John Wesley's anthropology: Restoration of the imago Dei as a framework for Wesley's theology

John Wesley's concept of the imago Dei is crucial for his theology and ethics. After writing a sermon on the doctrine of the imago Dei at the age of 27, Wesley retained the doctrine as the central theme of his theology. Many of Wesley's sermons deal with the doctrine of the imago Dei as a central theme. His understanding of humanity as the imago Dei, lost and restored, affords us an excellent framework for the investigation of his theological anthropology within soteriological context. Wesley's important theological themes such as original sin, prevenient grace, justification, and sanctification have the imago Dei as their axial theme. For Wesley, salvation is defined as the restoration of the image of God. With the concept of the imago Dei, Wesley expounds his typical order of salvation---creation, the Fall, and restoration. Wesley explored his concept of the imago Dei from three aspects, namely, the natural, political, and moral images of God. The natural image of God have been endued with understanding, and, and liberty. Wesley's concept of the political image of God shows that God governs His creation through human beings who become the channels of communication between God and His creation. For Wesley, the moral image is the principle image of God. It reflects the very righteousness and holiness of God. Wesley's concept of the imago Dei shows the meaning and consequence of the Fall and illustrates the comprehensive process and meaning of salvation.;John Wesley's concept of the imago Dei does not remain only in the area of speculative theology. His concept of the imago Dei is clearly shown in the area of practical divinity such as the means of grace and children's education. Among the several notions of the imago Dei, for Wesley, love is the most essential character of the imago Dei. The concept is also shows his understanding of the moral law, which is distinguished from the ceremonial law. The concept is broadly applied to his theology of social ethics. Wesley understood women, slaves, and the poor as beings created in the image of God. In short, for Wesley, the restoration of the imago Dei is the axial theme of Wesley's theology and ethics.