The two
creation narratives in Genesis 1 and 2 indicate that the image of God is a
shared, corporate reality. It is fully present only in community. Humans were
created as social beings, created for covenant community. Like we are told that
the woman was created to deliver man from his isolation and loneliness. It was
not good for man to be alone. We should not be surprised that this is the case
and that ultimately the image of God should focus on community. Throughout all
eternity God is a covenant community, that is, the fellowship of Father, Son
and Holy Spirit, who comprise the triune God.

The
creation of humanity in the image of God, therefore, can mean nothing less than,
that humans express the relational dynamic of the God whose representation we
are called to be. Not the individual man, not even man and woman together, but
humanity as a whole is designed to be the fully developed image of God. In
other words, each person can be related to the image of God only within the
context of life in community with others. Only in covenant with others can we
show forth what God is like, for God is the covenant community of love.