What Does God's Image?

Throughout my selected text, Johnson focuses on the church along with the subsequent androcentric image of God, and how it impacts woman around the world. She explains that throughout history, with the help of the church’s patriarchal nature and society’s values as a whole, woman have been seen “as a ‘defective male’…that must live in obedience to her [male counterpart,]…[ and who are often also referred to as the] ‘second sex’” (Johnson 92). This

The first part of Genesis 1:26 states that we are created in God’s image and according to Their likeness. Wayne Grudem explains that theologians have tried to discover what is meant by being in the image and likeness of God. There are several ideas as to what it means to be created in God’s image. Grudem (1994) says that some theologians think it refers to man’s “intellectual ability, others in his power to make moral decisions and willing choices. Others have thought that the image of God referred to man’s original moral purity, or his creation as male and female… or his dominion over the earth” (p. 443). He believes this is over complicating what Genesis 1:26 declares. He explains that “image” and “likeness” carries the idea of representing and being similar to something (Grudem, 1994, p. 442-443).

The Hebrew or Israelite’s (HoI) book of Genesis (2.5-3) and the Pandora Myth in the Greek poet Hesiod’s Work and Days both include the creation of Men and Women. In each of these works, this creation plays a significant role in showing the relationship between human beings and gods (or God) in that culture. The order of creation (Man Vs Women) indicates the importance one sex has over the other. In the book of Genesis (2.5-3) and Work and Days, Men are created before women towards the beginning of creation. However, the basis on why women are created indicates the importance of women in HoI and Greek cultures. In the book of Genesis (2.5-3) woman is created to be a companion for the lonely man, but plays an important role helping humans become more human like. In contrast, the story of Work and Days tells us women are created to punish man and are the root of all evil. The process in how women are created also indicates their importance within these cultures. In Genesis, the woman is created from a man’s rib, while in Work and Days the woman is created out of clay and the “gifts” of many gods. Lastly, how the gods (or God) treats man, preceding creation, may also indicate some insight to their relationships. In Genesis, we see God worry for man’s well being, while in Works and Days man is being punished for something they didn’t do.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. - Matthew 6:9. The idea of “God the father” is one that is rooted deep in our society predominantly the ways in which it rejoices men. The almighty all and powerful God is outlined as a male figure in the bible, constructed using almost entirely masculine language. This simple fact has provoked men to assume the position of authority, to oversee over his family. This simple fact leads to an imbalance of power between men and women subconsciously oppressing women within our society. In Mary Daly’s “After the Death of God the Father,” Mary explains how the Judeo-Christian culture has served to bring structure to a sexually imbalanced man driven culture." This male-controlled society has its establishments in the most discernible parts of Christianity.” Mary’s work is a continuation of what is known as “The women's liberation movement” furthering the conversation of societies hold on a woman and bringing change. In this critical evaluation of Mary Daly's work, I will discuss the thesis and argument of the reading, along with an analysis of its assumptions and implications.

"And God created the human in his image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them." (Norton Vol. A 159)

In his article “Try To Be A Man,” Satlow argues that the rabbis constructed their view of manhood based on their definition of self-restraint. Based on their understanding of the teachings in the Torah, the rabbis considered self-restraint, in terms of both Torah study and sexual acts, as the path to God, but saw complete sexual renunciation to be going against a commandment of God found in the book of Genesis. In contrast, early Christians asserted that celibacy, or total sexual renunciation, demonstrated self-restraint as well as the path to God. Using “Try To Be A Man,” Genesis 1:28, The Life of Saint Pelagia the Harlot, and 1 Corinthians 7:8-9, I will argue that the differences in early Christian and rabbinic views of manliness, especially relating to women, allowed early Christians to focus on sexual renunciation as the highest form of sexual restraint while the rabbis focused on a

It is important to note that while much is known about male sexuality of this time, relatively little is known about the feminine aspect of sexuality. This can generally be attributed to the fact that almost all feminine aspects are shrouded in mystery and female sexuality and sexual desires are overshadowed by their male counterparts. The ancient Roman civilization’s views paralleled those of the Greeks for the most part, but attitudes began to change prior to the beginnings of Christianity. While the New Testament writings upon the matter of homosexuality are relatively sparse, some scholars feel that the language used to describe these acts has been

Feminist theory and Christian worldview can be integrated but to what extent? Too much emphasis on the abstract, detached mind leads us astray. To be fully human does not require sex or gender but it does require God’s image. That, it seems, does not disappear with gender or sex, for both God and the angels are personal yet without sex or gender. As such, the thin essential properties of humanity, being rooted in God’s creative work, remain forever whereas the human cultural creations of gender and sex do not. In the beginning we are sexed and gendered (Genesis). In the end, we are neither (Galatians), hence the solution to the apparent contradiction of the Christian scriptures on gender.

Genesis 1-3 offered the very first outline of societal norms and therein introduced interpretations of norms related to family, gender, and sex. In our now-progressive society, the constraints of indubitable religion are removed and the differing interpretations of gender, sex, and family within religion are freely debated. Since the text of creation is divine and human logic cannot fully interpret or understand God’s word, there are copious, varying interpretations of the text. An essential starting point for interpreting the Bible is the understanding that misinterpretations are bound to happen. The difference in time and context alone is causation, let alone the factors of translation and transcription. Susan T. Foh and Carol Meyers, both graduates of Wellesley College, have very differing strategies regarding how to interpret divine texts. Meyers, a professor at Duke, directed attention towards the context in which the text was written. Since our societies are constantly in flux, the context from when the text was written is often different from the context in which predominant and accepted interpretations were fabricated. Foh’s strategy of interpreting and understanding the text is to utilize latter parts of the text, which were written with more recent contexts, in order to understand the text. Both of these methodologies set up the text to be re-interpreted, however, Foh’s methodology is more complete because it allows the text to speak for itself rather than bring in

The Bible is controversial on the matter of gender equality. There are numerous contradictions about the status of women in Christian society. Historically, the most prominent interpretation has been rather negative toward women. The Christian Church, with principally male authority, emphasizes the idea that women are inferior to man. They focus on Eve’s sin leading to a punishment that “her husband will have authority over her.” (Drury, 34)

When God created human beings, He created them in His image. Adam sinned and the image was corrupted. However, Jesus, who is the perfect image of God, will restore us to the original image of God. God is the Intelligent Designer and has displayed His intelligence in the microscopic world of cells and molecules. Humans display God’s glory and all the different types of cells and molecules display His glory as well. Just like humans, cells make mistakes. However, they will be perfected whenever we are perfected.

Introduction: The term "image of God" occurs three times in the Bible. In Genesis 1:26-27 and 9:6, we find out that man is created in the image of God. In 2 Cor. 4:4 we see the phrase used in reference to Jesus who is the "image of God." There is no exact understanding of what the phrase means, but we can generalize. It would seem that the first two verses refer to God 's character and attributes that are reflected in people. The term cannot be a reference to a physical appearance of God since Jesus says in John 4:24 that God is Spirit, and in Luke 24:39 Spirit does not have flesh and bones. Therefore, we can conclude that the image of God deals with humanity 's reflection of God in such things as compassion, rationality, love, hatred, fellowship, etc. God exhibits all of these characteristics, as do people. Example 1: A good starting point is to respect others because God said to. For example, we read in the Bible that husbands and wives are to respect their spouse and the wife must respect her husband Ephesians 5:33. Husbands, in the same way are considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect 1 Peter 3:7. The same principle applies to other relationships. Peter wrote that we should show respect to everyone. You can respect your spouse, child, parent, boss or others because of their position. Acknowledge that others have weaknesses. Everyone is imperfect. Be careful not to let their failures erode your respect for their good qualities. Look for things

In the beginning of the Bible in the Book of Genesis, it is revealed to use in 1:26-27 that God has created man in his image. The text verbatim states “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” From this distinct text we can clearly conclude that when ad created man and woman, they were destined to be in God’s image and carry his image throughout his creation. Today we can see that many of us do not live in God’s image due to society becoming more secularized as it progresses through the years, however as Christians we can verse this by living in God’s image in our chosen vocations, churches, and even in the

The most used argument against those outside the binary gender system is that God created man and woman in Genesis and that this is the only way he intended it to be. Telford Work says in his biblical commentary that “The social construction of gender is grounded in the divine construction of both sex and gender.” However, this assessment ignores an even older idea about the original creation of Adam. A literal translation of Genesis 2 is that God created an earthling (Adam). This ‘earthling’ had no gender in the beginning and is commonly thought to have been a hermaphrodite, a human with both male and female sex organs.

In Old Testament, Genesis is considered as history of the earth and human creation. Only from very first few chapters, we can notice that “God [with the power of His voice] created the heavens and the earth” (Gen 1:1). He created everything on six literal days, including universe, nature, night, day, animal, and human beings. God showed us how to conduct our weeks as working six days per week, but then He gave us one day, the seventh day, to rest. In other words, after productively working on six successive days, we should spend Sunday to go to church, to hang out with our beloved ones and to glorify the Great I Am. Beyond that, it is such a bless that “God created man in his own image” (Gen 1:27), which also means that He is not distant from His creation. Therefore, we should believe that we inherit some virtues from the Lord God, and He always gets involved in human lives. Applying those virtues in behaviors will help us grow good relationships with other people. Undoubtedly, relationships are life’s biggest joys and biggest sorrows. There are various types of relationships including a superior one, the relationship with God. The very first relationship mentioned in the Bible was the marriage of Adam and Eve. They first lived happily together in the garden until the sin came. However, when God asked, neither of them admitted it. Another broken relationship mentioned in the Bible was between Cain and Abel, the two