"The foundational calling of the people of God was to be a new
creation - an alternative to the corrupted macrocosm, in which the
original blessing of Genesis 1:27 would not only be recovered but also
transmitted to the nations of the earth."

I recently went through my objections various aspects of your new/renewed creation logic on this post from Peter, and he and I had a nice extended discussion about it (we missed you, Andrew, since your remarks were the subject of the post). In that thread you centered God’s original creational blessing in Gen. 1:28:

And God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it…"

I pointed out on Peter’s post the obvious fact that mankind has already fulfilled this blessing in spades. Now I see you’ve backed up a verse, to Gen 1:27:

And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them.

This verse is presented not as a blessing to be fulfilled at some future time, but as a fait accompli, intrinsic to the already-accomplished work of creation. Peter and I talked indirectly about this one too; i.e., did man lose God’s image somewhere along the way, say in the Fall? It was an interesting discussion Peter and I had; I remember it fondly — no need to repeat it here. I do have one new thing to add, or actually one old thing:

For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God… (1 Cor. 11:7)

Here Paul seems to believe that man retains the original image of God from creation. Ah, but wait, I see a loophole: Paul is addressing his remarks not just to any ordinary men, but to the men of the church at Corinth. If only those who are of the Church (or the post-resurrection version of Israel, or the microcosm, or whatever) receive the creational blessing, then Paul’s rationale for men keeping their heads covered while praying or prophesying is relevant only to men of the Church. (Presumably the unchurched can go bareheaded while praying and prophesying and God won’t take offense — or at least no more offense than He already takes due to their membership in the "corrupted macrocosm.")

Okay, that’s all I’ve got for now.