Human Rights Day
December 3, 2025 9:55 am
On 10 December, people around the world mark Human Rights Day. Human rights protected by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) include the rights to life, free elections, a fair trial, freedom of expression, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, freedom from torture and freedom from discrimination. Last month, representatives of the Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches signed a letter speaking up for human rights. The letter calls on the UK Government to defend the human rights that are protected by the ECHR, signed by the UK in 1951. Read more about the letter here. That post introduced the theological idea of the image of God as foundational to this discussion. In this post, I write about how theology has framed my own understandings of human rights. I end by suggesting some actions and offering a prayer. Human Rights and the Image of God Human rights are theologically significant, rooted in the Christian belief that humans carry the image of God. My own understanding of the image of the Trinitarian God is that God is known more fully through our relationships with each other. This has strongly affected my understanding of human rights, particularly our rights to freedom of thought and expression, and freedom from discrimination. ‘With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.’ – James 3.9 The image of God is reflected in how we speak to and of each-other. Every time that we speak or act towards another human being, we speak or act towards God.1 ‘Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen cannot love God whom they have not seen.’ – 1 John 4.20 Christian theologian Alistair McFadyen picked up this idea, writing, ‘Created in the image of the Trinitarian God, humans are thus in dialogue with God and in dialogue with each other’.2 He argues that how we communicate with each other either accepts and mirrors or rejects and distorts the image of God. McFadyen goes on to explore what it might be like to ‘actively image God’ in what we say and do.3 For McFadyen, imaging God accurately means gifting each other human dignity and rights, in respect of our human dignity. If the ways in which we actively image God reflect our understanding of God, we cannot discriminate against each other lest we limit or reject God’s image. ‘Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.’ – Galatians 6.2 Catherine Keller expands this idea of the relational image of God into a strong and compelling call for attention to the voices and rights of others in order to grow a ‘mindfulness that opens possibilities for shared life and ethical action’.4 In other words, our imaging of God relies on our openness to the lived experiences of other people – both those we are similar to and agree with, and those we differ from and – on some topics – disagree with. If we are to share life and act ethically as part of our God-like-ness, we must protect each other against manipulation and harm. ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.’ – John 1.1-4 We can learn even more about the image of God from Pacific theologian Jione Havea who uses talanoa, a method of conversational storytelling, in his work and emphasizes relational identity rooted in community. Before God is incarnate, God is a conversation – Jesus is spoken into being – and so the freedom to live, to speak, to be as we are; the freedom to tell our authentic stories – images God.5 If we are to be rooted in living out God’s story of relationships – all must be able to join in free communication. This is just a dip of one toe into one aspect of human rights. There are whole books about theology and human rights, and many perspectives on this conversation. I wonder what you think about human rights, and about how they impact and our impacted by our understandings of God, and of what it means to be human? Protect Human Rights So, on Human Rights Day, speak out for human rights. Live out the image of God by ensuring that everyone can live, can engage in the democratic process; can protect their own freedom; can be, think and speak freely; can be free from torturous harm and can live without fear of discrimination. Write to your MP The UK’s adherence to the ECHR is still under threat, risking there being no international protection of our human rights. Write to your MP today to back the ECHR and defend our human rights (Amnesty) – Defend our Human Rights – Tell Your MP to Back the ECHR Pray Pray that these rights may be protected on the Sunday before or after Human Rights Day. You might like to use this prayer: God – Father, Mother and Creator of us all, We thank you that we are made in your image, And that freedom to engage with each other with grace, Is part of our imaging of you. Holy Spirit, may we recognise the dignity of every human being, Protecting each person’s right to life, to democracy, To freedom, to think, speak and live authentically, To be protected from harm, torture and death. Jesus, our brother, may we respect the image of God in everyone we engage with, Listening to understand, rather than to respond, Seeking to be transformed, rather than to transform the other, Caring for each person with respect and grace, Knowing that, in doing so, we are caring for the Body […]
