“Image of God” Part 2

Posted on August 3rd, 2010 by Pete Enns

My second post on the image of God is up today at BioLogos. The “image of God” in Genesis 1:26-27 refers to humanity’s role in ruling creation as God’s representatives. It does not refer to the soul or psycho-spiritual qualities like reason or consciousness. This is better that Netflix, I promise you.


Tags: biologos // 2 Comments »

  • http://theoradical.net jobelenus

    Dr Enns, I do agree with you from the historical evidence that the initial stories passed down through Israel's history to those who wrote it down (P source) mean to talk about the “image of God” in that fashion. But, does that mean that it is the only theological exegesis we can perform with the text? In coming to this (widely agreed upon) conclusion are we ruling out of court greater Christian tradition since the early fathers?

    • Anonymous

      jobelenus,

      Great question. In a word, no we are not ruling out the early fathers BUT we should be clear when early fathers or others are developing ideas on a trajectory from the Bible and just name that for what it is. In a sense, that is the entire history of Christian (and Jewish) interpretation–finding ways to be biblical while moving past the Bible’s immediate moment. What I am trying to guard against is transposing those later trajectories back onto the Bible and claiming that those developments are actually what the Bible is saying. The history of the church is littered with those in ecclesiastical power who have put their own narrow and dysfunctional theologies onto Moses, Jesus, or Paul.

« »