imago dei

one purpose i had in mind when i started this blog was to actually write out some of the things i believe, primarily to clarify some things in my own mind, but also as a vehicle to stimulate discussion with others who may be interested. this is my first post in what i intend to be a series.

genesis begins with an account of god creating 'the heavens and the earth,' culminating with the creation of man 'in his own image.' this is where the bible starts and this is where i will start. my upbringing was one which placed the bible at the center of religious belief.

i believe in god. i believe that god is the first cause, the creator who set the universe in motion. as the genesis account relates, god created the heavens and the earth and all that is therein.

the genesis account provides something else. there is the assertion that god created man in his own image, or likeness. what does that mean? for me, the meaning here is that like god, we have the capacity to create. in the biblical account, the image of god is attributed only to mankind. though all of creation bears the imprint of the creator, humankind is unique in its ability to create. it is this ability to create that portrays our likeness to god.

when we embrace the creative impulse within us, in whatever form it may manifest itself, we embrace the 'godness' in ourselves. whether we acknowledge it or not, when we create, we connect with something deep within ourselves.

i used to write songs when i was younger. it was the writing that allowed me to find myself, to discover who i was. it was through the writing that i discovered my authentic self. when i stopped writing, i lost touch with a part of myself.

as i look back, the times in my life that i have been most content were the times when i was engaged in some sort of creative activity. the jobs that have been most satisfying were the ones where i had the opportunity to create something on my own. conversely, the times which i found least satisfying were the situations in which i found my creativity stifled.

the image of god is, in my mind, the unique ability that humankind possesses that allows us to create. regardless of what we create, when we create we find our true authentic selves.