‘ The Ascension’ by Benjamin West, 1801( https:// www. freechristimages. com /)
What does it mean to be made in the image of God?
Ian Lasch is an autistic priest in the Episcopal Church( USA) and a PhD student at the University of Aberdeen’ s Centre for Autism and Theology, where he is researching and writing on autism and the image of God.
Christians have come up with quite a few different possible answers about the meaning of‘ Made in the image of God’. Some say it’ s a particular capacity, like rationality, which only humanity possesses. Others think it is some role humankind fulfils, like stewardship of creation or taking part in the work of creating. Some define it as human dependence upon each other. All of these might be faithful answers, but they all have their problems, too. Is it possible to define the image of God in one way that means everyone has it, and no human is lacking the image of God?
Any single definition means that some humans seem to bear the image more fully than others. But Scripture says that all humanity bears the image of God and is valuable for this reason. In Matthew 25:31-46, everyone is surprised to find out that Christ was present in the people that society thought were worthless or unimportant. But“ just as [ they ] did it to one of the least of these,” they did to Christ himself.
Maybe, then, we aren’ t meant to come up with an idea of the imago Dei( Image of God) that looks the same in every single human being. We worship an infinite God, but we are finite people. We might all bear God’ s image differently.
We might bear the image even in our disability, just like the disabled Christ we worship, who still bears the wounds of his crucifixion. The unique way that we were created might be our own individual way of showing God to the world.
If the image doesn’ t appear the same way in everyone, then the image of God isn’ t something we can just“ set and forget.” We can’ t assume the question is solved and then ignore it in our daily lives. Instead, seeking out ways that the person we are encountering in every moment reflects the glory of God means searching for God’ s presence in them. It means looking for the ways that God appears in everyone. If we’ re able to do that, the connection between loving God and loving our neighbour becomes much clearer. It is so much easier to love our neighbour when we see the ways God dwells in them. And it is so much easier to love God when we realise that we are, always and every day, surrounded by reminders of who God is: in the people we encounter, who are all beloved children of God.
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