Years ago, I was talking with a fellow Christian ethicist about various aspects of social ethics (moral reflection on societal, structural, and communal issues) and it struck me that he never spoke much about the doctrine of the imago Dei, or the image of God, as central to the Christian ethic. I pressed in a bit on why he didn’t seem to emphasize it, and he responded that the Bible simply doesn’t really speak of it much and that when it does it mainly focuses on how Christ is the perfect image of God (Col. 1:15-17). To my surprise, he did not see the doctrine as the primary force behind the moral vision of the Church.
I never really heard much about the image of God even though I grew up around the church. I learned about the horrors of abortion and the call of the Church to care for “the least of these” no matter how small (Matt. 25:40), but it was never talked about in light of the image of God. However, from my earliest memories, there was an understanding that there was something unique about humanity, that my neighbors were to be valued above the rest of creation, and that all of our lives had some deeper purpose and meaning. Even without the language of the imago Dei, it was clear to me and my church that every human life was sacred and worthy of respect.
The Rundown
China makes a show of opening up the internet for the Olympics – Ashley Gold, Ina Fried, and Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian | Axios
China’s aim in temporarily opening its “great firewall” is simply to boost its global reputation ahead of the Games, not to champion an open internet, experts say. And they expect heavy surveillance of online activity to continue, even for visitors who are allowed to access sites that would otherwise be blocked.
Is VR Safe for Kids? – Avi Bar-Zeev | OneZero
One of my sons is turning 12 soon, a year away from the “official” age for most VR devices. I’ve been working in AR & VR (aka XR) for 30 years now, more recently helping to start billion-dollar products like the HoloLens and more. I should be keenly aware of any potential dangers of VR for kids, shouldn’t I?
A pig’s heart beats in a man’s chest – R. Albert Mohler Jr. | WORLD
It sounds like science fiction, but it’s true. David Bennett, 57, was dying of heart disease and needed a new heart. Doctors at the University of Maryland Medical Center told him his only hope might be a heart transplant—from a pig.
🔒Breaking Up Tech Is a Gift to China – Robert C. O’Brien | Wall Street Journal
Cloaked in antiquated interpretations of U.S. antitrust law, these bills hand increased authority to bureaucrats at the Federal Trade Commission and lay the groundwork for dismantling America’s most successful technology companies—the ones at the forefront of the race to retain U.S. dominance in fields such as quantum and AI.
The Potter’s House Denver Sells Property, Goes Virtual – Megan Fowler | Christianity Today
Online church and virtual campuses have become mainstays during the pandemic, and one Denver-area megachurch is making virtual services its only options—for good.