Christian theology: it’s good to be alive

A recurrent theme in the Bible is that it is good to be alive. Of all living things, human beings are accorded the greatest dignity: they are said to be the pinnacle of creation (Gen. chs. 1 and 2; Zech. 12:1), made in God’s image and likeness (Gen. 1:26–31; 5:1; 9:6; Wisd. 2:23; 1 Cor 11:7; Jas. 3:9), with his spirit or breath (Gen. 2:7; Isa. 42:5; 57:16; Job 27:3; 32:8; 33:4; 34:13–14; Acts 17:25) and, so, are little less than gods themselves (Ps. 8). The rest of creation is ordered to their good and only they are given dominion over it (Gen. 1:28–31; 9:1–7); they, in turn, are oriented to God, who alone is Lord of life (Hos. ch. 2; 2 Macc. 14:46). The Incarnation further dignifies human beings: the Son of God himself became human and died to redeem all people, to make them children of God and heirs of his Kingdom, and to renew them in his likeness (John 1:14; Acts 3:15; 1 Cor. 15:49; 2 Cor. 3:17–18; Rom. 8:29; Col. 3:10; Phil. 2:5–11; Eph. 4:22–24; ch. 5). According to this scriptural view, human dignity is based not on social acceptance, intellectual capacity, maturity, independence or wantedness but on membership of the human race, that one ‘family’ with whom God has this special relationship.

With this high estimation of the human person comes the basic principle that human beings must be reverenced for what they are in themselves and never reduced to mere instruments for the advantage of others. Included in this vision is that life is a trust given into our stewardship by God; that we are called to choose life and the ways of life, not death; that any killing demands justification and the taking of innocent human life is contrary to God’s will; and that no one should usurp the rôle of God, who alone is the Lord of life and death.