School of Theology 2018

This was the first in a series of three study days on the doctrine of humanity.

We began by considering the question, ‘Who am I?’ This is fundamentally a theological and pastoral question. It’s one that resonates widely with issues of identity in contemporary culture. Yet without a robust understanding of the biblical teaching on the image of God, we often find ourselves scrambling in the messiness of ministry. Our aim was to make everything we do in ministry – evangelism, preaching, counselling, discipleship – rooted in our doctrine of the imago dei.

‍Find the audio and video for all the School of Theology plenaries and breakout sessions below:

PLENARY SESSIONS

‍Eric Ortlund: The Origin of the Image: Genesis 1-2
Video

‍What does it mean to be created in the image of God? The opening chapters of Genesis hold the key to a biblical view of human identity. In its original context, the imago dei is not an abstract concept but a royal figure. Humans as images are designed to represent, to relate and to reflect. The implications of this for human dignity, dominion, and destiny are immense, especially in a modern secular context.

Brad Bitner: From Glory to Glory: A Biblical Theology of the Image of God
Video

‍The identity given to humans at creation unfolds within the narrative of redemptive history. Images designed for glory are warped and broken by sin. Images divinely commissioned are re-scripted. Images stripped naked are re-clothed. Only in Jesus Christ, the true Image, are human images re-created to represent, relate and reflect according to design.

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Graham Beynon: Ministry Among Images
‍Video

‍In this final session, we consider how the story of the image of God provides an orientation to ministry in understanding ourselves and those to whom we minister; the ministry values that flow from that story which guide how we act towards people; and the ministry direction the image of God gives us, which enriches and fills out our understanding of discipleship.