Imago Dei is a theological concept translated as 'the image of God.' According to the
Christian worldview, the bible is the Holy Scripture containing God's will and word. There are
different narrations from the scripture with the creation story being coming first in the book of
Genesis. From the narration, God created the universe out of nothing and place man above the
whole creation with the responsibility to name all God's creation, be fruitful and procreate (Ross,
2013). Unlike other creations, the human being was created in the image and likeness of God,
thus differentiating human beings from other creations. Also, the woman was created as man's
helper from the man's bone and in the image and likeness of God. The likeness is manifested
through attributes such as love and discipline expected from all humans. Despite the dominion
over the world, humanity's fall due to sin defaced the humans' likeness to God (Day, 2013).
However, through God's grace, the likeness was restored.
From the explanation, Imago Dei is an important aspect of worldview since it helps us
understand the relationship between human beings and the other creations within the universe.
Also, the aspect is relevant since it spells out humankind's responsibility in the world, including
being fruitful and multiplying and having dominion over God's creation (Ross, 2013).
Therefore, Imago Dei is an essential aspect in healthcare since it points out humankind's
importance to God, thus promoting the restoration of health and wellness, allowing a man to
fulfill God's wish of procreation. Additionally, Imago Dei spells out that humans are created in
God's likeness, emphasizing the importance of human life and promoting healthcare provision
effectiveness. However, nurses must read the bible to understand humans' likeness to God, hence
ensuring the effective implementation of Imago Dei in their practice.
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IMAGO DEI
Reference
Day, J. (2013). From Creation to Babel: Studies in Genesis 1-11. London: Bloomsbury.
Ross, M. (2013). Imago Dei. Ligonier . Retrieved from: https://www.
ligonier.org/learn/articles/imago-dei/