The image of God (Hebrew: צֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים, romanized: tzelem elohim; Latin: imago dei) is a concept and theological doctrine in Christianity, as well as in Judaism. This concept is a foundational aspect of Christian and Jewish understandings of human nature. It stems from the primary text in Genesis 1:27, which reads: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female he created them." The exact meaning of the phrase has been debated for millennia.

Following Jewish tradition, scholars such as Saadia Gaon and Philo argued that being made in the image of God does not mean that God possesses human-like features, but rather the reverse: that the statement is figurative language for God bestowing special honor unto humankind, which he did not confer unto the rest of creation.

The history of interpretation of the image of God has included three common lines of understanding. The Substantive view locates the image of God in shared characteristics between God and humanity such as rationality or morality. A Relational understanding argues that the image is found in human relationships with God and each other. A Functional view interprets the image of God as a role or function whereby humans act on God’s behalf and serve to represent God in the created order. These three views are not strictly competitive and can each offer insight into how humankind resembles God.

The doctrine of the image of God provides important grounding for the development of human rights and the dignity of each human life regardless of class, race, gender, or disability. The doctrine is also related to conversations about the human body.