Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Imago Dei
Andrew is thinking about the image of God, and the implications of denying that image on our treatment of ourselves and others.
History bears him out. Christian nations have of course committed their crimes, but they are nothing compared to the crimes of nations who deny that concept. I know that there are those who will try to pin the Nazis on the Christians, but I just don't have time to educate everyone, if they can't bother to educate themselves.
Of course, we could always be selfishly arbitrary and declare man's right to peaceful existence simply because we are men, and it is to our personal advantage, but there is no transcendent basis for the claim. If man is not the very image of the transcendent Being Himself, then why, praytell, should I treat my fellow man with dignity? Why should I not malign and mistreat him as I see fit?
History bears him out. Christian nations have of course committed their crimes, but they are nothing compared to the crimes of nations who deny that concept. I know that there are those who will try to pin the Nazis on the Christians, but I just don't have time to educate everyone, if they can't bother to educate themselves.
Comments:
I read the other day something that impacted me a lot relating to all people being image bearers of God, yet Christians can be so quick to forget. The illustration was essentially that sometimes, we as Christians, are just as hypocritical in loving and showing compassion for nonbelievers as one of the men Jesus healed of blindness would be should he pick up a stick and start jabbing at the eyes of other blind men. How quickly do we forget that without grace, we would be no different. It really made me stop and think. Thanks for your thoughtful post.
Lee
www.focalelement.blogspot.com
P.S - I plan on linking to your blog
Lee
www.focalelement.blogspot.com
P.S - I plan on linking to your blog
Matt,
History does indeed prove the point. Atheism, whether in its practical or intellectual form, is just as destructive to anthropology as it is to theology. Christianity offers a view of humanity as the image of the Divine Creator of the universe, the Being greater than which we cannot conceive. A creature cannot get any higher on the dignity scale than that.
Peace to you,
Andrew
Post a Comment
History does indeed prove the point. Atheism, whether in its practical or intellectual form, is just as destructive to anthropology as it is to theology. Christianity offers a view of humanity as the image of the Divine Creator of the universe, the Being greater than which we cannot conceive. A creature cannot get any higher on the dignity scale than that.
Peace to you,
Andrew
