The Concept of Imago Dei as a Symbol of Religious Inclusion and Human Dignity

Wojciech Szczerba

The Concept of Imago Dei as a Symbol of Religious Inclusion and Human Dignity

Article

25/1 – Spring 2020, pages 13-36

Date of online publication: 26 juin 2020

Date of publication: 26 juin 2020

Abstract

This article aims to examine how the concept of Imago Dei can serve as a symbol for the broadly understood idea of religious inclusion and human dignity. The article explores the concept of Imago Dei primarily from a protological perspective, analyzing its usage in biblical writings, theological tradition and modern philosophy. The substantial, relational and functional—which three usages of the concept can be found in the inclusive theology of Gregory of Nyssa—are analyzed in this article. Arguably, in the context of religious inclusion, the relational angle of Imago Dei seems to be the most important. Similarly contemporary Protestant theologian, Jürgen Moltmann states in his book, God in the Creation, that the “relational” concept of Imago Dei underscores the fundamental dignity of every person. In his book, God for Secular Society, Moltmann states that properly understood human rights should include democratic relationships between people, cooperation between societies, concern for the environment in which people live, and responsibility for future generations. From these perspectives, the concept of Imago Dei can be utilized as a symbol indicating the dignity of every person and human community, but also a symbol against any types of racism, nationalism or xenophobia.

Keywords

Cite this article

Szczerba, Wojciech. “The Concept of Imago Dei as a Symbol of Religious Inclusion and Human Dignity.” Forum Philosophicum 25, no. 1 (2020): 13–36. doi:10.35765/forphil.2020.2501.2.

Bibliography

Arato, Andrew. 2016. Post Sovereign Constitution Making: Learning and Legitimacy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Athanassiadi, Polymnia. 1993. “Persecution and Response in Late Paganism: The Evidence of Damascius.” The Journal of Hellenic Studies 113: 1–29. https://doi.org/10.2307/632395.

Baden, Joel S. 2012. The Composition of the Pentateuch: Renewing of the Documentary Hypothesis. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Beek, Huibert van, ed. 2006. A Handbook of Churches and Councils: Profiles of Ecumenical Relationships. Geneva: World Council of Churches.

Childs, Brevard. 1984. The New Testament as Canon: An Introduction. Philadelphia: Fortress.

Clines, David J. A. 1968. “The Image of God in Man.” Tyndale Bulleting 19: 56–103.

Creach, Jerome F. D. 2013. Violence in Scripture, Interpretation: Resources for Use of the Scripture in the Church. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox.

Cruz, Gemma T. 2010. An Intercultural Theology of Migration. Leiden: Brill.

Dominus Iesus. 2000. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The Holy See. http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith _doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html.

Gager, John G. 1983. The Origins of Anti-Semitism: Attitudes Toward Judaism in Pagan and Christian Antiquity. New York: Oxford University Press.

Garr, Randal W. 2003. In His Own Image and Likeness: Humanity, Divinity and Monotheism. Leiden: Brill.

Gaudium et Spes. 1965. Vatican Council II. The Holy See. http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651207 _gaudium-et-spes_en.html.

Gregorios, Paulos M. 1980. Cosmic Man, The Divine Presence, The Theology of St. Gregory of Nyssa. New York: Paragon House.

Gregory of Nyssa. Gregorii Nysseni Opera (GNO), edited by Werner Jaeger. Leiden 1958.

Gregory of Nyssa. Patrologiae cursus Completus. Series Graeca Prior (PG), edited by Jacques‑Paul Migne. Parissis. Volume 44–6. 1863.

Gregory of Nyssa. Dogmatic Treatises; Select Writings and Letters. Translated by William Moore and Henry Austin Wilson, in: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers (NPNF), edited by Philip Schaff. Peabody MA: Hendrickson Pub. Series II. Volume 5. 1996.

Grenz, Stanley J., and Roger E. Olson. 1992. 20th-Century Theology. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Groody, Daniel G. 2008. A Promised Land, A Perilous Journey: Theological Perspectives on Migration. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.

—. 2009. “Crossing the Divide: Foundations of a Theology of Migration and Refugees.” The Journal of Theological Studies 70 (3): 642–8. https://doi.org/10.1177/004056390907000306.

Gulczyński, Mariusz. 2007. Nauka o polityce. Warszawa: Druktur.

Habermas, Jürgen. 2006. Dialectics of Secularization: On Reason and Religion. Translated by Brian McNeil. Edited by Florian Schuller. San Francisco: Ignatius Press.

IOM (International Organization for Migration). 2016. “Global Migration Trends Factsheet 2015.” International Organization for Migration. https://gmdac.iom.int/global-migration-trends-factsheet.

Kamionkowski, Tamar. n.d. “Created in the Image of God.” Bible Odyssey. Accessed May 15, 2020. https://www.bibleodyssey.org/passages/related-articles/created-in-the-image-of-god.

Kasper, Walter. 2003. “Current Problems in Ecumenical Theology.” The Holy See. http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/card-kasper-docs/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_20030227_ecumenical-theology_en.html.

—. 2005. “Ecumenical Movement in the 21st century.” World Council of Churches. https://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/commissions/jwg-rcc-wcc/the-ecumenical-movement-in-the-21st-century.

Kelly, John N. D. 1978. Early Christian Doctrines. New York: Harper Collins.

Kobia, Samuel. 2005. “Challenges Facing the Ecumenical Movement in the 21st Century.” World Council of Churches. https://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-programmes/ecumenical-movement-in-the-21st-century/foundational-texts/challenges-facing-the-ecume....

Komorowski, Marcin. 2013. “Pojęcie teologii w pismach Platona i Arystotelesa.” Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Philosophica 23: 3–26.

Ladner, Gerhart B. 1993. “The Philosophical Anthropology of Saint Gregory of Nyssa.” In Studies in Early Christianity, A Collection of Scholarly Essays, edited by Everett Fergusson, David M. Scholer and Paul C. Finney. New York: Routlege.

Luther, Martin. 1956. “Commentary on the 82nd Psalm.” In Luther’s Works. Translated by Charles M. Jacobs. Edited by Jaroslav Pelikan and Helmut T. Lehmann. Volume 13: Selected Psalms II. Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House. 39–72.

Manavhela, Gvashi. 2012. Theological justification of apartheid in South African churches: Did churches in South Africa justify apartheid? Saarbrücken: Lambert Academic Publishing.

McCord, James I., and Allen O. Miller, eds. 1977. A Christian Declaration on Human Rights. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Meredith, Anthony. 1989. “The concept of mind in Gregory of Nyssa and the Neoplatonists.” Studia Patristica 22: 35–51.

Michaud, Derek, and Hyung-Kon Kim. 1999. “Jürgen Moltmann.” Boston Collaborative Encyclopedia of Western Theology. Accessed 18 May 2020. http://people.bu.edu/wwildman/bce/moltmann.htm.

Middleton, Richard J. 2004. “Created in the Image of a Violent God? The Ethical Problem of the Conquest of Chaos in Biblical Creation Texts.” Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology 58 (4): 341–55. https://doi.org/10.1177/002096430405800403.

Middleton, Richard J. 2005. The Liberating Image: the Imago Dei in Genesis 1. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos.

Moltmann, Jürgen. 1975. “The Theology of Human Rights and the Theology of Liberation (Interim Report).” Reformed World 33 (6): 268–74.

—. 1976. “A Christian Declaration on Human Rights.” Reformed World 34 (2): 58–72.

—. 1981. The Trinity and The Kingdom of God. London: SCM Press.

—. 1985. God in Creation. Translated by Magaret Kohl. London: SCM Press LTD.

Padilla, Ellaine. 2014. Theology of Migration in the Abrahamic Religions. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Peek, Charles W., George D. Lowe, and L. Susan Williams. 1991. “Gender and God’s Word: Another Look at Religious Fundamentalism and Sexism.” Social Forces 69 (4): 1205–21. https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/69.4.1205.

Peterson, Ryan S. 2016. The Imago Dei as Human Identity. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns.

Pietras, Henryk. 2000. Początki teologii Kościoła. Krak.w: WAM.

Przyszychowska, Marta. 2006. “Wstęp.” In O stworzeniu człowieka [De opificio hominis]. Krak.w: WAM. 5–39.

Robinson, Dominic. 2011. Understanding the Imago Dei. The Thought of Barth, von Balthasar and Moltmann. Farnham: Ashgate.

Royal, Robert. 2006. Catholic Martyrs of the Twentieth Century: A Comprehensive World History. New York: Crossroad.

Sharp, Andrew M. 2012. Orthodox Christians and Islam in the Postmodern Age. Leiden: Brill.

Smith, Jane I. 2007. Muslims, Christians and the Challenge of Interfaith Dialogue. New York: Oxford University Press.

Solomon, Norman, Richard Harries, and Timothy Winter, eds. 2005. Abraham’s Children, Jews, Christian and Muslims in Conversation. London: T. & T. Clark.

Steigmann-Gall, Richard. 2003. The Holy Reich: Nazi Conceptions of Christianity, 1919–1945. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Sullivan, Francis A. 2002. Salvation Outside the Church? Tracing the History of the Catholic Response. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock.

Szczerba, Wojciech. 2008. A B.g będzie wszystkim we wszystkim. Apokatastaza Grzegorza z Nyssy. Tło, źr.dła, kształt koncepcji. Krak.w: WAM.

—. 2011. “Apokatastaza a teologia. Teologiczny wymiar koncepcji wiecznego powrotu w greckiej tradycji filozoficznej.” Theologica Wratislaviensia 6: 17–32. http://theologica.ewst.pl/uploads/2012/12/Szczerba-Wojciech.Apokatastaza-a-teologia.pdf.

Torbett, David. 2006. Theology and Slavery: Charles Hodge and Horace Bushnell. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press.

UNHCR. 2018. “Global Trends: Forced Displacement in 2017.” United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Accessed 18 May 2020. https://www.unhcr.org/globaltrends2017/.

—. 2019. “Global Trends: Forced Displacement in 2018.” United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Accessed 18 May 2020. https://www.unhcr.org/globaltrends2018/.

Wilson, Stephen M. 2017. “Blood Vengeance and the Imago Dei in the Flood Narrative (Genesis 9:6).” Interpretation: Journal of Bible and Theology 71 (3): 263–73. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020964317698762.

Zachhuber, Johannes. 2000. Human nature in Gregory of Nyssa, Philosophical Background and Theological Significance. Leiden: Brill.

Copyright

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License