Reference no: EM131522154 , Length: word count : 350

In the Christian religion, the imago dei - which is Latin for "the image of God" - denotes to the unique imprint God placed upon humanity, identifying people as a special creation. Although several Bible verses and passages are relevant to this topic, Genesis 1:26-27 states it best:

"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.' So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (ESV).

I feel that what the bible means by "the image of God" is not his physical likeness but we have certain qualities such as spiritual, mental, moral, and social parts of humanity, that make us like God.

In health care Imago dei led not only to a belief in the responsibility to aid others and the inherent worth of every human being, but also to a belief in the sacredness of the body itself.

"It was to save the body that Christ took on flesh in the Incarnation. Not only the soul, which in traditional pagan thought was eternal, but the composite of body and soul, which constituted man, was to be resurrected" (Christianity Today, 2009).

When epidemics caused issues in the ancient times, the rich and affluent only received care. Christians didn't take lightly to this. They felt it was their responsibility to care for the poor and indigent. Christians still feel this way today.

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