The Image of God (Imago Dei)
To be made "in the image of God" means humans are made to represent and reflect God — to rule creation on his behalf and relate to him — giving every person inherent dignity.
Overview
In the Ancient Near East, a king would place his "image" in distant provinces to signal his rule. Genesis democratizes this: all humanity — male and female — is God's image, made to govern creation as his representatives. The image grounds human dignity (Gen 9:6), is marred but not erased by the fall, and is ultimately defined by Christ, who is "the image of the invisible God" (Col 1:15) and into whose likeness believers are being remade.
Where it appears
- Genesis 1:26
God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Humanity made to represent and reflect God.
- Genesis 1:27
God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.
Resources, by level
Lay
A six-minute primer that makes the imago dei click — what it meant in the ancient world and why it matters now.
- ReferenceCatechism of the Catholic Church §§355–361 (the image of God)Catholic Church · Free · catholic
The Catholic articulation of the imago dei — included so the concept is read across traditions.
- ArticleWhat does it mean that humans are made in the image of God?GotQuestions.org · ~900 words · Free
A clear, concise written answer if you prefer reading to watching.
Pastoral
Go deeper than the video — Tim and Jon walk through the biblical theology of the image.