Imago Dei is Latin for "image of God," a theological doctrine common to Jews, Christians, and Muslims that denotes humankind's relation to God on the one hand and all other living creatures on the other. Traditionally, only human beings are in the image of God, and it is by virtue of this image that human beings are moral and spiritual creatures. Because the image of God is ultimately a doctrine of human nature, it has also been inappropriately used historically to justify racism and sexism.

The term image of God is originally found in the biblical book of Genesis, where it occurs three times (1: 26–27, 5: 1–3, 9:1–7). The meaning of the term in the original Hebrew context has been much debated, although current scholarship has moved to understanding it as a designation of stewardship or representation of God's sovereignty. This understanding of the image of God seems to be significantly changed in the...