Final answer:
The fact that man is made in the image and likeness of God underscores the sacredness of human life, reflecting religious and philosophical views that place humans at a special junction between the divine and the material world, and endowing them with unique moral and rational capacities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The fact that man is made in the image and likeness of God demonstrates the sacredness of human life. This concept originates from religious texts and has been interpreted throughout the ages to mean that humans hold a special place in the creation, as they bridge the material and the divine.
The Renaissance period, especially with thinkers like Ficino, saw the human soul at the center of the universe, reflecting the godly world and the physical one. Furthermore, the ideals of Humanism during the Renaissance celebrated mankind's God-like qualities, including perfection, beauty, and harmony. Through our rational mind, as posited in modern thought, humanity has the right and capacity to shape and enjoy life.
Meanwhile, theological cosmologies often assert that God imparts a purposeful narrative to human history, where acting in accordance with divine will may lead to an eternal communion with the Divine. This intertwines with the concept of personhood, which philosophers have described in terms of the capacity for rationality and morality, attributes that confer a unique value to human life.