August 2007

T

he Inherent Equality of Humanness

I recently read an article by John Stott entitled, “Same-Sex Partnerships A Christian Perspective,” written July-August 1999. His statement “however strongly we may disapprove of homosexual practices, we have no liberty to dehumanize those who engage in them” (p. 1), deeply pierced my soul. At that very moment I asked myself what right do I have to dehumanize anyone for any reason, what right?

The image of God dwells within the soul of every human God creates. To dehumanize someone is to dehumanize God’s creation. We may not agree with the behavior but that doesn’t give us the right to dehumanize that person based on differences. I’ve adopted the belief that when humankind fully embraces the inherent equality of their humanness and views situations from a theological perspective, we will be less likely to dehumanize the image of God, resident in ourselves.

The image of God can be viewed on every face.

Grace,
Chap