The concept of?imago Dei, or the ?image of God,? originates in Genesis 1:26?27, where God declares, ?Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.? This

The concept of imago Dei, or the “image of God,” originates in Genesis 1:26–27, where God declares, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” This profound statement has shaped Christian anthropology for centuries and remains foundational in understanding human identity and dignity. To be made in the imago Dei means that humans uniquely reflect certain aspects of God’s nature, both in who we are and what we are called to do.

     The terms “image” (tselem) and “likeness” (demut) in Genesis have sparked scholarly debate. While some early church fathers, such as Irenaeus, distinguished the two terms—arguing that “image” referred to humanity’s rational nature and “likeness” to our moral development—many modern scholars view them as synonymous, forming a Hebrew poetic parallelism to emphasize a singular reality: humans bear God’s image.[1] Bruce K. Waltke suggests that both words express the same idea and that the pairing strengthens the theological emphasis on humanity’s unique resemblance to God.[2]

     Humanity reflects God’s image in several key ways. Ontologically, humans share communicable attributes of God, such as reason, will, moral awareness, creativity, and the capacity for relationships.[3] These traits enable us to know and worship God and to relate meaningfully with others. Functionally, the image of God involves a divine calling: to exercise dominion over creation (Gen. 1:28), serving as God’s representatives and stewards on earth.[4] This royal vocation affirms human responsibility in shaping the world according to God’s purposes.

     Moreover, the image of God includes a relational dimension. As God is triune and relational, so humans are designed for community—with God and with each other. This is seen most clearly in our capacity for love, justice, and covenantal relationship. The image of God is also Christological; Christ is the perfect image of God (Col. 1:15), and believers are called to be conformed to His image (Rom. 8:29), restoring and renewing the imago Dei through sanctification.[5]

     Therefore, the imago Dei affirms the inherent worth of every human being and the sacredness of human life. It is a call to reflect God’s character in how we live, govern, relate, and worship.