Imago Dei, Free Essay in Religion

Imago Dei which means God's image is a theological term that is used by humans to denote the symbolic relationship between humanity and God. Imago dei is said to be the understanding of Christians of humans like they are created in God's image which bestows honor and dignity for every human being without considering their physical social or mental status. Also, this term imago dei, theologically it is seen to have roots in the bible that is in the first book, Genesis ("Glossary Definition: Imago Dei ("image of God")", 2018). It, however, does not mean that as human beings we literally resemble the image of God, but means that human beings have God's intellectual nature, moral and spiritual nature.

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Additionally there are more than three definitions of imago dei; first people define it as human's similarity with God, secondly, as humans being counterparts of God in the universe, thirdly is the dominion of human beings over the earth and lastly define it as human beings being representatives of God on earth. However, it is used not only in theology but in healthcare too where people take to use it to engage in care for one another through believing that human beings are God's image thus there is need to care for each other. Again, since a human being has godliness in them, then they tend to apply that in health care.

According to Shelly and Miller (2009), Mother Teresa cared for the dying and the sick at Calcutta which was a value that was driven into her by imago dei. It was not only her but also other Christians were motivated in those centuries on caring for the disenfranchised, the poor and the sick. The healthcare workers are driven to care for all the sick people who visit the healthcare facilities since they are motivated by knowing that all human being is created in God's image. That aspect also drives them to give a comforting and a peaceful death to the dying. It is stated in other books that for the care givers that is the nurses, physician, psychologists or the social workers, imago dei remains true to them while for the patients or the clients no longer remain true because another human being is in distress, but still, they have the likeness of God.

However, that relationship is likely to bring a transformation of the patient and health care worker relationship into recognizing each other's sanctity. Through that treating each other with respect and care for the love of each other and due to the moral uprightness in humans which is motivated by imago dei (Soulen, & Woodhead, 2006). Additionally, health care provider is influenced by imago dei, and that is why they are always ready to care for the expectant mothers so that the being inside them can grow well and come to the world since they are also created in God's image.

There is relevance in the term imago dei since the origin of the understanding of the human rights by the western society is formed by it. Imago dei also undergirds the legal system, the social service, and health care agencies of the western society thus making it relevant to both the society and in the health care system ("Glossary Definition: Imago Dei ("image of God")", 2018).

References

Glossary Definition: Imago Dei ("image of God"). (2018). Pbs.org. Retrieved 26 March 2018, from http://www.pbs.org/faithandreason/theogloss/imago-body.html

Shelly, J. A., & Miller, A. B. (2009). Called to care: A Christian worldview for nursing. InterVarsity Press.

Soulen, R. K., & Woodhead, L. (Eds.). (2006). God and human dignity. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.