What Is the Sanctity of Human Life Ethic?
Recognition of the sanctity (or sacredness) of human life is rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition. The sanctity of human life is first described in the Holy Bible in Genesis 1:27 (NIV): So God created man in his own image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Scholars note that being created in the image of God (imago Dei) means more than having certain abilities and attributes. It means that humans are the images of God, regardless of what they can or cannot do.1 To bear the image of the Creator is a privilege extended uniquely to humans. No other creation of God can make this claim. In Gods eyes, we are each endowed with a touch of Himself. Each human carries within his or her being the likeness of the Creator. Therefore, each human life exists as an expression of God and His character. We are not merely flesh and blood. We are all image-bearers of the living God. Since we embody Gods image, the sacredness of our lives and the dignity it demands is