"Being God's Image" is a thought-provoking and inspiring book that offers a fresh perspective on what it means to reflect God's image in our daily lives, viewed through the grand narrative of the Bible. The author masterfully weaves together biblical insights and practical applications, creating a compelling guide for anyone seeking to understand and embody their divine purpose.

The book excels in presenting a holistic view of the Bible’s teachings, showing how the concept of being made in God's image is a central theme that runs throughout Scripture. Rather than focusing solely on individual aspects of faith, it emphasizes the interconnectedness of biblical stories and how they collectively inform our identity and mission as God's image-bearers.

One of the most impressive aspects of BGI is its ability to balance deep theological exploration with practical advice. The author does an excellent job of unpacking complex theological ideas in an accessible and engaging manner, making them relevant to contemporary readers. Each chapter is rich with insights that challenge common assumptions and encourage readers to think more deeply about their role in God's creation.

The book is also notable for its enthusiastic and hopeful tone. The author’s passion for the subject is evident on every page, and this enthusiasm is infectious. Readers are not only informed but also inspired to take actionable steps in their journey to live out their identity as God's image. The practical suggestions and real-life examples provided make the book not just a theoretical exploration but a practical manual for everyday living.

Moreover, BGI highlights the importance of community and collective action. It reminds readers that reflecting God's image is not just an individual endeavor but a communal one, requiring collaboration and mutual support. This perspective is particularly refreshing and aligns well with the broader biblical narrative of community and fellowship.

I enjoyed this book and the reminder of Being God's Image. I enjoyed the first book and loved that this one was another great book filled with Scripture.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book! The title and this beautiful cover drew me in and i was excited to read this book! I will be recommending this book to others for readers advisory.

A respectable approach to what it means to be image bearers of God. Without getting lost in the weeds of doctrinal differences, Imes shows that God's intentions to us as image bearers were good and unique. Highly recommend.

I am Catholic and this is not a catholic book. If you are catholic this does not follow our faith. This is a great book for anyone that is not Catholic and is just a christian.

I really liked this book. Having had Dr. Imes as a professor and having read bearing God's name (her previous book), I found this book such a good addition. Dr. Imes is so smart and eloquent. I love her insights and perspectives. I would recommend this book to other Christians. I think that it is something that a lot of churches and christians individually should read. Just like her other books, I noticed my perspective changing and leaving with ways to modify my walk with God.

I enjoyed reading Being God's Image and learning more about what it means to be God’s image in the world. Carmen Joy Imes does a good job of tracing the theme of imago Dei throughout the Bible and showing its implications for various aspects of life, such as work, gender, creation care, and eschatology. The book is well-written, engaging, and accessible to a wide audience. Overall, this is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to understand their human identity from a biblical perspective.

Here is yet another great book by Carmen.
This one tackles being in the image of God without making women be second class citizens.

However she starts with all of creation being made and sharing what makes humans unique. Not some humans but all humans regardless of their belief share in this “being made in God’s image.” You don’t have to accept it for it to be true. Then she delves into what does this really mean and how does this apply and can shape the totality of how I view myself, and more so how I view others.

When we have a proper perspective of what it truly means to be made in the image of God then we can have a proper perspective and conversation on what it truly means to love thy neighbor.

Imes gives a very good introductory overview on what is meant by the "Image of God" in the Old Testament, and centers down on the basics. Her excursions around gender and other "hot topics" could use a little more depth however, and distract from the book. Those looking for an in-depth study of the topic should use this as an entry point, not a stopping point.

Being God's Image: Why Creation Still Matters by Carmen Joy Imes. This book is rich with knowledge yet very accessible. Imes does a great job explaining each topic covered but also provides key points at the end of each chapter with additional resources for you to explore and a Bible Project video for you to watch.
I would suggest going through this book slowly as there is so much here that if you rush through it you will miss out.
One quote I felt like helps set the stage for this book is “God’s image is not something we bear; it’s something we are.” The goal is for the reader to understand what does it mean to be made in the image of God? How does that affect other areas of scripture, our life, and our world?
I think this read is well worth it and would definitely recommend buying this book!

This was a solid book, but I found myself wishing that Imes had done a better job of tying it all together.

I have long enjoyed the breadth of perspective that Carmen Imes brings to her study of the Hebrew Scriptures. Her previous book on God's covenant with the Israelites was a real eye opener, so I was excited to see her writing on creation narratives and the book of Genesis.

She has such a gift to open up theological concepts and centuries of interpretation yet explain things so simply. It's a great primer for folks looking to engage further with a theology of creation, while also being very practical and applicable for how we live our everyday lives.

She's quickly becoming an auto-buy and read for me when it comes to accessible theology with solid biblical footing.

In “Being God’s Image” Carmen Joy Imes walks us from ‘creation to new creation’ to show us why it matters, (and will continue to matter) that we were created as God’s image here on earth.
Imes writes as though she is chatting with you over coffee—down to earth, intimate, and accessible—inviting even the most hesitant reader to approach the whole of scripture as life-giving and restorative.

“God puts a stop to the militaristic empire being built at Babel. However, his scattering is not punitive but restorative. If humans were meant to fill the earth, then his scattering puts the story back on track, rescuing people from imperial domination.”
With her deep reservoir of historical and theological knowledge she is able to introduce the different lenses we might use to approach a text and, without dismissing the various (often competing) interpretations, she reveals the theological truth that transcends our personal, political, and religious biases.

If you are familiar with voices like NT Wright, the general content of this book might not be new to you. However, I personally enjoyed the structured way that it dealt with the themes and texts, pulling things into light and order in a way that is both informative and formative.

When I was a child one of the most exciting times of the year was Christmas morning. It held an inherent sense of anticipation that was unrivaled. A similar type of anticipation characterized my expectation for Being God's Image: Why Creation Still Matters. After being introduced to Dr. Imes through her first book Bearing God's Name and following her work, including her fabulous Torah Tuesday's YouTube series, I was hooked on her commentary and the window into her process of interpretation. This anticipation compelled me to sign up for the launch team and receive early access to Being God's Image.

Let me tell you, I was not disappointed. Being God's Image was very fulfilling, from its fluent flow of content, to Its gracious and gentle contestation of certain traditions. Her quality use of analogies helps to apprehend subtle truths. Dr. Imes has an incredible way of condensing her academic work to mass accessibility, without diluting the message. She makes the vast scope of the Bible's narratives come together into a beautiful tapestry as it was designed to be.

With that, I'd like to share a few of the highlights that stood out to me. In the chapter entitled "Getting To Work" the highly communal nature of the imaging (imago dei) call stood out as particularly helpful. It's easy to lose sight of this in our highly individualistic world. It may even feel foreign or contrived. But Dr. Imes masterfully highlights through the original language and story that this is rightly understood to be communal, as she draws out some of the implications and challenges to our present practices and beliefs.

In the "Knowing Better and What We Loss" sections of the same chapter, she frames the fall in a way that is much more nuanced than the traditional ways that we think of it. Sometimes we end up marginalizing others in their Image calling due to our theological presuppositions or misconceptions. In her re-framing, Imes offers that what we really lost was "mutual trust, mutual respect, innocence, and intimacy with God." These moral and relational fractures often skew our ability to both properly be God's image as well as recognize it in others. One of the significant points she draws out is how the image cannot be marred or erased. So people with disabilities, the unborn, and even sinners maintain their calling as imagers, and thus have an inherent dignity that requires honor.

In the wisdom section one of my favorite excerpts was on sex, an often taboo subject for all the wrong reasons. Somehow our modern broaching of the subject is often shallow and marginalizing. Imes shows how the Bible is not so shy about the subject of sex. Unfortunately with the current hyper sexualized nature of our society this marginalization has been costly. With statistics on issues like porn, and premarital sex being at epidemic levels in the church, her commentary on seeing sex as a gift rather than a right was particularly helpful. This chapter, though short, is so needed.

Another gem of a chapter is "Jesus, The Human." What great observations Dr. Imes makes regarding Jesus' incarnation. He embodies imaging in all of its flourishing ways "the Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being". This shows that our bodies have genuine value. They are more than simply cocoons housing our souls. She offers many good examples from the life and ministry of Jesus. Like when Jesus confronts the injustice and corruption at the temple. Rather than a meaningless or temporal activity, this is Jesus modeling righteous anger as a distinctly selfless attribute. She highlights how "each aspect of Jesus' ministry teaches us something about what it means to be human." And these are just a few examples.

Dr. Imes once again has outdone herself with Being God's Image. There are so many applications for this book. At times I was reminding myself to source it for Biblical commentary. The broad scope of topics it engages makes it a quasi systematic theology. It's also very practical, as alluded to by its subtitle "Why Creation Still Matters," which makes it useful as a devotional. (Especially considering the heartfelt personal stories she shares from her own life, family, and friends. Or the many everyday applicable topics.) An easy but challenging read for those looking to explore what the Bible has to say about life on Earth and Christian mission. Because having a fully intact “imago dei” is fundamental to how we enact our calling.

This is meant to be a companion to the book Bearing God's Name by the same author.

As a discerning I really enjoyed this thoughtful look into what it means to be a human being created in God's image. I was already familiar with some of the unconventional ideas put forth, but gleaned a lot of nuance. I liked seeing the Garden of Eden presented as the Cosmic Temple to God and humans being the idol placed in its center. I also was surprised by the idea of Babel being not necessarily a punishment for people trying to usurp God, but rather a freedom from oppression. Other touch points include giving dignity to all people regardless of race or beliefs, the problem of pain and finiteness of mankind, and Jesus as the perfect Image.

I appreciated that care was taken not to alienate the audience regardless of where you are in your religious background.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC

Being God’s Image is a fabulous work, the companion to Dr. Imes’ book, Bearing God’s Name. In it, she discusses what it means to be God’s image and likeness. Using Hebrew and historical context, she argues that humanity, according to passages like Genesis 1:27 is not made IN God’s image and likeness but rather is made AS God’s image and likeness. She demonstrates how this has tremendous implications for how we relate to God, others, and our world as embodied human beings. It is a very well-written and I found myself highlighting many sentences and passages.

This is a highly accessible book for both academic and layperson that traces the concept of the Imago Dei from Genesis to Revelation. Dr. Imes excels at making complex topics understandable, often employing illustrations and personal stories that I found delightful and meaningful. Her sense of humor also shines through this book.

Dr. Imes is great at addressing people of various interpretations of Genesis, reminding us of the big idea of the texts and what share in common, even while arguing for her own viewpoint. I was very pleased at how she brought both ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman context into her discussions of Genesis 1-2 and of eschatology.

I loved how Dr. Imes explains the implications for being God’s image, including how it relates to how we view creation care, suffering, caring for the vulnerable, family, sex, anger, Christ’s return, and even the everyday mundane things of life. I have referenced Dr. Imes’ first book in sermons before, and I am confident I will be referencing Being God’s Image in my future sermons.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. After reading it, I gladly would have paid full price.

Very thought provoking book! This book definitely gives pause and makes me want to look into some things more

This book goes in depth into what it means to be the image of God on earth. This is not an easy read; it’s deeply thought-provoking and theological. I gave it this rating because I think sometimes the author takes a verse or passage that was meant to be descriptive and makes it prescriptive or takes passages out of context. I appreciate the effort the author has clearly put in to understand this concept and explain it to others, but sometimes the author takes a verse three steps farther in meaning and application than needs be taken. I disagree with the way many passages were exegeted. But still, the book itself is thought-provoking.

This is a good lay-level biblical theology of what it means to be the image of God. The author's basic premise is that humans are not created to be God's image but created as his image, which entails a vocational place within the physical created order.

On the whole, I think this is a great survey. It moves from Genesis, through the wisdom books, into the gospels, and toward Revelation. It's broad in scope and touches on a number of tangentially related subjects from the rapture to sabbath observance to pornography to the church calendar to gender roles. Since Imes covers such a broad range of topics, there's plenty of opportunity to disagree with her on side-issues. And I certainly do disagree in a couple of places. But she does a great job of being ecumenical in spirit and acknowledging that even where disagreement exists (i.e., on gender roles), everyone should be able to come together on what's most important.

In addition to spots where I disagree on side-issues, there were a few places where I would not have phrased something the ways she does. There is only one place where it really bugged me, but even there I think I know what she meant, and I don't have a problem with her sentiment.

Like in Bearing God's Name, Imes provides a short bibliography of books and Bible Project videos at the end of every chapter. I absolutely love this and I want to see it in more lay-level books. At the end of the book there's also a list of discussion questions to accompany each chapter. Unlike the questions included in a lot of other books, these questions would certainly encourage interesting discussions and thoughtful engagement with the material.

In the end, I don't think this book is your one-stop-shop for the subject, but it's an excellent starting place.

In Being God’s Image Carmen Joy Imes is attempting to answer one of the main questions she received after she authored the previous title in this ‘series’: What is the difference between Bearing God’s Name (BGN) and Being God’s Image? Much like her previous book, Dr Imes does a great job of conveying this heady subject matter in manner which is easy to understand. One of my favorite things BGN did was provide a list of good books to read if you’d like to dig deeper into the topic was discussed in each chapter, and I was happy to see that this was included in this book, as well. Dr Imes takes the reader on a journey which explores the concepts such as the imago Dei, the divine council, environmental stewardship, and even the question of gender roles in the Bible. All of this builds together to eventually lead to a discussion of the new heavens and the new earth, and what that means for image bearers of the God of the universe. This book will undoubtedly challenge at least a few of the beliefs you’ve held onto without having questioned why you believe what you believe, but it will also build back up those beliefs with a more Christ-centered understanding.