Image Of God Research Articles

Archetypes, plots, and images of old Ukrainian mythology in the lyrics of Yurii Darahan

The relevance of the study is due to the need for a detailed analysis of mythologemes in Yurii Darahan’s work for a sufficiently deep reading of his texts. The subject of the study is the archetypes, plots, and images of Ukrainian mythology in his lyrics. The study aims to find out the conceptual and aesthetic significance of Ukrainian mythological plots and images in Darahan’s artistic picture of the world. Using the methods of mythocritical (archetypal) and intertextual analysis, autobiographical and descriptive methods the author examines all of Yurii Darahan’s published poetry, including the collection Sahaidak (“Quiver”, 1925), and texts outside the collection published in periodicals. Thus, mythologemes — the smallest semantic units of the text that refer to the old Ukrainian mythology — were distinguished, and their influence on the essence of the author’s poetic texts and their role in his artistic picture of the world was revealed. As a result of the study, the following archetypes, plots, and images of old Ukrainian mythology in Darahan’s poetry were identified: the sophisticated and deep archetype of the Great Mother, the productive and inspiring archetype of the Defender (the image of an ideal person), a wide range of solar images, images of mediators, the concept of the Genus, motifs of synergy of the elements and sacrifice, as well as images of old Ukrainian gods. Ukrainian mythology enables him to reveal his vision of the world, reflect on basic ontological categories, and form the basis of his artistic picture of the world; through its distinctive archetypes, images, and plots, he seeks to actualize national memory, identity, and the collective unconscious. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that it allows us to deepen the interpretation of Yurii Darahan’s texts and to develop the mythocritical (archetypal) method of text analysis through the prism of national mythology, which is relevant for the study of the Prague School poets and the literary process of the 20th–21st centuries.

Человек читающий и человек сочиняющий: «Бедная Лиза» (1792) Н.М. Карамзина и «Записки из подполья» (1864) Ф.М. Достоевского

The article analyses the image of homo legens in Poor Liza by Nikolay Karamzin and Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky. The novelist considers Karamzin’s short story as a part of the process of the knowledge of the human being in the 19th century. In contrast to positivist philosophical knowledge, which, according to Dostoevsky, simplifies the phenomenon of the person, the writer, with the help of Karamzin’s artistic discoveries in the short story Poor Liza, creates the image of the Underground Man as a person who both reads and writes. Typologically, the encounter of the dreamer with a girl in Notes from Underground repeats the situation in Poor Liza. Erast dreams of an idyll and “invents” his future life with Liza according to the laws of the genre, while the peasant woman, unlike the reading hero, understands that dreams cannot be realized. In Dostoevsky’s novella the situation is more complicated. Following literary models, the Underground Man creates two stories in an idyllic and anti-idyllic key, in order to manipulate the soul of another person and to affirm himself. At first, Liza does not believe the words of the visitor or the possibility of leaving the brothel. The Underground Man prefaces his stories with two biblical quotations: “the image and likeness of God” and “lay down your life for the sake of friends.” He introduces the sacred as a means of manipulation of the heroine’s feelings. Having identified these quotations, Liza sincerely believes in the possibility of leaving the brothel and offers her love to the dreamer, which the author sees as an opportunity for him to come out of “the underground.” The hero cannot accept this chance. By creating the image of homo legens in Notes from Underground Dostoevsky shows that a chaotic and blind adherence to literary genres, situations, and gestures together with the manipulation of both literary and sacred texts places man in a position of insoluble conflict with “living life.”

Unitatis amatrix natura Le problème de l’unité chez Pascal

This study aims to clarify the relationship between nature and God in Pascalian thought. This relationship is based on the concept of unity. In a letter of 1648, Pascal wrote that God is present in nature through the ontological and formal unity of things which represents perfect divine unity. A few years later, through his mathematical research, Pascal discovered the principle of double infinity which he considered to be the essential attribute of nature. The unity of nature is defined as the omnipresence of double infinity in nature. However, these two interpretations of unity are mutually exclusive because double infinity destroys all ontological and formal unity in things. The question is how Pascal maintains the relationship between nature and God if the principle of double infinity destroys formal unity in nature. The paper argues that the presence of the double infinite in nature does not destroy the relationship of resemblance and representation between nature and God but makes it more complex. The double infinite does not represent God in nature directly but is inscribed in things as the image of the hidden God.

Resurrecting the Crucified Fat Body

The physical, psychological, and spiritual violence against fat bodies in the US, committed in service of a racist, sexist, classist, and ableist vision of an idealized body size, is death-dealing. This essay develops a theo-ethical vision of fat liberation that rejects the trappings of the “religion of thinness” and celebrates the inherent worth of fat bodies through an incarnational theology that recognizes the image of God in every body size, the presence of body size diversity in creation, and the full inclusion of all body sizes at the eucharistic table.

영혼의 그리스도론적 특성에 대한 종말론적 고찰

Human beings are not absolute beings that can enable themselves, but sort of accidental beings that airse from inevitable beings. Humans cannot find of themselves the reasons for their existence. The Bible teaches that humans are God’s creatures and ‘the image of God’ (Imago Dei) (cf. Gn 1:26-27). The first characteristics of human beings created in the image of God is that they are born with the spiritual and mental abilities which make them distinct and distinguished from the other creatures. Made of clay, humans are finite and limited, but as the breath (=spirit) of God is breathed into them, they can surpass themselves despite their limit. It is the teachings of the Bible as well as the Church that human beings are the union of the soul and the body, but the function and role of body and soul are not the same. Traditionally, the Catholic Church teaches that ‘the soul is the form of the body.’ Therefore, although humans are the whole unity of soul and body, the former is relatively regarded as more essential and unique.
 In this paper topics related with the immortality of the soul will be dealt with. It will be examined if the soul is immortal, and if so, how that is possible. Especially, this issue will be approached in terms of the relationship with Jesus Christ, who takes the second hypostasis of the Trinity. In this paper, the claim that immortality of the soul is impossible will be examined along with the opposite assertion that it is possible. Next, if the immortality of the human soul is considered possible, discussed will be the intermediate stage which is assumed to exist after the death of an individual, as well as a purgatory, which can be said to be a form of the intermediate state. The most important starting point that will lead and comprise the related topics is Christology. Therefore, this paper will be focused on developing various topics related with eschatology from the perspective of Christology. It is the teachings of the Bible and the Catholic Church that Christology should be the starting point, main concept and conclusion of all the Christian theology and faith. Hence, topics of the immortality of the soul and eschatological subjects thereof will be examined through christological contemplation.

Apologia osoby ludzkiej w nauczaniu Benedykta XVI

The author shows the teaching of Benedict XVI about the human person as its one great apologia. This apologia was about the primacy of God in all areas of human life, and thus it was also an apologia for man as a human person created in the image of God. How did the Pope seek to defend the human person? First of all, he considered every human person to be a specific center of social life, since each person, in one’s spiritual and moral dimension, is the source and goal of all human activity. Therefore, he had appealed for the promotion of a culture of respect for each such person, i.e. treating a rich person on an equal footing with an unborn, poor, starving, persecuted, economically exploited, without access to knowledge, in a word, everyone humiliated by unethical and harmful practices. He also recognized that the defense of the human person is also the defense of the common good, and vice versa. What was he protecting the person from? Against modern ideologies: biological reductionism, relativism, badly understood ecology. How did he protect it? First of all by showing its origin, greatness as well as inalienable dignity and vocation of the human person.

Kristus (dan) Debata Mulajadi na Bolon: Perjumpaan yang “serupa tapi ‘tak sama” atau “adalah?”

Christ and Debata Mulajadi na Bolon are two distinct entities, understood respectively by Christianity and by Batak-Toba culture. Christ is known as the incarnate logos (John 1:1-5) and the firstborn and invisible image of God (Colossians 1:15), while Debata Mulajadi na Bolon is only approached as “the supreme god of Batak-Toba”; although the titles ascribed to him are similar to those ascribed to God. This article will build on the idea that Christ is Debata Mulajadi na Bolon himself, although it must be acknowledged that there are differences, especially in their Trinity theology. Debata Mulajadi na Bolon is not a pagan figure but God who presents Himself as Debata Mulajadi na Bolon. The three biblical texts that will be discussed in this article are the bridge of this transformation effort, also using two approaches namely Niebuhr’s typology, Christ the Transformer of Culture and Bevans’ synthesized contextual theology model.

‘Immediacy’ in Whitehead and Blaga

In Whitehead’s metaphysics there is a concept of ‘immediacy’ which is interesting to interpret in relation to the concept of ‘immediacy’ found in Lucian Blaga’s metaphysics. Immediacy stands in opposition to the wholeness of existence and the complexity of reality in both thinkers. In Whitehead, immediate experience is merely a facet of the constructed series of events and processes fundamental for existence and reality and for connecting our objective, scientific and logical descriptions of the world, and the more everyday world of subjective experience. In Blaga, immediacy is the label for limited (animal-like) existence deprived of the metaphysical dimension. However, in Blaga, man is defined by the metaphysical dimension and thus, in terms closer to Whitehead’s view, always engaged in a crusade to comprehend both ‘physical multiplicity’ (the World) and ‘the infinite ground of all mentality’ (God), which is consonant with Blaga’s concept of man’s defining situation within ‘the horizon of mystery’. Both metaphysics accepted a perspective, or, an interpretation of the idea that God creates the World as well as the World creating God. In our view, the Unmoved Mover image of God remains as a ‘trace’ in the idea of permanent reference for the World. This is comparable with the perspective found in the metaphysics of Lucian Blaga, where the metaphysical center, the ‘Great Anonymous,’ ‘pushes’ backwards the human being, via limitative ‘divine differentials’ occasioning the limiting stylistic matrices for the creative and intrusive ontological and metaphysical drive of man.

Christian vs liberal conceptions of human rights

The Catholic Church has traditionally raised four objections to the doctrine of human rights in its liberal version: the lack of reference to God as the source of human rights, individualism, the absence of a list of human duties accompanying individual rights, and the doctrine’s vulnerability to proliferation and creative interpretation of those rights. The paper mainly focuses on the first two concerns. From the point of view of secular liberalism, the idea of God appears as an unnecessary by-product of the process of human evolution. From the point of view of Christianity, creation in the image and likeness of God is the source of man’s inalienable dignity, and serves, at the same time, to safeguard his rights from reinterpretation by the state, should the state consider itself the source of such rights. Christianity presents man as an inherently social being, with two communities, i.e., the family and the nation, that are recognized as natural. Liberal individualism views people as a collection of elementary particles that collide with one another but never connect. The difference is fundamental when it comes to attitudes towards obligations prior to individual decisions, but also when it comes to a person’s emotional backing. The human being, therefore, seeks to create either family-type ties, or merely ones based on a voluntary contract. It is a paradox that the more atomized a society is, the more necessary a strong state becomes to guarantee individual rights and a sense of security in times of crisis. As a result, a system called statist individualism comes to existence. Religion not only reveals the ultimate meaning of human life and the reasons for which it is worthwhile to be human, but it has also been a source of public morality. The liberal concept of neutrality and the privatization of religion reopen the question of the axiological foundations of the state. On the one hand, why, in the end, should people obey state laws when the state itself convinces them that they are morally neutral? On the other hand, this raises the question of the preferred model of education. From the point of view of the state and society, can a culturally and axiologically neutral education, in which children are taught about what is allowed and what is forbidden by law, but not about what is morally right and wrong, be sufficient? One answer suggests that a liberal state conceived in this way is unstable, and able to exist only for a while. The alternative would be a liberal state that is imperfect, culturally charged, and open to the presence of the Church as a public and publicly meaningful authority.
 Benedict XVI, in a discussion on Marcello Pera’s interpretation of the doctrine on human rights, says: “It was only thanks to your book that it became clear to me how much the encyclical Pacem in terris had set a new direction in thinking. I was aware of the strong influence of the encyclical on Italian politics: it gave a decisive impulse to the opening of Christian Democracy to leftist views. However, I did not realize to what great an extent it signified a new premise also to the basis of the party's thinking”. Pera himself believes that the Church, by making the doctrine of human rights part of the Church Magisterium, proclaimed “by virtue of the Gospel committed to her” (Gaudium et spes, 41) has fallen into a “liberal trap”.

Penerapan Nilai-Nilai PAK melalui Media Hand Puppet dalam Mengatasi Bullying pada Anak Usia Dini

The phenomenon of bullying is one of the problems that occur quite a lot. This problem has been considered a common problem in society and even schools. As a result, many are negatively affected by the phenomenon of bullying including early childhood. Therefore, this research focuses on one way to deal with early childhood bullying with the storytelling method using hand puppet media. The stories told are Bible stories full of noble Christian values. Using a qualitative method, the author collects scientific sources relevant to the research problem to be analyzed more deeply. The results showed that the storytelling method using hand puppet media is more effective for early childhood because they are very interested in the form of storytelling using media. The Bible stories that can be told include stories that are full of the value of loving each other (Genesis 37-42; Luke 10: 25-37; Matthew 5: 44-45), about the value of human beings who are very valuable because they are in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1: 26), not hurting other people's feelings with dirty words (Ephesians 4: 29), not judging (Romans 2: 1), and finally emphasizing that hateful actions and feelings are very disliked by God (1 John 3: 15). Thus, the message conveyed in the story using hand puppet media can be more easily understood by children. This can also help children to understand the dangers of bullying so that it is hoped that children's character can be formed for the better by not applying bullying behavior in everyday life. Keywords: bullying, hand puppet, PAK, storytelling method

From Consumption to Communion: The Ecclesial Role of Public Theologians in Cultivating a Livable City

Abstract Urbanism has become the dominant form of human dwelling, giving rise to the concept of livability, accompanied by livability indexes and city rankings. These reports provide brief bragging rights and marketing opportunities for high-ranking cities while glossing over the complex realities and inherent dangers of urban life. The issues surrounding livability rankings reveal corrupted anthropologies that prioritize the ways that one can consume a place rather than the cultivation of communities that are mutually reinforcing in their flourishing. Public theologians must work at the level of theological imagination to reclaim a vocational anthropology that places participation with God in the cultivation of community at the center of what it means to be made in the Image of God. In order to accomplish this fundamental shift, a significant and sometimes overlooked role for public theologians in the world today is serving ecclesial communities in facilitating this imagination through liturgical formation.

I Am Young, Religious and/or Spiritual—Is It Beneficial to Me? Association of Religiosity, Spirituality and Images of God with Meaning in Life and Self-Esteem in Adolescents

Religiosity and spirituality (R/S) have been suggested to be positive factors in adolescents’ well-being and development. The aim of this study is to explore the relationship of R/S and images of God with meaning in life and self-esteem in adolescents in a secular environment. A sample of Czech adolescents (n = 984, mean age 16.61, SD 1.21; 28% male) participated in an online survey. We measured religiosity, religious affiliation (Raf), religious attendance (Ratt), spirituality, images of God (IMG), meaning in life (ML), subdivided into components of presence (ML-P) and search (ML-S), and adolescents’ self-esteem (ASE). Religiosity, Raf, Ratt, and a higher level of spirituality were associated with ML-P, with odds ratios (OR) ranging from 1.56 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34–1.80) for spirituality to 1.88 (1.27–2.80) for church affiliation. ML-S was associated with religiosity, OR 1.41 (1.10–1.82), and spirituality, OR 1.73 (1.51–2.00). No associations were found for self-esteem. The combination of spirituality with Raf and Ratt led to associations with ML-P, ML-S, and ASE for those who were spiritual and affiliated/non-affiliated, with ORsof 2.14–6.00, as well as for those who were spiritual and attending/non-attending, with ORs of 1.84–4.84. Respondents who reported positive images of God were more likely to report an increase in ML-P, ML-S, and ASE, whereas those reporting negative images were more likely to report a decrease. Our findings suggest that R/S, in particular their mutual interactions with higher levels of spirituality and images of God, are associated with adolescent development and encourage the internalisation of R/S values among youth.

The Unity, Power and Energy of the Holy Trinity in the Theology of Gregory of Nyssa

The article discusses the problem of the ontological distinction between God’s transcendence and immanence in the theological thought of Gregory of Nyssa, a Church Father of the 4th century. The author presents the main conceptual and terminological apparatuses that Gregory used in his antinomic approach to the complex interpretation of apophatic and kataphatic images of God. He analyzes the main characteristics of these two dimensions of the nature of God. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the Trinitarian approach in answering the question: how can God, who is completely ontologicaly removed from creation, be at the same time actively present in the world and filling it. In this context the author analyzes the key notions, which express the ontological remoteness of the divine essence of the Holy Trinity and God’s active nearness in relation to created being.

UKRAINIAN POSTCOLONIAL NOVEL AS A NATIONAL NARRATIVE: “THE MUSEUM OF ABANDONED SECRETS” BY O. ZABUZHKO AND “THE BEECH LAND” BY M. MATIOS

The article examines the seminal novels of Ukrainian women writers from the first and second decades of the 21st century, namely “The Museum of Abandoned Secrets” (“Музей покинутих секретів”, 2009) by O. Zabuzhko and “The Beech Land” (“Букова земля”, 2019) by M. Matios. The selected works are analyzed through the lens of postcolonial criticism, that is, from the point of view of the historical experience of the statelessness of the Ukrainian community and its reflection in literary texts. The main attention is paid to the narrative features of the works, namely the tendency to broad narrative, integrity, and narrative completeness. The purpose of the study is to highlight the postcolonial content of the narrative strategies implemented in the selected novels by O. Zabuzhko and M. Matios. Given that “The Museum of Abandoned Secrets” and “The Beech Land” represent different periods and ideological and aesthetic paradigms, namely postmodernism and metamodernism, one of the tasks of the study is to assert the relevance of postcolonialism in the context of metamodernism. The article aims to highlight the peculiarities of the artistic realization of “postcolonial” narrativity in postmodern and metamodern texts. Additionally, the narrative features of the selected novels are compared. The stated purpose necessitates the application of hermeneutic (interpretation of a literary text), comparative (identification of common and distinctive features of the selected works) methods, as well as the method of structural analysis (examining the narrative structure of the texts). As a result of the study, it is established that postcolonialism, inherent in Ukrainian postmodern prose, remains relevant in the second decade of the twenty-first century. The postcolonial orientation of the novels “The Museum of Abandoned Secrets” and “The Beech Land” is manifested in their intention to affirm the continuity of Ukrainian history by building a panoramic narrative that covers different historical periods and establishes a hereditary connection between them. The study identified the following features common to both novels: the intertwining of family genealogy with national history; the development of narratives at different generational levels – children, parents, grandparents, etc.; the theme of the perpetual war for independence that continues to this day; the image of God as a transcendent guardian of history, capable of seeing the intertwining of human destinies in their entirety. The defining theme shared by both novels is the anti-colonial struggle, particularly the military campaign of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. This theme necessitates depicting the tragic consequences of imperial oppression. In “The Beech Land”, these are devastation and turmoil, fratricide, ruptured familial ties, the destruction of the Bukovynian “utopia”. In “The Museum of Abandoned Secrets”, these repercussions are shown through the lens of postmodern hypertextuality – as “burnt manuscripts”, irretrievably lost archives, fragmented stories. In addition, the selected novels exhibit an inclination to transcend the boundaries of realistic storytelling. Employing the montage technique, “The Museum of Abandoned Secrets” incorporates a mystical discourse of dreams that operates as a parallel reality, recounting events of the past. The oneiric discourse resonates with the image of an endless virtual archive storing memories of everything that has ever happened in the world. In “The Beech Land”, the departure from realistic historiography occurs through metamodern fantastisation, where the historical panorama is framed by the story of the “Heavenly Chancellery” – a celestial archive inhabited by the Creator and the Angels. The appeal to mystical and imaginative discourses is interpreted as a manifestation of postcolonial longing for lost integrity and completeness. The images of endless imaginary repositories of information complement the incompleteness of history, aiding in overcoming its fragmentary nature and opacity.

Creation and Grace: Understanding the Pre-Modern Frame of Aquinas’ Approach to Sanctification

This article proposes a Thomistic account of graced human nature that emphasizes the importance of underlying developments in Aquinas’ doctrine of creation that inform his approach to the doctrine of grace. While post-Cartesian accounts of the human person often reduce the complex causal structure that marks the relationship between God and the human person in Aquinas’ pre-modern theological anthropology, this article recovers a more comprehensive account of Aquinas’ account of human sanctification and divine causality. Where modern and postmodern anthropologies are often marked by scientific determinism or subjectivism, Aquinas’s anthropology of grace refuses the modern dichotomization of immanence and transcendence, proposing instead an understanding of grace as the divinization of the human person as image of God that is marked not only by the supernatural finality of beatitude, but the intrinsic and personal immanence of divine indwelling.

Prelapsarian Christological Mediation and the Typology of Adam and Eve in Jerome Zanchi’s De Operibus Dei

Abstract This article examines the typological patterns that distinguish Jerome Zanchi’s exposition of human creation in his De Operibus Dei intra spatium sex dierum creatis (1591). It argues that Zanchi’s distinctive application of the principle that Christ is the “scope” and “substance” of scripture to the exegesis of the relevant texts in Genesis 1–2 is tied to a conviction that Christ’s mediatorial headship over the church embraces a continuity of operations between the prelapsarian and postlapsarian states. Because of this he believes that the prelapsarian type, or figurative sign, can participate in the antitype, or the spiritual reality the type signifies, without eliding the critical distinction between them, as illustrated in his articulation of the “image of God.”

Türkiye Örneğinde Tanrı Algısına İlişkin Çalışmaların Sistematik Bir İncelemesi

The objective of this article is to conduct a systematic review of empirical research focused on the concept of God image within the context of Türkiye. The multidimensional nature of the God image is explored, and its associations with various variables, encompassing sociodemographic and psychological aspects, are thoroughly examined. The review also considers the correlation between God image and psychopathology, as well as spiritual care. The findings from this review, specific to the Turkish sample, suggest that the God image doesn't consistently vary with age, but a positive relationship is evident, indicating a tendency for a more positive God image with age. Women tend to have a more love-oriented God image than men. However, no significant distinctions were found in terms of income and educational levels. Moreover, variations of God image may be influenced by the type of school (religious or secular) and parental attitudes. Studies suggest that individuals raised in environments characterized by oppressive, authoritarian, or neglectful parenting are prone to form fear-oriented God images, while those with democratic parenting tend toward love-oriented God images. Subjective religiosity and positive religious coping are also proposed to have a positive correlation with the perception of God. Alongside sociodemographic variables, it is argued that a more positive and love-oriented God image is positively associated with enhanced psychological health, greater well-being, effective coping, positive self-esteem, lower depression, and fewer psychopathological symptoms. Despite the insights from the review of 55 studies, the diversity of examined variables necessitates more extensive research to draw general conclusions for each variable within the Turkish sample. Finally, fields requiring further investigation were also identified.

«LANGUAGE» OF RELIGION IN DIGITAL GAMES: THE EXAMPLE OF VISUAL NOVELS

The article presents theoretical and methodological analysis of the problem of studying the “language” of religion. The place and role of the “language” of religion in the conditions of globalization is defined. The status and role of computer video games in the cultural modern world with the presence of religious overtones in them is outlined. Within the framework of systematic study of this problem the variety of modern theories of different scientists concerning the definition of the “language” of religion was considered. The main attention in the work the author emphasizes the description of the prominent role of religion in the game culture, which influences the peculiarities of understanding people’s worldview. Not only characteristic concepts are highlighted, but also a historical sketch of the visual novel as a new branch of digital games is considered. The article proposes such methods as semiotic, comparative analysis of game characters with supernatural abilities presented in visual novels. The images of gods, god-man and other supernatural beings in virtual computer games were considered. The representative mythical reality was analyzed on the example of several stories of visual novels.

Kajian Teologis tentang Gaya Hidup Yesus untuk Memintas Rantai Hedonisme

This research aims to explore the image the concept of God in the context of human life immersed in the vortex of hedonism. The research will combine the approaches from philosophy and theology to uncover the secrets of the grandeur of God's image and how a deeper understanding of His presence can bring salvation and happiness to human life. The study will examine the values and essence of the lifestyle of Jesus Christ, which can serve as the center of spirituality for Christians, using qualitative research methods and a phenomenological perspective to understand the subjectivity of the human beings involved.The research presents the concepts of wisdom contained within the genuine concept of human beings as the image and likeness of God and how these concepts can be applied in the lives of people faced with temptation and greed.It is hoped that the results of this research will make a significant contribution to our understanding of the spirituality of Jesus Christ and lead us to a more accurate and proper understanding of the essence of life. Furthermore, it is expected that this research will provide inspiration and guidance for readers to achieve righteousness, wisdom, and greatness in their lives by fully referring to the divinity of Jesus.

Inequalities within Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa on gender, with special reference to lGBTQIA+: Imago Dei

This article consists of five parts on equality within faith communities. First, the focus is on the creation of human beings as the image of God on an equal basis. The premise is that LGBTQIA+ people are created as human beings in the image of God, deserving to be welcomed in faith communities. Second, the article focuses on the way in which missionaries have taught African converts to interpret the Bible on many serious human rights issues. Third, the position of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) is discussed, utilising the contents of the General Synods, spanning from Pietermaritzburg (2005) to Stellenbosch (2022). Fourth, this study reflects on the challenges faced by denominations who accept LGBTQIA+ people regarding marriage and their ordination. The challenge seems to be about the fundamental reading of the Bible, confession, and Church Order articles, which are discussed here. Fifth, recommendations are proposed to address this inequality. This article is approached from an anthropological-missional viewpoint when addressing this inequality within communities of faith.