Abstract
Imago et similitudo Dei: the meaning of humans being God’s image and likeness investigated from a Christianphilosophical perspective This investigation is an effort to determine the meaning of the Biblical revelation that human beings were created in the image and likeness of God and to do so from a Christian-philosophical perspective. The following steps are taken: The introduction is a reminder that one’s view of reality (ontology) and of being human (anthropology) is decisive in terms of how one will understand the meaning of “imago Dei”. It is illustrated, firstly in the older essentialistic (or ontological) viewpoints, which explained the image of God in man analogically, in other words as similarity and difference between the divine and human natures. Next, it is indicated that the more recent relational viewpoints on the image of God also cannot really indicate its full richness. The next section provides an exposition of how a few reformational philosophers understood this mysterious Biblical expression about the human being. It is indicated how their viewpoint about human beings can solve many misconceptions connected with the “imago et similitudo Dei” and also open new, wider perspectives. The concluding part will summarise the results of the investigation.
Highlights
“Imago et similitudo Dei”: op soek na die betekenis van die mens as beeld van God
Imago et similitudo Dei: the meaning of humans being God’s image and likeness investigated from a Christianphilosophical perspective. This investigation is an effort to determine the meaning of the Biblical revelation that human beings were created in the image and likeness of God and to do so from a Christian-philosophical perspective
The section provides an exposition of how a few reformational philosophers understood this mysterious Biblical expression about the human being
Summary
Volgens talle skrywers bevat die feit dat die mens reeds in Genesis 1:26, 27 die beeld en gelykenis van God genoem word terselfdertyd ’n misterie (want die uitdrukking word nie verduidelik nie) asook iets baie belangriks, waarsonder die mens nie werklik verstaan kan word nie. Dat dit nie die geval is nie, blyk egter duidelik uit die vrae wat nog steeds rondom hierdie Bybelse uitdrukking bly hang. Ter illustrasie die volgende: Die essensialistiese visies is van mening dat die beeld van God in die mens wel geskaad is, maar nie heeltemal verlore gegaan het nie. Die Christelik-filosofiese weg wat gevolg word op pad na groter helderheid, behels die volgende: Ter inleiding word beklemtoon dat ’n mens alleen oor hierdie onderwerp kan nadink in terme van die werklikheidsvisie en mensvisie van jouself en van jou eie tyd. Dit blyk uit die essensialistiese en relasionele visies wat kortliks behandel sal word. Die hoofvraag is egter of die werklikheids- en mensvisie van ’n reformatoriese filosofie nie groter helderheid oor hierdie “kerngeheim” van die mens kan bied nie. In ’n slotgedeelte word die belangrikste resultate van die ondersoek saamgevat
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