“Life in the Divine Image and Likeness”

Abstract

In Michael Allen’s 2017 article, “Toward Theological Anthropology: Tracing the Anthropological Principles of John Webster,” Allen draws attention to the peculiarity of the absence of a formal doctrine of the imago Dei in Webster’s anthropology, noting that 1) the doctrine is exegetically driven and ubiquitous in historical theology, and 2) it would seem to fit well with Webster’s greater theological project. This article will attempt to address both of these points in Webster’s thought, first by considering the question of why the doctrine of the image of God in humanity is largely underdeveloped in Webster’s theology, and second, by considering what Webster has said about the image of God throughout his writings. The article will then analyze Webster’s article “The Dignity of Creatures,” concluding by elaborating on concepts inherent in Webster’s anthropology to approach an answer to the question, “What would a Websterian doctrine of the image of God look like?”