The paper suggests reasons for thinking that there can be a new dialogue between psychotherapy and Judaeo-Christian religion. An evolving and reciprocal series of self images and God images is traced through the pages of the Bible. Case material is advanced to illustrate the power of God images to maintain a rigid defensive system, and the way these images can develop in more benign ways - with corresponding change to our self image - as the defensive structure is modified. The paper concludes by suggesting that a God image may be the only safe container for our longing for perfection, so long as our attitude towards it is one of worship rather than identification.