What does it mean to be made in the image and likeness of God?

[Marc_Anthony]

I’ve started to see this question crop up. What is the proper Catholic answer?

 

[Robert_Sock]

Just my guess, and I doubt you will get a straight answer that everybody agrees, but I take it to mean we are spiritual beings with self-awareness and consciousness.

 

[Soulewolf]

I’ve started to see this question crop up. What is the proper Catholic answer?

Well i’m not catholic so you can disregard this if you like.

It means to me that through our innermost nature, the divine and existence are “made up of” the same thing. That is, Love (capital L).

 

[HickmanJosh]

I’ve started to see this question crop up. What is the proper Catholic answer?

The Soul? Ability to Chose to Love?

 

[kamaan]

From the Baltimore Catechism:

3. Q. What is man?

A. Man is a creature composed of body and soul, and made to the image and likeness of God.

4. Q. Is this likeness in the body or in the soul?

A. This likeness is chiefly in the soul.

5. Q. How is the soul like to God?

A. The soul is like God because it is a spirit that will never die, and has understanding and free will.

 

[johnnyprc]

From the Baltimore Catechism:

Well, I guess the catechism knows something the inspired Prophet Ezekiel didn’t.

Ezekiel 18:4 (New King James Version)

4 “ Behold, all souls are Mine;
The soul of the father
As well as the soul of the son is Mine;
The soul who sins shall die.

 

[Marc_Anthony]

Well, I guess the catechism knows something the inspired Prophet Ezekiel didn’t.

Ezekiel 18:4 (New King James Version)

4 “ Behold, all souls are Mine;
The soul of the father
As well as the soul of the son is Mine;
The soul who sins shall die.

Context, context, context.

The word die is used in different senses in the Bible. When one speaks of sin that “kills” or the “death” of a soul that sins, they are speaking of spiritual death, not literal death.

Thus, the spirit will never LITERALLY die, but if one’s body dies in a state of mortal sin the soul goes to Hell and SPIRITUALLY dies.

 

[punkforchrist]

Kamaan’s citation is very helpful, I think. Human beings are made in the image and likeness of God insofar as they are rational creatures (which distinguishes us from animals), endowed with an intellect by God. For more on this, Thomas Aquinas comments extensively.