Created

 in  the  Image  and  

According  to  the  Likeness  of  God  
 Image  and  Likeness  

ì  Image  is  the  poten*al  we  have  within  us  to  become  
like  our  prototype  

ì  Likeness  is  the  result,  the  purpose,  the  ideal  

ì  a  founda*onal  dogma  of  the  Church  that  ALL  

human  beings  created  so  

ì  Image  implies  being  God's  children  

ì  cf:  Scriptural  teaching  in  Gal.3:26;  1Jn  3:1  
 Biblical  Foundations  

Then  God  said,  “Let  us  make  humankind    

in  our  image,  according  to  our  likeness;    
and  let  them  have  dominion  over  the  fish    
of  the  sea,  and  over  the  birds  of  the  air,    
and  over  the  ca<le,  and  over  all  the  wild    
animals  of  the  earth,  and  over  every    
creeping  thing  that  creeps  upon  the  earth.”    
(Gen.  1:26)  
 Image  and  Likeness  
ì  a[nqrwpo" -­‐  ἀνω - θρώσκω

ì  The  human  person    

ì  more  than  just  flesh  and  blood  
ì  a  special  creature  with  the  commandment  to  become  like  
God  
ì  the  grandeur  yet  fragility  of  the  human    person  -­‐  compare  
organic  rela@onship  with  other  creatures  
ì  Sw'ma and cw'ma
 General  Meaning    
ì  According  to  St  Fathers,  a  general  meaning  of  the  term  
"image"  implies  that  human  beings  have  been  created  
ì  by  God's  grace  (katav cavrin)  
ì  by  God's  good  pleasure  (kat j eujdokivan)  
ì  by  God's  power  (katav duvnamin)  
ì  by  God's  energies  (kat j ejnevrgeian)  
ì  by  God's  will  (katav qevlhma)  

ì  to  become  everything  God  is  by  nature,  by  grace  

ì  Human  person  -­‐  an  epiphany  of  God  

 Growing  towards  likeness  
ì  In  reality  human  sin  has  resulted  in  human  
beings  refusing  to  grow  towards  likeness  
ì  The  result  of  this  is  outlined  in  Rom.  1  
ì  Human  beings  created  to  give  glory  and  thanks  
to  God  -­‐  ejvdovxasan kaiv eujcarivsthsan
ì  St  Paul  outlines  the  result  when  God  becomes  
irrelevant  in  our  lives  
ì  Communion  with  God  is  life  and  separa@on  is  
death  
 Specific  meaning  of  "image"  

ì  No  consensus  in  the  Fathers  

ì  From  all  the  literature  we  can  safely  conclude  the  
following:  
ì  Image  can  refer  to:  
ì  Our  communal  being  
ì  Image  as  growth  
ì  Image  as  self-­‐awareness  
ì  Image  as  Freedom  
ì  Image  referring  to  the  whole  person  
 Image  -­‐  Communal  
ì  Since  we  are  created  in  God's  image  this  implies  that  we  are  
rela@onal  beings  
ì  Rela@onal  in  the  ver@cal  and  horizontal  sense  

ì  Etymology  of  provswpon betrays  its  rela@onal  character

    naturae  ra@onalis  individua  substan@a  (Boethius)  

ì  Human  beings  created  to  have  a  rela@onship  with  God  and  
with  fellow  human  beings  
ì  Descartes  said  "cogito  ergo  sum";  we  would  say  "amo  ergo  
sum"  
 THE  BEAUTY  OF  THE  PERSON  
e   h u m a n   p e rs o n s   a re  in  
o w   b ea u * f u l   a n d   u niqu s t o n is h ing  
ì  H differe n c e   t o ta ll y   a
their  absolute  in a s ele s s ly   c a p * v a * n g  
always  surpris tagn  ceeous  loving  in  freedom,  
endlessly  spon ys  different.    
therefore  alwa
  w   th r e a t e n e d   b y   t h e  
 no
Why  is  it  that  hwineg  a  trhee  ec-­‐sta*c  experience  of    
other  not  wis ed  and  surprised  by  that  which  is
being  astonish  other?  
different  in  the
  n n o t   l o v e   t h e   o th e r  
Why  is  it  that  weeir  c  daifferences  
not  DESPITE  Eth  of  those  differences  
but    BECAUS  created  by  God    not  different  
Since  we  wereer  but  different  for  each  other  
from  each  oth
 
 Image  -­‐  Growth  
ì  Created  in  the  image  of  growth  also  means  we  
have  the  poten*al  for  growth  
ì  The  dynamic  aspect  of  the  human  person  
expressed  in  the  dis*nc*on  made  by  the  terms  
image  and   likeness  
ì  Fathers  of  the  Patris*c  tradi*on  which  
dis*nguish  are:  
ì  Irenaeus,    
ì  Clement  of  Alexandria  
ì  Origen  
ì  St  Maximus  the  Confessor  
 Image  -­‐  Growth    

ì  “Human  received  the  honour  of  the  image  at  their  first  
creaIon,  but  the  full  perfecIon  of  God’s  likeness  will  be  
conferred  upon  them  only  at  the  consummaIon  of  all  things”  

ì  "every  intelligent  nature  is  in  the  image  of  God,  but  only  the  
good  and  the  wise  are  in  his  likeness".    

ì  Adam  "was  but  small,  for  he  was  a  child;  and  it  was  
necessary  that  he  should  grow  and  so  come  to  his  
perfecIon."    
 Image  -­‐  Self  awareness  
ì  Created  in  the  image  of  God  implies  we  do  not  act  
out  of  ins*nct  but  can  think.  
ì  Responsibility  to  give  crea*on  a  voice  
ì  Includes  the  whole  person:  St  Irenaeus  
ì  "By  the  hands  of  the  Father,  that  is,  by  the  Son  and  the  Spirit,  
the  human  person  was  created  in  the  likeness  of  God.  The  
person  was  so  created,  not  just  a  part  of  the  person.  Now  soul  
and  spirit  are  certainly  a  part  of  the  person,  but  they  are  not  
the  person  as  such.  For  the  complete  person  consists  in  the  
commingling  and  union  of  the  soul  that  receives  the  spirit  [or  
breath]  of  the  Father,  together  with  the  flesh  [or  physical  
nature]  that  is  fashioned  according  to  God's  image."  
ì  Against  the  Heresies  5,6,1.  
 Image  -­‐  including  the  body  

ì  Niketas  Choniates  

ì  §"The   term   human   being   is   applied   not   to   the   soul  
alone   or   to   the   body   alone,   but   to   both   of   them  
together;   and   so   it   is   with   reference   to   both   together  
that  God  is  said  to  have  created  the  human  person  in  
his  image."  
ì   Prosopopeiai,  PG  150:1361C  

ì  Carl  Jung  

ì  "Spirit   is   the   living   body   seen   from   within,   and   the  
body  the  outer  manifestaIon  of  the  living  spirit  –  the  
two  being  really  one.”  
ì  Modern  Man  in  Search  of  a  Soul,  (London:  Routledge  Ark  
Paperbacks,  1984),  253.  
 Image  -­‐  freedom  
ì  Image  reflected  in  our  freedom  
ì  St  Cyril  of  Alexandria  
ì  "Human  beings  were  created  in  the  beginning  with  control  over  
their  own  decisions,  and  were  free  to  direct  their  will  as  they  
chose.  For  they  were  formed  in  God's  image,  and  God  is  free."  
ì  Glafyera  on  Genesis,  1,4.  PG  69:24C.    

ì  St  Maximus  the  Confessor  

ì  "if  the  human  person  is  created  in  the  image  of  the  
blessed  and  super  essenIal  Godhead,  then  –  since  the  
Godhead  is  free  by  nature  –  this  signifies  that  as  God's  
image  the  human  person  also  is  free  by  nature."  
ì   Dispute  with  Pyrrhus,  PG  91:304C.  
 Image  -­‐  freedom  
The   Macarian   Homilies   (4th   century)   point  
out:    
ì  § "Heaven,   sun,   moon   and   earth   have   no   free  
will,   but   you   are   in   the   image   and   likeness   of  
God;  and  this  means  that,  just  as  God  is  His  own  
master   and   can   do   what   He   wishes   and,   if   He  
wishes,   He   can   send   the   righteous   to   hell   and  
sinners  to  the  Kingdom,  but  He  does  not  choose  
to  do  this…  so,  in  like  manner,  you  also  are  your  
own  master  and,  if  you  choose,  you  can  destroy  
yourself."    
ì   Homilies,  15,23.    
 Responsibility    
ì  Naming  the  animals  
ì  Gen.  2:19  –  20:  “So  out  of  the  ground  the  LORD  God  formed  every  
animal  of  the  field  and  every  bird  of  the  air,  and  brought  them  to  the  
man  to  see  what  he  would  call  them;  and  whatever  the  man  called  
every  living  creature,  that  was  its  name.  The  man  gave  names  to  all  
cahle,  and  to  the  birds  of  the  air,  and  to  every  animal  of  the  field;  but  
for  the  man  there  was  not  found  a  helper  as  his  partner.”  
ì  Betrays  highest  esteem  that  God  has  towards  
humanity  
ì  Nomen  is  omen  
ì  Mul@plying  upon  the  earth  
ì  Gen.  1:28  God  blessed  them,  and  God  said  
to  them,  “Be  fruiiul  and  mul*ply,  and  fill  
the  earth  and  subdue  [κατακυριεύσατε]  it;  
and  have  dominion  over  the  fish  of  the  sea  
and  over  the  birds  of  the  air  and  over  every  
living  thing  that  moves  upon  the  earth.”    
ì  Not  understood  in  terms  of  conquering  
ì  Cf:  rela@onship  between  husband  and  wife  
 The  Paradox  of  the  Human  Person  

ì  earthly,  yet  heavenly….  Midway  between  majesty  and  lowliness…  both  
spirit  and  flesh (St  Gregory  the  Theologian)  

ì  “For  this  is  the  safest  way  to  protect  the  good  things  you  enjoy;  by  realizing  
how  much  your  Creator  has  honoured  you  above  all  other  creatures,  He  did  
not  make  the  heavens  in  His  image,  nor  the  moon,  nor  the  sun,  nor  the  
beauty  of  the  stars,  nor  anything  else  which  surpasses  all  understanding.  
You  alone  are  an  icon  of  Eternal  Beauty,  and  if  you  look  at  Him,  you  will  
become  what  He  is,  imita*ng  Him  Who  shines  within  you,  whose  glory  is  
reflected  in  your  purity.  Nothing  in  all  crea*on  can  equal  your  grandeur.  All  
the  heavens  can  fit  in  the  palm  of  God's  hand...  and  though  He  is  so  great...  
you  can  wholly  embrace  Him.  He  dwells  within  you...  He  pervades  your  
en*re  being”  (St  Gregory  of  Nyssa)