The Human Being as the Image of God

Abstract

This is a theological exposition of the biblical statement that the human being is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). The treatment concludes that this affirmation is the clal gadol, the foundational principle of the whole Torah (as Ben Azzai says, Talmud Yerushalmi, Nedarim, ch. 9, h. 4). There are four dimensions to the image of God: (1) Intrinsic dignities—that all human beings (no matter gender, skin color, race, religion) are endowed by their Creator with three intrinsic dignities: infinite value, equality, and uniqueness; (2) Capabilities—God has infinite consciousness, power, relationship (=love), freedom, and life. Humans have these capabilities in a finite but remarkable, i.e., Godlike, form. According to Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, humans fulfill the commandment of Imitatio Dei (v’halachta b’drachav) by developing these capabilities. God bestows these capabilities on humans to use in fulfilling a mission to perfect God’s Creation in partnership with the Divine (=covenant); (3) These dignities are rooted in love. That all humans possess these dignities reflects the fact that God loves all life, especially humans (the most advanced form of life); (4) Prophetic messianism envisions this planet turned into a Garden of Eden (paradise). This is a reality worthy of an image of God, i.e., the enemies of life (poverty, hunger, oppression, war, sickness) are overcome and the fullness of human dignity (infinite value, equality, uniqueness) is honored, in actual practice, in daily life.