Old Testament I: Genesis 1–11

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“It is only against the background of a proper understanding of the doctrine of creation that we are able to grasp the significance of the incarnation of the Word. What creation means, as Athanasius goes on to make clear, is that the universe has been created out of nothing by the Word of God. It follows from this that the universe is good, that the reason for its present lamentable state is not to be sought in the Creator but in the fact that the highest created state is that of a free, rational being, so that to create a universe capable of containing the highest form of goodness was to create a universe that depended on the free obedience of rational beings, the fall being the failure of rational beings to remain faithful to the good.” (Page xlviii)

“He says ‘let us make’ to a co-operator, necessarily to Christ. And he says ‘according to the image.’ Therefore man is not the image of God, but he is ‘according to the image.’ For Jesus alone is the image of God, but man is ‘according to the image,’ that is, image of the image. But he says ‘according to our image.’ Therefore both Father and Son are one image. Against Arius 1a.20.” (Page 29)

“All men are made in God’s image; but to be in his likeness is granted only to those who through great love have brought their own freedom into subjection to God. For only when we do not belong to ourselves do we become like him who through love has reconciled us to himself. No one achieves this unless he persuades his soul not to be distracted by the false glitter of this life.” (Page 30)