Humanity in God's Image

I. What Distinguishes Humans among Creatures?
Humanity enjoys unique roles within and over creation (Ps 8).

Two images: Sistine Chapel, National Cathedral.

Imago dei names our resemblance to God in some way that comes from God (Gen 1:26-27, 5:1-3, 9:6, James 3:9).

Though a minor trope in scripture, it dominates classical theological anthropology.

Harold Turner describes three anthropologies:

Atomist individualism sees humans as self-constituted, relating only coincidentally like billiard balls.
Oceanic collectivism sees masses, whose identity belongs fundamentally to their groups.
Biblical relational 'personalism' sees a net of person-making, -knowing, and -remaking interconnections.

Proposals differ on how we image God. These can be grouped into three kinds of powers or 'faculties':
Personal faculties:

Having souls (metaphysical dualism, versus reductive or nonreductive physicalism).
Our human appearance (cf. Finis Jennings Dake, whose anthropomorphism heretically inferred that God is physical).
Powers of reasoning or speaking (Athanasius).
Contemplation of God and self, through our human mind (Augustine).

Social faculties (cf. Gen 2:18):

Truly personal human relationships: males and females in families, tribes, tongues, and nations rather than alternatives (hives, herds, schools, collectives, other animal social structures, or self-determined individuals) (Barth).

Official faculties (functions):

Vocation: cultivation of creation (Gen 1:26, Gen 2:15, Ps 8, Gen 9:6) as God's earthly representatives (Childs).
Obedient multiplying: of descendants (Gen 1:28's 'creation mandate,' natural theology) and/or disciples (Matt 13:31–33, 24:14, 28:19; DMM).
Israel's covenantal fellowship with God, cosmic authority, and holy likeness (Calvin, Ps 8:4).

In sum, humanity enjoys unique relationships with

God, each other, the rest of creation, and ourselves (Abraham Kuyper).

II. Jesus, Icon of the Invisible God

Two more images: Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, a modern Pantocrator.

Jesus Christ displays imago dei's fulfillment and true meaning (Rom 5:12-21, 1 Cor 15:49, Eph 4:22-24, Col 1:15, Col 3:10, Heb 1:3, Barth):
In his official faculties,

his redeeming power displays royal authority over creation, including us,
that realizes lordship in hope,
loving God and neighbor with all his strength (Luke 10:27).

In his social faculties,

his justice (relationship with others)
is covenantal righteousness (grace, love, humility) that cultivates others,
loving God and neighbor with all his heart.

In his personal faculties,

his character manifests God's holiness in personal particularity,
loving God and neighbor with all his mind;

and his integrity (self-relationship)

is peace, insight, and honesty,
loving God and neighbor with all his soul or self.

Jesus is "the kingdom in person" (autobasileia)

a 'new Adam' sharing his restored, glorified humanity with disciples (1 Cor 15:21-22 and Rom 5:14-19, Eph 4:20-24).

Thus 'royal priesthood', Christian mission, worship, prayer, confession, etc. contrast with spiritualist otherworldliness, the modern 'turn to the self' (C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man), and postmodern decentering.

III. Where Do Humans Come From?
Contemporary issue: To maintain these claims, is it necessary

to affirm or deny human evolutionary prehistory (cf. Gen 2:5-7)?
to affirm a historical Adam (cf. Rom 5:12-21)?

IV. Was Death Good Too? (skipped)
Hellenistic conviction: Souls are inherently immortal (Rev 20:10?).
Traditional position: Humanity was created "able not to die" (Church Fathers, Gen 2:17, Rom 6:23) in a relationship of sustaining grace.
Recent revision: Death is original to God's good creation (John Leith; Ps 104:29-30, Ps 8:4, 1 Cor 15:36, 42-57, 1 Thess 4:13-18).
How does each position affect the Christian attitude toward life, death, and resurrection?
How does each position relate to the apostolic paradigm?
What would a 'good death' look like?