Prelude
It is the work of the Order of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ and the attendant Society of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ (assumed to be included when only the Order is mentioned/described) to spread the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ, to overcome the secular evil that threatens the very foundation of Creation, that of threats to the ‘Sanctity of Life’ in all forms and at all ages. This witness is nurtured by a life in conversation with God, and is nourished daily by prayer, meditation and reception of Holy Communion, while living in the secular world. A member will fully develop those talents given him or her by God (i.e., in prayer and writing or in liturgy, music, art, education, etc.). He or she shall use these talents to the best of his or her ability in the diocese, parish, or mission to which he or she belongs.
We believe that human beings are created by God in His image. Therefore, every person, from conception to natural death, possesses inherent dignity and immeasurable worth—including preborn children, elderly individuals, those with special needs and others marginalized by society. Members of the Order, then, are called to defend, protect, and value all human life!
In short, human life is sacred and respect for human life is at the center of all thought, prayer, and activities of The Order of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ.
It is very clear that Scripture establishes that human life is sacred in Genesis 1:27: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” To be created in the likeness of God means that each human bears His image and with it, a value beyond our unique characteristics or individual attributes. Nothing else in God’s created order has the distinction of reflecting His image; it’s a privileged status reserved only for humankind.
This is a bit of a mystery as God’s image in us isn’t something tangible we can see, taste or feel; yet it establishes our significance and worth at the highest level. The Bible says we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). From the miracle of life in the womb to the body’s ability to regenerate cells and tissue for healing, we see God’s amazing fingerprint at work. Humans are breathtaking creatures embodying a touch of the Creator Himself and reflected in the wonder of human life.
Contrary to cultural messages, our value isn’t determined by our ethnicity, race or gender; nor by our age, ability or location. It’s our divine membership in the human family that sets each of us apart as sacred.
Men, women and children (including preborn children in the womb) should be respected, regardless of their mental capacity, physical ability, or social position. Some people may not exhibit attributes of God or behave in ways that recognize their own value, yet their intrinsic worth remains.
The concept of human dignity comes from the sanctity of human life. Since humans are made in God’s image, we hold a distinctive status that sets us apart.
Human dignity is bestowed upon us by God. It’s NOT based on our ability to care for ourselves or competence to complete the task. Dignity is not a concept that can be forfeited, so being dependent on others cannot cause us to lose our dignity.
Sanctity of Life ~ The Aberration of Abortion
The Anglican Church has consistently condemned abortion — the direct and purposeful taking of the life of the unborn child. In principle, Anglicans believe that all life is sacred from conception until natural death, and the taking of innocent human life, whether born or unborn, is morally wrong. The Church teaches, Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains forever in a special relationship with the Creator.
The respect for the sacredness of life in the womb originates in Christianity’s Jewish roots. The ancient Jewish world was much different from the surrounding cultures of Palestine where infanticide, infant sacrifice and abortion were not uncommon, and in some cases prevalent. For the Jewish people of those times and orthodox Jews to this day, all human life has as its author the one God whose creative power produces the child in the mother’s womb and brings it step-by-step to full life.
The Old Testament revelation, which the Church inherited and accepted, gives clear evidence that life in the womb was considered as sacred. Moses proclaimed, 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. 3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. 6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. (Dt 28:2-6). The angel told the mother of Sampson, 5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines (Jb 31:15). In Psalm 139:13, we pray, Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb.
The Old Testament also testifies how God had specially marked individuals for an important role of leadership from the very first moment of their lives: Beloved of his people, dear to his Maker, dedicated from his mother’s womb, consecrated to the Lord as a prophet, was Samuel, the judge and priest. The prophet Isaiah proclaimed, Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. 2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;3 And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God.5 And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength (Is 49:1-5). Likewise, the prophet Jeremiah recalled, 4 Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jer 1:4-5).
The Greco-Roman world at the time of our Lord and in which Christianity grew permitted abortion and infanticide. In Roman law, the two acts were not distinguished because an infant did not have legal status until accepted by the pater familias, the head of the family; until accepted, the infant was a non-person who could be destroyed. In some parts of the Roman Empire, abortion and infanticide were so prevalent that reproduction rates were below the zero-growth level. (Sad to say, many European countries face a similar plight today due to abortion.)
Nevertheless, the Christians upheld the sanctity of the life of the unborn child, not only because of the Old Testament revelation as cited but also because of the mystery of the incarnation. The early Christians, as we still do, believed that Mary had conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and through her, Jesus Christ — second person of the Holy Trinity, consubstantial with the Father, and true God — became also true man. No faithful Anglican would ever deny that Jesus was a true person whose life was sacred from the first moment of His conception in the womb of His blessed Mother Mary.
The story of the visitation further attests to the sanctity of life in the womb and the personhood of the unborn child: 39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; 40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. (Lk 1:39-45).
Given the revelation of the Old and New Testaments, with special emphasis on the mystery of the incarnation, the Anglican Church has condemned the practice of abortion. Several examples of teaching which span the first three hundred years of our Church include the following: The “Didache” (“The Teachings of the Twelve Apostles,” c. 80 A.D.) asserted, “You shall not procure abortion. You shall not destroy the newborn child.” Athenagoras (177 A.D.) in his “A Plea on Behalf of Christians” (a defense against paganism) emphasized that Christians consider as murderers those women who take medicines to procure an abortion; he condemns the killer of children, including those still living in their mother’s womb, “where they are already the object of the care of divine providence.” Tertullian, (197 A.D.) in his “Apologeticum” likewise asserted, “To prevent birth is anticipated murder; it makes little difference whether one destroys a life already born or does away with it in its nascent stage. The one who will be man is already one.” In the year 300, the Council of Elvira, a local church council in Spain, passed specific legislation condemning abortion.
After the legalization of Christianity throughout the breadth of the Roman Empire in 313 A.D., the condemnation against abortion remained. For instance, St. Basil in a letter to Bishop Amphilochius (374 A.D.) clearly pronounces the Church’s teaching: “A woman who has deliberately destroyed a fetus must pay the penalty for murder” and “Those also who give drugs causing abortions are murderers themselves, as well as those who receive the poison which kills the fetus.”
While many other examples could be offered here, the key point is that the Anglican Church from the beginning has consistently upheld the sanctity of the life of the unborn child and condemned the act of direct abortion. To oppose this teaching contradicts the revelation of Sacred Scripture and Christian tradition. We as Anglican Christians must pray for a change of heart in all citizens and courageously teach and defend the sanctity of human life, particularly that of the defenseless, innocent unborn children.
Sanctity of Life ~ The Aberration of Euthanasia
To propose euthanasia for an individual is to judge that the current life of that individual is not worthwhile. Such a judgement is incompatible with recognizing the worth and dignity of the person to be killed. Therefore, arguments based on the quality of life are completely irrelevant. Nor should anyone ask for euthanasia for themselves because no-one has the right to value anyone, even themselves, as worthless.
Nothing and no one can in any way permit the killing of an innocent human being, whether a fetus or an embryo, an infant or an adult, an old person, or one suffering from an incurable disease, or a person who is dying. Furthermore, no one is permitted to ask for this act of killing, either for himself or herself or for another person entrusted to his or her care, nor can he or she consent to it, either explicitly or implicitly, nor can any authority legitimately recommend or permit such an action. For it is a question of the violation of the divine law, an offense against the dignity of the human person, a crime against life, and an attack on humanity.
The appeals of gravely ill people who sometimes ask for death are not to be understood as implying a true desire for euthanasia; in fact, it is almost always a case of an anguished plea for help and love (see Fr. David Sokol’s book, Compassionate Care, 2013). We do not have a “right to die.” Many people now speak of such a thing, but without the proper understanding of the terminology they employ. A “right” is a moral claim. We do not have a claim on death. Rather, death has a claim on us! What a sick person needs, besides medical care, is love, the human and supernatural warmth with which the sick person can and ought to be surrounded by all those close to him or her, parents and children, doctors and nurses.
C.S. Lewis poignantly wrote in the Problem of Pain that, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
Some critics allege that the Church is cruel because we put animals like dogs and cats “out of their misery” with euthanasia, but we won’t allow the same thing for suffering humans. But this objection strengthens the Church’s teaching that human beings are intrinsically valuable and should not be treated like animals. That is because most animals are euthanized not because they suffer, but because it is considered too costly to treat their suffering. It is never too expensive to care for human beings who are made in the image and likeness of God. Indeed, this dynamic is already becoming the norm in places where euthanasia and assisted suicide is legal. For example, in Oregon, Barbara Wagner received a letter from her health insurance company stating that her cancer treatment was too expensive and could not be covered, but that the company would cover the costs of suicide pills if Mrs. Wagner decided to kill herself instead.
Another misrepresentation is that of the ‘vegetative state’ referring to any human being as an inanimate object like a vegetable is offensive and should be treated in the same way racial and ethnic slurs are treated. All human beings, regardless of their age or functional abilities, should be given basic care like food, water, adequate temperature regulation and other things to make them comfortable. A person in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) apparently has no upper brain activity and is not conscious. They are still alive, but their actions are merely the result of reflexes and other automatic stimuli responses. The Church teaches that it is not what we do (acting rational, thinking, moving purposefully) that makes us valuable, but simply that we are human beings made in God’s image that gives us our value. Furthermore, it is very difficult for doctors to diagnose if someone is in a PVS or whether the condition is permanent. Some patients are conscious but cannot communicate with the outside world (locked in syndrome) and others were diagnosed as even being “brain-dead” but eventually regained consciousness. In some cases, it may be appropriate to take a patient who lacks brain activity off artificial life sustaining devices that constitute extraordinary care (like a heart lung machine). However, it is not acceptable to deny these patients ordinary care unless administering such care is more detrimental to the patient’s well-being than the act of withholding that care.
The position of the Anglican Church on physician assisted suicide is best summarized in the opinions of leading medical associations. For example the American Medical Association states that, “It is understandable, though tragic, that some patients in extreme duress–such as those suffering from a terminal, painful, debilitating illness–may come to decide that death is preferable to life. However, allowing physicians to participate in assisted suicide would cause more harm than good. Physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physician’s role as healer, would be difficult or impossible to control, and would pose serious societal risks.”
Instead of participating in assisted suicide, physicians must aggressively respond to the needs of patients at the end of life. Patients should not be abandoned once it is determined that cure is impossible. Multidisciplinary interventions should be sought including specialty consultation, hospice care, pastoral support, family counseling, and other modalities. Patients near the end of life must continue to receive emotional support, comfort care, adequate pain control, respect for patient autonomy, and good communication. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;—2 Corinthians 4:16-17
Our Western Culture is on a collision course with euthanasia. Think about the issue now, and work to change the course, or else you may end up a victim of it. “Mercy killing”. It is difficult to see what killing has to do with mercy. What we can see is that those who advocate it have a MISPLACED compassion. They want to eliminate all suffering. Very nice, but very unrealistic…and very pagan.
Some years ago, the winner of a Pro-Life Essay Contest was Anne Marie O’Halloran, from Maria Regina High School in Hartsdale. Her topic was euthanasia. Let us read some of her own words: “One of the highest values this country holds is freedom. This has led to a situation in which individuals believe they have the right to live completely as they desire. Human beings are limitless. They have the right to decide how they want to live and how they should die….Another quality prized by our culture is power. We believe, or rather, we would like to believe, that we can control anything and everything to ensure a safe and comfortable lifestyle….Our society has created a world in which it is always possible and always considered right to take the easy way out of problems, suffering and death. That way is completely against the example Jesus set for us; it is against Christian values. We, as Christians, must form a counterculture. We do not pray for an easy, free or painless life and death. Rather we should pray for strength to sustain and understand the life God gave us to live.”
May more young men and women come to see what this student sees and says so well, that we are NOT the absolute masters of life and death. Only God is. May His gift of life be respected.
Our failure to recognize and honor human dignity is apparent in phrases like “quality of life.” Dependency is viewed as the ultimate weakness and as a result, some people would rather die than continue living if it means living with a disability. This attitude increases pressure for the acceptance of physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia instead of providing a compassionate response to those who are disabled or face a terminal illness.
A common fear among the disabled or terminally ill is that of becoming a burden. It is a major objective the Order of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ to help restore human dignity through our intense prayer life and/or witness of caring, especially in our times of dependence and need. The sanctity ethic reminds us that God is ultimately sovereign over the affairs of our lives, including our frailty and infirmity.
Recent Comments