Image of God
The Catholic Church teaches that human beings were created in the likeness and image of God. The exact meaning of this has been debated. However, many Christians accept that it refers to the idea that humans were made to "resemble" God.
This does not mean that humans are like God in appearance, but that they have been given the same mental, moral and social qualities of God. One thing that is made clear is that humans are the only part of creation to have been made in the image of God. Humans are therefore given a higher status.
Catholics will often use the Latin term 鈥imago deiLatin for 'in the image of God'. Christians believe that God made humans in his own likeness and image. 鈥 to describe this unique relationship between God and humans. It singles out humans as those specially chosen by God.
Then God said, 鈥楲et us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.鈥 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
What does 鈥榠mago dei鈥 mean for Catholics?
Different Christians will have different understandings of what imago dei means. Some understand it to mean that humans share God's character and nature, or that humans are representatives of God on Earth. Others understand that it allows humans to be in communion with God, and gives responsibility over his creation. Humans are given dominion To have rule or control over something, in this case humans having control of the world. over the world and are stewardship The duty of human beings to care for the world and maintain balance in nature. of the land.