Humans Created in the Image and Likeness of God: Divine Potential and Personal Communion

 

Humans Created in the Image and Likeness of God: Divine Potential and Personal Communion

According to Orthodox Christian doctrine, rooted in the Holy Scriptures and the patristic tradition, man was created “in the image and according to the likeness of God” (Genesis 1:26). This dual expression — “κατ’ εἰκόνα” and “καθ’ ὁμοίωσιν” — has been the subject of profound theological reflection throughout the centuries.

The phrase “in the image” (κατ’ εἰκόνα) refers to the ontological constitution of the human person. It affirms that man was fashioned by God with inherent dignity and endowed with rationality, freedom, creativity, and the capacity for love — attributes that reflect the very nature of God. This image is not physical but spiritual and existential, underscoring that every human being, irrespective of condition or circumstance, bears the indelible mark of divine origin.

The second part of the phrase, “according to the likeness” (καθ’ ὁμοίωσιν), indicates man’s potentiality — a calling rather than a static condition. While the image is granted from the moment of creation, the likeness is the goal towards which man must strive. It signifies the journey of deification (θέωσις), the process of becoming truly godlike, not by nature, but by grace. This ascent is realised through synergy: the cooperation between divine grace and human freedom. It is the path of repentance, virtue, prayer, and participation in the sacramental life of the Church.

Within this theological framework, the statement “Man is not foreseen;he is communed” invites a deeper, perhaps more mystical, consideration of personhood. At first glance, this phrase may appear to be in tension with the notion of divine foresight or providential design. However, a more careful reading reveals a profound truth consistent with Orthodox anthropology.

To say that man is “not foreseen” does not negate divine providence. God, in His omniscience, indeed foresees all things. He knows the full trajectory of each person’s life. But man, as a unique hypostasis — a person endowed with freedom and created for communion — cannot be reduced to a mere object of prediction or determinism. The phrase underscores that the human person is not merely the result of a blueprint or a divine schema that unfolds mechanically. Rather, he is a mystery to be experienced, encountered, loved — and ultimately, communed.

This communion is not merely a sentimental notion but a real participation in the life of God, most fully realised in the Eucharist and in the dynamic relationship between Creator and creature. In Orthodox theology, koinonia is not passive; it is transformative. God does not simply observe man’s ascent toward likeness; He invites and enables it through participation in His divine energies. Hence, while there is a divine intention — a telos — for each human being (i.e. theosis), the journey itself is one of freedom, love, and dynamic relationship, not fatalistic inevitability.

So then, are the phrases “Man was created in the image and likeness of God” and “Man is not foreseen; he is communed” compatible? Not only are they compatible — they are mutually enriching. The first establishes the theological foundation of man's nature and destiny; the second guards against reducing this destiny to a mechanical outcome. The likeness of God is not imposed; it is embraced. It is not a matter of prediction but of communion. God does not merely foresee who we will become; He desires to share His life with us in a communion of love that honours freedom.

In conclusion, the Orthodox understanding of the human person is one of profound dignity and hope. Man is made in God’s image — already bearing divine worth — and called to the likeness of God through cooperation with divine grace. He is not a product to be predicted, but a person to be loved and communed. In this lies both the mystery and the grandeur of human existence.