Humanity in the Image of God (AQA GCSE Religious Studies B): Revision Note
Exam code: 8063
The meaning and significance of humanity in the image of God
Genesis 2 and the creation of humans
Genesis 2 is another creation narrative that explains how God created humans in his own image
Awaiting Image
Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden
Attribution:
Adam, Eve, the serpent, and the forbidden fruit: design for a stained-glass window by Hans Christiansen, Public Domain
God took time and care to make the first human being, “Adam”, from the dust of the Earth
God “breathed” into man, and he became a living being
The word for “breath” in Hebrew is ru’ach. This is also translated as “spirit”
This shows that humans share the Spirit of God, which means they share God’s qualities
God gave humans everything they needed to live. Genesis 2 describes that God made the Garden of Eden for Adam to live in
Adam was allowed to eat from any tree except one: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
Although God gave Adam the command not to eat from that tree, he also gave him free will. It was Adam’s own choice to eat from the tree or not
This shows that humans were given free will to choose their own actions
Humans have the same free will today. They must use it to live in a way that pleases God and brings them closer to God
Misusing free will results in humans turning away from God, and this is why sin and evil exist in the world
God is seen as a transcendent and omnipotent Creator in Genesis 2, just as in Genesis 1
Genesis 2 reveals God’s love and care for humanity and the special relationship humans share with God
Humans are given qualities that reflect God’s nature, but they are also given the responsibility of caring for all that he created
Influence on Catholic views
The Genesis creation stories teach Christians today about the importance of the ideas of:
Stewardship
The dignity of human beings
The sanctity of life
Stewardship
Stewardship is the idea that all believers have a duty to respect and look after all of God’s creation
It comes from the command God gave to humans to “subdue” and “have dominion over” his creation in Genesis 1
“God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’” (Genesis 1:28)
In Genesis 2, Adam was charged with looking after the Garden of Eden
Both accounts make it clear that humans should see all of the world as a gift from God, which they have a duty to care for
In Laudato Si, Pope Francis made this responsibility clear
“This responsibility for God’s earth means that human beings … must respect the laws of nature and the delicate balance existing between the creatures of this world” (Laudato Si 68)
The dignity of humans
The creation stories in Genesis teach that humans are all made in the “image and likeness” of God
This means that all humans are equal
All were created by God
All share in the qualities of God
Therefore, Catholics believe that all life has dignity and each person should be respected by others
Because of the belief in the dignity of all humans, Catholics oppose anything that lessens this dignity, for example, racial discrimination or the exploitation of the poor
“Every person, from the first moment of his life in the womb, has an inviolable dignity, because from all eternity God willed, loved, created and redeemed that person and destined him for eternal happiness.” (Youcat 280)
The sanctity of life
All life is sacred or holy because all life has been created and blessed by God
Human life is particularly sacred because humans are made in God’s image
The belief that all human life is sacred is known as the sanctity of life
Life must be treated with respect from the moment of conception to the moment of death
Because of the belief in the sanctity of life, Catholics oppose anything that does not treat human life with respect, for example, abortion or euthanasia
Worked Example
Give two ways that belief in the dignity of life influences Catholics today
[2 marks]
Answer:
One way is that they would be against racial discrimination [1 mark]
Another way is that they would be against the exploitation of the poor [1 mark]
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Remember that Genesis 1 and 2 are actually separate accounts of creation. They were written at different times in history and were never meant to be read together as one account. Show the examiner that you are aware of the two accounts by referring to them as “Genesis 1” and “Genesis 2”.
While you won’t be asked to recount the stories, you should be aware of the main points and the different emphasis in each account.
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