He is the only one “created in the image and
likeness of God” (Gen 1.26). He is created by God from the dust at the end of
the process of creation (the “sixth day”) and by the special will of God. He is
made to breathe “the breath of life” (Gen 2.7), to know God, to have dominion
over all that God has made.
God created humans as male and female (Gen.
1.27; 2.21) in order “to be fruitful and multiply” (Gen 1.28). Thus, according
to Orthodox doctrine sexuality belongs to the creation which God calls “very
good” (Gen 1.31), and in itself it is in no way sinful or perverse. It belongs
to the very nature of humanity directly willed by God.
As the image of God, ruler over creation and
co-creator with the Uncreated Maker, man has the task to “reflect” God in
creation; to make His presence, His will and His powers spread throughout the
universe; to transform all that exists into the paradise of God. In this sense
man is definitely created for a destiny higher than the bodiless powers of
heaven, the angels. This conviction is affirmed by Orthodox Christianity not
only because of the Scriptural emphasis on man as made in God’s image to rule
creation, which is not said about angels; but it is also directly affirmed
because it is written of Jesus Christ, Who is truly the perfect man and the
Last Adam (1 Cor 15.45) that “God has highly exalted him and bestowed upon him
the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil
2.10–11).
