What is Imago Dei? It means “made in God’s image.” Christians use this phrase to describe the uniqueness of human beings within the created order. The image of God refers to the immaterial part of humanity, a likeliness mentally, morally, and socially. The Hebrew phrase for “image of God” is tzelem Elohim. Tzelem is likely the root of the word meaning “shadow.” In practical terms, we are like mini shadows that the Lord casts on the world. The deeper understanding is that there is something uniquely sacred about human life, unlike the animal kingdom or any other created life. Having the “image” or “likeliness” of God means we were made to resemble Him.
