Made in the Image of God

Dr Richard Weikart argues that if we are honest about our intuitions, our intuitions tell us that human life has intrinsic value, transcendent meaning, and purpose. If so, the best, actually the only, explanation for intrinsic meaning and purpose is a Creator (all other meaning would be extrinsic fictions). He further argues that if we truly believe that life has no intrinsic value, the devaluing of life quite typically follows.

Are you the image of God or a cosmic accident? This is one of the most important questions facing each one of us. The Judeo-Christian tradition teaches, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27). If we have been created in the image of God, as the Judeo-Christian tradition proclaims, then human lives have meaning, purpose, and value. We have an eternal destiny.

The United States Declaration of Independence reflects this position when it states: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Being created in the image of God implies that humans are equally valuable and have rights. They also have the moral responsibility to love other people.