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The following work illustrates the ways in which the narrative of Genesis defines both the unity and duality of man. The unity is made distinct by the human nature of people, while the duality represents masculinity and femininity. It also depicts that man was created not only with a particular value for God and himself. Man’s original unity can be defined as masculinity and femininity overcoming solitude while being an affirmation of what constitutes a man in solitude. For instance, the Biblical narrative suggests that solitude will lead to unity, which can also be labeled as ‘communio personarum.’ Man’s original solitude provides him with the acquisition of personal consciousness that makes him distinct from all other living beings.
Within the Yahwist narrative, besides being the initial discovery of transcendence in relation to the person, it also indicates the discovery of a relationship to a person. This can also be referred to as an opening or expectation of the ‘communion of persons.’ Though the term ‘community’ is also applicable, ‘communio’ is more appropriate as it expresses the concept of a person standing ‘beside’ a person with more precision. Within the Biblical narrative, this becomes a direct representation of the relationship of a person ‘for’ another person, which is even present in the original solitude of man. Communion can only be formulated with the two-sides solitude of man and woman, as their transcendence, which elevated them from the world of other living beings, offers them the possibility of the reciprocated relationship outside the original solitude. Self-knowledge and self-determination are characteristics that are indispensable in this communion as well. In the initial chapter, the creation of man is confirmed to have been done in the image of God for both male and female individuals. While the image of God does not appear in the second chapter directly, there are aspects that suggest that the reaction of man was done in order to express the ‘communio personarum’ of man and woman.
On the other hand, deriving from Yahwist texts, the concept of the image of God suggests that man was made to be the likeness of God not only through humanity but also through the communion of persons. Essentially, it illustrates the concept that the image of oneself should reflect the model and reproduce one’s own prototype. The Trinitarian concept also allows another insight into the image of God, which is formed on the basis of male and female in the body and unity. It links the blessing of fertility and human procreation within the Biblical context. Within Genesis 2:23, direct reference is made to concepts of the body with the terms “bones of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” (John Paul II, 1979). This idea suggests that upon first only upon first sight of a woman, traits that are visibly similar became obvious and parallelly manifested humanity. This can be applied to the analysis of all the other ‘bodies,’ other living creatures, that man encountered that were not “flesh of his flesh.” As such, the body is the revelation of the man and is by default similar to God. Essentially, masculinity and femininity are an expression of the dual aspect of the somatic constitution of man, which is able to formulate a conscious perception of one’s own body. This sense is the basis of mutual enrichment through the humanity that is established through the communion of persons.
Work Cited
John Paul II. Man Becomes the Image of God by Communion of Persons. EWTN, 1979.
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