What Does it Mean to Be 'Made in the Image of God'? The Debate Continues

Q: Scientific articles describe the universe as comprised of 100 billion galaxies, of which the Milky Way, our galaxy, is just one. The Milky Way is comprised of 100 billion stars, of which our sun is just one. I agree with Einstein's comment (paraphrasing now) that there must be a creator who formed and is directing this finely-tuned orchestra.

The Bible states that humans are made "in the image of God." Where and when did this claim originate? Granted, an all-powerful, all-knowing creator who could form the universe could do anything -- including picking our planet, among billions of others, to reveal beings made in the image of that God. But how is this likeness to be understood? I believe in God but still have questions. -- N., Long Island, N.Y., via godsquadquestion@aol.com

A: The belief that people are made in the image of God is a religious one that has spilled over into secular ethics. In religion, it refers to the idea that we are made holy like God is holy. The special reverence we have for God is translated into the respect we show and the protection we offer to all people.

There's certainly no religious belief that being made in the image of God means we look like God. God is not a person, and even though Jesus is God for Christians, this doesn't mean God the Father is also a human being. The key concept of the religious belief is that a part of God, our souls, is placed into every human being. Our souls set us apart from other animals on earth, and our bodies set us apart from the angels.

We are, in the title of a scholarly new book by my teacher and friend Professor Gil Meilaender of Valparaiso University, "Neither Beast Nor God" (Encounter Books, 2009).

Gil explains how the religious belief that we are made in the image of God became associated with the secular concept of human dignity - the idea that all people have equal dignity and are deserving of equal respect.

The problem with the secular form of the religious belief is that there's no clearcut secular argument supporting the claim to equal human dignity. All we can know and all we can measure is that we are animals made up of chemical compounds like all other animals. If we're made in the image of God, it's clear why each of us is special. However, if we're just gobs of goo, it's not quite so clear.

Aristotle thought we earn our dignity by being rational, thinking beings. The problem with this idea is that when we're ill or disabled, we may not be thinking, rational beings in the full sense. Also, Aristotle had trouble extending human dignity to women, slaves and children.

The debate continues as to whether there's a convincing, effective way to ground human dignity without adding the theological belief in the creation of all people in the image of God. I'm on the side of Genesis, and I wish other philosophers well in trying to translate one of the most sublime and ethical religious beliefs into secular language. I'm happy to stand between beasts and God and try always to look up.

Q: I was raised as a preacher's daughter in a fundamentalist Baptist home. After seeing too much church politics and disagreeing with some specific teachings, I left the church as an adult. When I married a man who was raised Jewish, we discussed how to raise our children. It was important to me that we worship God in some way and that we do this as a family.

I chose to convert and this has been mostly comfortable for me. The issue we're facing now is Hebrew school. Religious education in our local temple and several others we've visited doesn't focus on faith or a personal relationship with God, but on Jewish identity and ethnicity. (My husband was adopted, so my kids are not ethnically Jewish.) My husband is not committed to the children attending Hebrew school. I'm worried that if they don't, they won't have a religious identity or a firm foundation for lasting faith.

Can you help us view our decision more clearly? -- Anonymous via godsuadquestion@aol.com

A: Many people who face the spiritual problems of interfaith marriage wrongly imagine that after a decision is made to have one parent adopt the religion of the other, all the problems melt away. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The first problem is that your husband is a secular Jew, not a religious person whose religion is Judaism. His lack of commitment to sending your children to religious school puts all the burden on you. You should explain to him that you were willing to convert from Christianity to Judaism. You were not willing to convert from Christianity to nothing. Tell him you need his help in giving your children a secure and meaningful Jewish identity.

The next problem is the religious school and the synagogue housing it. Speak to the rabbi and the school director and review the curriculum. I would hope that in addition to teaching students how to make potato pancakes, they also teach them about prayer, life after death, and developing a personal relationship with God. If not, find a different synagogue. Don't find a different husband. I'm sure if you share your concerns with him, he'll support you and your children. Good luck and God bless you!

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