As followers of Christ, we respond to questions about such matters as abortion, gene editing and care for disabled children with this biblical foundation we are introduced to in Genesis 1 -- every human being is an image bearer of God and possesses a life that should be valued and protected regardless of:
-- His or her stage of development from conception to natural death;
-- His or her condition physically, mentally and emotionally;
-- His or her ethnicity, skin color, nationality and legal status.
This means the embryonic child, the baby two months into an unwanted pregnancy, the Down syndrome newborn, the discarded orphan, the permanently disabled teenager, the terminally ill adult, the Alzheimer's patient and the minority person out of fashion with the majority are all as valuable as the epitome of health, power and popularity in any culture.
Such a worldview provides surety when others depend on subjective and qualitative judgments in ethical debates involving life issues.
Here are some recent news articles of interest to us as evangelicals:
1. Charlie Gard dies after parents' long battle on his behalf -- The British infant whose case gained international attention died only days short of his first birthday. His parents surrendered their battle with a hospital and the courts when they learned it was too late for the experimental treatment they had been seeking for months.
2. Human embryos edited for first time in United States -- Oregon researchers edited human embryos for the first time on American soil to correct a genetic mutation in what might be described as the first step on the path to the original genetically modified human beings. The research not only raises ethical questions but is unethical itself, a Southern Baptist bioethicist said. here.
3. Abortion still divisive after all these years -- A Pew Research Center survey demonstrates the divide that continues among Americans 44 years after the legalization of abortion. Overall, 57 percent of Americans think abortion should be legal in all or most circumstances, while 40 percent think it should be illegal in all or most cases, according to the survey. The poll does not appear to have asked for opinions on abortion at certain stages or for certain reasons or by specific methods.
4. President Trump announces ban on transgender military members -- People who identify as a different gender than their biological sex will be unable to serve in the armed forces, the president tweeted in a move that apparently caught the Pentagon off guard.
5. Christians receive long prison sentences in Iran -- Christians continue to face persecution in Iran, one of the world's most severe violators of religious liberty. This report says 11 converts to the Christian faith have received lengthy prison sentences in the last couple of months.
Despite the attacks on human life and religious belief, the Good News of Christ's life, death and resurrection for sinners makes us free no matter where we live.
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