Imago Dei–the idea of seeing God in humanity–is not only found on Lee’s campus in events such as Imago Dei Live but is a crucial way of thought and experience for the entire student body.
The idea for this moment started with three students of Lee in 2020: Kat Price, David Williams and Dhuranique Ferguson. The purpose of Imago Dei, as determined by the Director of Racial and Ethnic Relations, Gloria Scott-Richmond, is that “Instead of looking past each other, we look to each other.” In 2020, there was such a divide in our reality that these students decided there was a need to be met concerning how we treat each other interpersonally.
“We don’t need to be silent about–as Martin Luther King says–about the things that matter,” Scott-Richmond said .
This original concept has transformed into two events at Lee, Imago Dei Live in the fall and a following event in the spring semester. One of the founders of Imago Dei, Dhuranique Ferguson, says that they not only cover racial issues now but “hard conversations or difficult issues that we think that Lee students need to know.” By opening this space for students to grow in knowledge and understanding together, Imago Dei reaches out to not be limited by moments of discomfort.
“Yes, we’re inviting you into spaces of discomfort, but we’re also asking what it looks like to put God in the midst of that and see someone that doesn’t look like you and still see God within them,” Ferguson said.
With events like Imago Dei Live, Ferguson states they are “asking people to step into these conversations and continue it on your own.” Addressing these difficult conversations about how we treat each other and go about our lives is one way Lee students can find themselves to be more like Jesus, as connected by Scott-Richmond.
“Jesus, He addressed societal norms when He was here on earth…it gives us a template to go by to not shy away,” Scott-Richmond said.
Imago Dei Live will be formatted into three 15-minute conversations. The topics presented are a session on Comparison and People-Pleasing, Shallow versus Deep Relationships and Awareness of Self and Others. These topics aim to address and build authentic relationships among the students of Lee University.
Imago Dei Live: Cultivating Authentic Relationships will be held on November 13, from 6:00-7:15 PM in the Rose Lecture Hall (EDU 114).
For more information about Imago Dei, contact Dhuranique Ferguson at dferguson@leeuniversity.edu or visit the Office of Racial and Ethnic Relations located in the PED Mall.
