Who are we? Why are we here? What does it mean to be human?
These are the questions that humanity has asked for millennia. They’re also the questions that Alexandra Hudson engages in her recent CT article “Human Beings Are Stewards, Not Slaves to God.”
Hudson reflects on human origin stories generated throughout time and around the world. In considering the unique beauty of the Judeo-Christian worldview, Hudson points to the imago Dei: the idea that God made human beings in his image. In comparison to the Babylonian origin story, Hudson notes that the Judeo-Christian story renders humankind precious and purposeful rather than cosmic, anonymous afterthoughts.
“The stories we tell reflect and shape how we see the world and our place in it,” Hudson writes. “The narratives we accept about our origins—along with what we believe about God and humankind’s relationship to God—invariably colors how we view our role and purpose in the world. Exploring worldviews that differ from ours allows us to see what we take for granted: They clarify, and help us better appreciate, our own stories.”
As we describe creation and the imago Dei to the next generation, may we do so in a way that glorifies our affectionate, relational God who brought us into his great story.
