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The Imago Dei and Election: Reading Genesis 1:26–28 and Old Testament Scholarship with Karl Barth
Author(s) -
MACDONALD NATHAN
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
international journal of systematic theology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.149
H-Index - 13
eISSN - 1468-2400
pISSN - 1463-1652
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-2400.2008.00283.x
Subject(s) - imago , exegesis , reading (process) , interpretation (philosophy) , scholarship , philosophy , hermeneutics , context (archaeology) , biblical studies , theology , old testament , literature , linguistics , art , history , law , botany , archaeology , political science , biology
Barth's treatment of the imago dei within his interpretation of the Genesis creation story ( CD III/1) divides biblical scholars and dogmaticians. In an attempt to bridge the impasse Barth's relational interpretation is re‐examined. A narrow focus on the small print exegesis of Genesis 1:26–28 has often led to Barth being misread. In contrast, attention is given to Barth's hermeneutical principles and his exegesis is placed within the wider context of his understanding of the creation story. Even in terms of his own hermeneutic Barth's reading of the imago is shown to be problematic. This hermeneutic can, however, be applied to provide a reading of the imago as a relationship to God and the world analogous to Israel's election. Such a reading is exegetically defensible and theologically suggestive.