Journal: Journal of Ministry and Theology
Volume: JMAT 11:2 (Fall 2007)
Article: The Imago Dei Revisited
Author: Kenneth M. Gardoski

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The Imago Dei Revisited

Kenneth M. Gardoski

Associate Professor of Systematic Theology

Baptist Bible Seminary, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania

Introduction1

It is axiomatic in theological studies that the less information in Scripture on a given subject, the more numerous and varied are the theories put forth to explain it. This is true concerning the imago Dei—the image of God in man.2 The vigorous debate over the imago Dei, however, only serves to underscore its importance. In fact, for Lewis and Demarest, “The most important matter in Christian anthropology concerns the meaning of the proposition that God created the human person in his own image and likeness.”3

The purpose of this paper is to revisit the matter of the image of God in man. The image will be defined largely on the basis of data gleaned from the opening chapters of Genesis. After defining it, the image of God in man after the fall, after conversion in Christ, and in future glory will be explored. This paper will present two

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aspects of the image of God in man. The first aspect remains in all men after the fall, although the fall has affected it. The second aspect likewise suffers damage though not complete destruction by the fall. It is particularly in relation to this second aspect that believers are presently experiencing renewal and will fully and perfectly reflect God’s image in future glory.

Theories Attempting to Define the Image of God in Man

Just a few passages of Scripture relate man to the image of God.4 Nevertheless, the Bible is clear enough on the fact itself: “God created man in His own image” (Gen 1:27a).5 While everyone might agree with Scripture’s assertion that man is—or at least

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originally was—created in the image of God, many theories crowd the field in attempting to define just what that assertion means.

Theories that attempt to define the nature of the imago Dei fall into three general categories.6 The first are substantive theories. Such theories seek to identify some human quality or characteristic as that which defines the image of God in man. Some of the human qualities that theologians have sugg...