174. God's Image

This episode of *Undeceptions* explores the profound theological and ethical implications of the biblical concept that all humans are made in the 'image of God' (imago Dei). Host John Dickson contrasts ancient pagan worldviews—where humans were seen as slave labor for gods, with infanticide as a common practice—with the revolutionary Christian claim that every person, regardless of capacity, gender, or social status, possesses inherent dignity. Drawing on ancient texts like the Babylonian *Enuma Elish* and Egyptian royal inscriptions, Dickson and guest Carmen Joy Imes demonstrate how Genesis 1 presents a radical inversion: humans are not created after gods, but are the climax of creation, made to rule with divine authority and relational dignity. The episode unpacks how this doctrine underpins modern human rights, democracy, and ethical frameworks, and traces its impact through history—from early Christian opposition to infanticide to the abolition of slavery and advocacy for disability inclusion. It also confronts the church’s failures in living up to this ideal, particularly in resisting the Americans with Disabilities Act. Ultimately, the episode argues that without the theological grounding of the image of God, modern moral values risk becoming fragile and unsustainable, as they are rooted in a Christian metaphysics that affirms intrinsic human worth.