicago Press. Web. 30 May 2012 http://www.jstor.org.library.gcu.edu:2048/stable/1201050 McGrath, A.E. (2011). The Christian Theology Reader. West Sussex, UK: Blackwell Publishing LTD. "Theological Anthropology." Cambridge Dictionary of Christian Theology. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2011. Credo Reference. 29 Oct. 2011. Web. 30 May 2012. http://www.credoreference.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/entry.do?id=10417027 Bracken, J.A. (2011). Trinitarian Sprit Christology: In Need of a New Metaphysics?, Theological Studies, 72(4), 750-767. Accessed May 15, 2012, from