What does it really mean to be made in God’s image? Dr. Christopher Watkin unpacks this alongside the cultural mandate to show how Genesis 1 grounds our everyday life.
Timestamps
00:00 — Opening & Big Questions (image of God, creation mandate)
00:50 — Guest Intro: Dr. Christopher Watkin
01:07 — “Cultural” vs “Creation” Mandate (why both terms work)
01:44 — “Thinking Through” Creation: Three Senses
03:33 — God Creates by Speaking: Truth, Power, Relationship
06:04 — Not Solipsistic: Trinity & a Relational Reality
08:03 — Love vs Power: Why the Trinity Changes Everything
12:03 — God Lacks Nothing: Creation as Gift, Not Need
15:19 — Church as Participation: Word, New Creation, Liturgy
17:48 — Diagonalization: A Biblical Path Beyond False Binaries
24:37 — Example: Image of God (humbling and dignifying)
25:19 — Method Hints: 1 Corinthians 1; Prodigal’s Two Brothers
29:47 — Politics & Camps: Commit Without Being Captured
33:36 — Truth → Strategy → Tactics (don’t reverse-engineer truth)
35:14 — Creation Before Fall: The Measure for Cultural Critique
42:02 — 1 Corinthians 15: Labor in the Lord Is Not in Vain
45:53 — Why French Philosophy Helped (reading from the “inside”)
54:03 — Sabbath: Humane Limits & Witness in a 24/7 Culture
57:41 — Work Without Idolatry; Good Work vs. Destructive Work
59:01 — “Communion Before Commission”: Identity Then Activity
1:00:08 — Fill and Subdue: Home & Public, Manual & Intellectual
1:05:05 — Closing & Giveaway Note Interested in going deeper?
Learn more about Indianapolis Theological Seminary and how you can take your next step toward robust theological education: https://go.indysem.org/request-more-info
Enter for a chance to win a copy of Dr. Watkin's book, "Thinking Through Creation: Genesis 1 and 2 as Tools of Cultural Critique": https://forms.gle/64orBgPu4Zj483ox8
#ImagoDei #CreationMandate #BiblicalTheology #Trinity #Sabbath #Vocation #Culture #Apologetics #Genesis #BiblicalCriticalTheory #Discipleship #Church #Philosophy #NewCreation
