ABSTRACT
For Irenaeus, "image" and "likeness" are not dogmatic terms susceptible to precise definition; rather, they must be read as aesthetic terms capable of a wide variety of imaginative and narrative connections. For Irenaeus, the scriptures consist in God's direct and intimate discourse with humanity; in the biblical narrative, God is ever using images and types to reveal his love for humankind and to form his creatures for a divine destiny in his own presence. In the era of martyrdom, Christians are challenged to confess their own identity. The Valentinians, Irenaeus' most significant "Gnostic" opponent, offer their own appealing answer to the challenges confronting a martyr church. As a persecuted minority, Christian teachers sought a stable foundation to anchor the erratic passions in the moment of trial and execution. For Valentinian teachers, fleshly creation functions like a movie screen upon which spiritual images flash from a foreign source.
