Animals & the Imago Dei

Are animals created in God’s image? Yes, they are. 

Some Christians believe that, even though we (ie people) are created in God’s image, the animals are not. It’s as if they think that because the Bible explicitly states that people are created in God’s image, animals are not.   

Their reasoning process looks to what God says about us (people) & our attributes (created in God’s image) then, seeing no direct statement that animals are also created in God’s image, they draw a conclusion that does not follow from the premise (ie animals are not created in God’s image).  In other words, they accept what God explicitly states about the human image (created in God’s image) & our dominion over the created order, then, while looking g at our (visible) image/attributes) & authority, they interpret us as animals’ custodians & overlords then draw conclusions about the nature of animals & behave accordingly— which is the method of reasoning that Romans 1:18 - 32 calls futility. 

As an application of Romans 1:18 - 32 & what it says about how we supposed to reason, let’s answer the question by way of looking to God’s existence, attributes, & authority instead of God’s statements in Genesis that we are made in God’s image & concluding animals are not. 

 

What goes God say about how we are supposed to reason toward matters of faith & practice? 

Romans 1:18 - 32:

Paul is following the outline of Leviticus 18, following the form of a Hebraic lawsuit.

Shema and Decalogue (1:18 - 21) God’s Image testifies to His attributes & Law.

God created people. His temple bears His Image & runs according to His Law & Gospel.

Historical Prologue (1:22 - 23)

They suppressed God’s image & authority substituting their own, & made idols that looked & behaved like themselves.

Stipulations/Prohibitions (1:24 - 28)  In Canaan & Rome, people did heterosexual & homosexual sex for their gods.  At times they deployed animals too.  (Lev. 18: 6 - 23).  

Document Clause, Covenant Sanctions/Renewal & Witnesses, Victory (1: 29 - 32)

Kitchen sink immorality will lead to Rome’s burning, just as it did to Sodom, Egypt, Israel, Babylon, &tc.

Romans 1:18 - 32 is about how we are supposed to think/reason (& the consequences of failing to do so.  The created order testifies to His image & authority.   God indicts us for suppressing His image & authority & supplanting it with our own & other created images & reasoning accordingly.  When you teach that the fact that we are created in God’s image is a proper warrant for theology of what animals are, you are teaching the opposite of what the Bible teaches.   

Let’s reason from God Himself & His attributes & authority (image) to that of animals. 

Animals did not fall.   In addition, in Genesis, God judges them good.  We know animals love us, know the difference between right & wrong, & recognize our authority (For example, Sam Witwer’s relate to him as their pack leader) They are also capable of reasoning & communication. 

What are God’s attributes?  According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, God is a Spirit,g infinite,h eternal,i and unchangeable,k in his being,l wisdom,m power,n holiness,o justice,p goodness,q and truth.r

(g) Deut 4:15-19; Luke 24:39; John 1:18; John 4:24; Acts 17:29

(h) 1 Kgs 8:27; Ps 139:7-10; Ps 145:3; Ps 147:5; Jer 23:24; Rom 11:33-36

(i) Deut 33:27; Ps 90:2; Ps 102:12,24-27; Rev 1:4,8

(k) Ps 33:11; Mal 3:6; Heb 1:12; Heb 6:17-18; Heb 13:8; Jas 1:17

(l) Exod 3:14; Ps 115:2-3; 1 Tim 1:17; 1 Tim 6:15-16

(m) Ps 104:24; Rom 11:33-34; Heb 4:13; 1 John 3:20

(n) Gen 17:1; Ps 62:11; Jer 32:17; Matt 19:26; Rev 1:8

(o) Hab 1:13; 1 Pet 1:15-16; 1 John 3:3,5; Rev 15:4

(p) Gen 18:25; Exod 34:6-7; Deut 32:4; Ps 96:13; Rom 3:5,26

(q) Ps 103:5; Ps 107:8; Matt 19:17; Rom 2:4

(r) Exod 34:6; Deut 32:4; Ps 86:15; Ps 117:2; Heb 6:18

To be created in God’s image is to bear His  attributes.  As to our essence, unlike God we are finite, created to live forever but have a definite historical beginning.  Yet we do bear His attributes: being, wisdom, power, justice, holiness, goodness & truth. 

 

Animals are finite, mutable, & created. So are we.

Do they reason?  Yes.  God’s attributes of wisdom & truth highlight His reason.   

Do they love? Yes!  God is love ( 1 John), & when you think about it, love summarizes His attributes.   God personfies His moral nature/attributes & the summary of the Law ( & Gospel) amounts  to exhaustive, meticulous, perfect love for God first, then everyone & everything else, then yourself (Matt 22:36 - 40).  This sort of love fulfills the Law ( Romans 13:8 - 10). 

Being; lThey are created. Ergo they share God’s attribute of existence/being.

Wisdom:  Are they capable of exercising discretion?  Yes, ergo they exercise wisdom & obedience, corresponding to God’s attributes of wisdom, justice & truth.   How so? By picking & choosing their battles, being merciful toward their young, etc, 

 

Power:  They recognize authority / power insofar as they govern themselves.   Through their governance of each other & our governance of them, they know their group leaders, if any.   

Justice: When attacked, they are known to mete out justice.

Holiness:  What about holiness? Yes, they know they are set apart from people. They wash from time to time.  God washes them in the rain.  We bathe them from time to time.   In the Bible God is said to have baptized the world in the waters of the Great Flood (I Peter 3:21).   Washings sanctify, symbolizing covenantal holiness (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers).  

Goodness: Since they did not fall, they are morally upright (good).  

Truth: Do they know when they have misbehaved? Yes, which corresponds to God’s attribute of truth.  

 

Do they know the distinction between truth & falsity?Yes! 

Can they be deceived?  Yes, which means that they know truth. 

As you can see, when we reason the way God intends us to reason (ie from His attributes to theology, philosophy, & ethics), we see that animals most certainly are created in God’s image.