The participation of humans in the condition of a transcendent Fall is considered in conjunction with the danger of Gnosticism with which the Byzantine fathers had to come to terms with. This means that the goal of the human being is to rise from plain biological existence into a fellowship of people in harmony with the whole creation. It is, however, not only the common origin that unites people into one family, but also the purpose of their existence which is the activation of their potential to achieve God’s likeness with the help of God’s grace. Byzantine thinkers give the human being great value because he is the crown of creation, initiated into the mysteries of the invisible creation and the king of the visible creation – due to his being created in God’s image. Byzantine anthropology is contrasted with other anthropological approaches and emphasis is laid on the notion that by integrating all cognitive concepts of the main currents in Greek philosophy, Orthodox theology in Byzantium rejected autonomous anthropology. This article analyzes both the historical roots and anthropological/ethical implications of the Byzantine, Eastern Orthodox interpretations of the imago Dei.
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