Biblical Worldview: How Genesis 1:26-27 Affects My Choice of Professions A belief that is foundational to the Christian faith is that people are made in the image of God as explicated in Genesis 1:26-27. Given this centrality, it is reasonable to posit that this biblical worldview also affects Christians' choices of professions in varying degrees. To gain some fresh insights into this issue, this paper provides an explanation concerning how this belief affects my relation to people in my chosen vocation of foster parent and group home director, followed by a summary of the research and important findings concerning this biblical worldview in the conclusion.

The unique status of humankind is clearly established early on in the Old Testament in the Genesis 1 account. For instance, the New International Version (NIV) of Genesis 1:26 states that:

Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that...

In this regard, Peterson suggests that, "The Genesis 1 account acquires potency because it locates the origins of human (and all other) life in a larger cosmic drama in which God enters into our time and space to create a special connection with a special species."[footnoteRef:2] This "special connection with a special species, then, sets humankind apart from other animals, a distinction that applies equally to all humans. For instance, as set forth in the NIV, Genesis 1:27 states: [2: Anna L. Peterson, Being Human: Ethics, Environment, and Our Place in the World (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2001), p. 29.]
27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

This biblical worldview was fundamental in shaping my decision to become a foster parent and group home director, a profession that is consistent with NIV's Matthew 25:37-40 wherein it states in part:

37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?

38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes…