Letting Our Images Mature

Father Richard Rohr invites us to consider our images of God and how they shape us:  

Our image of God creates us—or defeats us. There is an absolute connection between how we see God and how we see ourselves and the universe. The word “God” is a stand-in word for everything—Reality, truth, and the very shape of our universe. This is why good theology and spirituality can make such a major difference in how we live our daily lives in this world. God is Reality with a Face—which is the only way most humans know how to relate to anything. There has to be a face! 

After years of giving and receiving spiritual direction, it has become clear to me and to many of my colleagues that most people’s operative image of God is initially a subtle combination of their mom and dad, or other early authority figures. Without an interior journey of prayer or inner experience, much of religion is largely childhood conditioning, which God surely understands and uses. Yet atheists, agnostics, and many former Christians rightly react against this because such religion is so childish and often fear-based, and so they argue against a caricature of faith. I would not believe in that god myself! 

Our goal, of course, is to grow toward an adult religion that includes reason, faith, and inner experience we can trust. A mature God creates mature people. A big God creates big people. A punitive God creates punitive people. 

If our mothers were punitive, our God is usually punitive too. We will then spend much of our lives submitting to that punitive God or angrily reacting against it. If our father figures were cold and withdrawn, we will assume that God is cold and withdrawn too—all Scriptures, Jesus, and mystics to the contrary. If all authority in our lives came through men, we probably assume and even prefer a male image of God, even if our hearts desire otherwise. As we were taught in Scholastic philosophy, “Whatever is received is received in the manner of the receiver.” [1] This is one of those things hidden in plain sight, but it still remains well-hidden to most Christians. 

All of this is mirrored in political worldviews as well. Good theology makes for good politics and positive social relationships. Bad theology makes for stingy politics, a largely reward/punishment frame, xenophobia, and highly controlled relationships. 

For me, as a Christian, the still underdeveloped image of God as Trinity is the way out and the way through all limited concepts of God. Jesus comes to invite us into an Infinite and Eternal Flow of Perfect Love between Three—which flows only in one, entirely positive direction. There is no “backsplash” in the Trinity but only Infinite Outpouring—which is the entire universe. Yet even here we needed to give each of the three a placeholder name, a “face,” and a personality.  

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FAQs: Letting Our Images Mature

What does “images of God” mean and why does it matter?

“Images of God” are the mental pictures or symbols we use to understand who God is - often shaped by early authority figures, culture or family. These images deeply influence how we see ourselves, how we relate to others, and how we live. For many people, a punitive or distant parental image of God breeds fear or rebellion. Mature images nurture trust, compassion and openness. (Source: Letting Our Images Mature; A St Lucia Spirituality perspective)

How do our early family experiences shape our understanding of God?

The article notes that many of our first images of God borrow from parents or authority figures. If those adults were punitive, withdrawn or conditional, similar patterns may show up in our spiritual life. Psychological studies confirm that attachment patterns in childhood strongly influence how people perceive safety and intimacy in adulthood. Re-examining and maturing those images can free us from unhealthy spiritual assumptions. (Sources: Rohr & attachment theology; A St Lucia Spirituality perspective)

What is mature image of God according to the reflection?

A mature image of God includes reason, faith and inner experience we can trust. It moves beyond childhood constructions toward something more spacious. The author suggests the Trinity as one model: a God of infinite, eternal love flowing among three persons - without “backsplash” - symbolising perfect love without division. Such models help move the image of God from fixed roles into living mystery. (Source: Letting Our Images Mature; A St Lucia Spirituality perspective)

How do our images of God affect how we live in society and politics?

The reflection argues that theology is not just private belief. Our image of God reflects in how we treat others, how we vote, how we structure justice. Stingy or hierarchical images tend to support reward-punishment or control. Generous, relational images encourage justice, compassion and inclusive politics. History shows that societies rooted in generous spiritual values often develop stronger social safety nets and more equitable policies. (Source: Letting Our Images Mature; social ethics studies)

What steps help someone mature their image of God?

Growth starts with awareness - notice what image of God you carry. Then pray, meditate or journal about what feels limiting. Seek spiritual direction or community that speaks of God in many ways. Read mystics, theologians or writers who offer new images of God. Try imagining God beyond gender, beyond punishments, beyond cultural constraints. Over time, these practices help images mature so faith feels more alive, more honest, more freeing. (Source: Letting Our Images Mature; A St Lucia Spirituality perspective)

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References:

[1] Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae I, q. 75, art. 5. Original text: “Omne quod recipitur in aliquo, recipitur in eo per modum recipientis.” 

Adapted from Richard Rohr, Yes, And…: Daily Meditations (Cincinnati, OH: Franciscan Media, 2013, 2019), 63–64; and “Creating God in Our Own Image,” Daily Meditations, November 28, 2021.