Before I see someone as a problem,
Prayer from Justin McRoberts
may I see him or her as
a human being.
BEFORE BEGINNING. To fully understand the image of God we must start with the history of the ancient world and its understanding of image and likeness and how the culture approached life (read The Value of Human Life and watch Image of God). After that, we pivot into a theological discussion of what it means for humans to be made in the image of God and why this foundational philosophy was and is still revolutionary (listen to The True Meaning of Being Made in God’s Image). We conclude with what the implications are for Christians (listen to In the Image of God).
READ
READ: The Value of Human Life / Richard L. Pratt Jr.
In ancient times people believed that royalty – pharaohs, emperors, and kings – were representatives of gods on earth. These image-bearers learned the will of their gods and carried out the god’s purposes. This image-bearing title was exclusively reserved for those in power. Genesis 1:27, which declares that all humans are made in the image of God, was revolutionary. Instead of the will of god’s being exclusive, Yahweh says that all humans can know and carry out his will. This theme laces the Bible and is a foundational tenet of the Christian faith. With a little bit of history, a little bit of theology, and a little bit of advice for today this is a perfect introduction to the image of God theology.
LISTEN
LISTEN: In the Image of God / Skye Jethani
What if before we walked into a room we told ourselves that we represent the image of God in this room? In a challenging and insightful sermon author and pastor Skye Jethani says we have been taught that we are created to serve God, which he says is a pagan calling, but what we have really been created for is for representing God, which is a Christian calling.
LISTEN: The True Meaning of Being Made in God’s Image / Mike Cosper
Speaker Mike Cosper details three ways we bear God’s images in the world – our capacity for relationships, our capacity for culture-making, and our capacity for wielding power. Each of these characteristics of God are detailed in the Bible, but what holds us back from realizing our full potential of being made in the image of God?
WATCH
WATCH: Image of God Biblical Theme / BibleProject
A wonderfully engaging, short, animated introduction to what the image of God means for humanity. A must-watch for the young and the old to begin learning about the foundational doctrine of the Imago Dei.
WATCH: Image of God / Centre for Public Christianity
A series of insightful video clips, totaling just 17 minutes, from the documentary For the Love of God that details the history and the far-reaching influence of the image of God on human civilization.
DIG DEEPER
LISTEN: The Image of God Series / BibleProject
After reading the article The Value of Human Life and watching Image of God Biblical Theme, dig deeper into the image of God with this four-part series that details the history of the doctrine and what the doctrine means for Christians and how they live in the world. The historical context that Tim Mackie and Jon Collins bring to the conversation cements the fact of how revolutionary Genesis 1 is, and continues to be, although often lost on modern Christians.
READ: Calling for a Modern-Day Reformation / Jemar Tisby
In a powerful essay author Jemar Tisby asks why many American Christians are not welcoming to the increasing diversity of the country when Revelation 7:9 talks about a diverse multitude standing before the throne of the Lord. As a result, Tisby calls for a modern-day reformation rooted in the image of God. Tisby goes one important step further providing clear, concrete steps such as renewed scholarship, diverse leadership, and making sure our orthodoxy and orthopraxy lineup while pointing out that it starts with us implementing these changes in our communities and organizations. This article is for those that have already have a solid foundation in the image of God and want a deeper dive.
READ: The Imago Dei – Humanity Made in the Image of God / Lucy Peppiatt
The doctrine of the Image of God is like prayer, communion, or any other practice that has become perfunctory. We kind of know what it is and what it means, but the necessity and revolutionary nature of the practice or belief has dulled with time and repetition. In The Imago Dei: Humanity Made in the Image of God author, Lucy Peppiatt seeks to break the casual understanding of this indispensable doctrine by defining the three main perspectives, getting into the weeds by analyzing church fathers’ and theologians’ thoughts on the nuances of the doctrine, and finishing with a superb summary.
More curated resources on the Image of God:
PODCAST: The Image of God Series
After reading the article The Value of Human Life and watching Image of God Biblical Theme, dig deeper into the doctrine of the image of God with this four-part series that details the history of the doctrine and what the philosophy means for Christians and how they live in the world. The historical context that…
Read more
PODCAST: Uniquely Unique | Image of God
Finishing a six-part series on what it means to be human Language of God hosts Jim Stump and Colin Hoggerwerf, along with scientists and theologians, turn their focus onto defining the complicated statement of humans being made in the image of God. Some have postulated that it is because we can see things as they…
Read more
SERMON: In the Image of God
What if before we walked into a room we told ourselves that we represent the image of God in this room? In a challenging and insightful sermon author and pastor Skye Jethani says we have been taught that we are created to serve God, which he says is a pagan calling, but what we have…
Read more
Sunday to Saturday 