Respect for the
sanctity of human life
First Part

One of the most common terms on the lips of people today is the phrase "human right". But for us in the Church, I suggest a more theologically appropriate phrase "the sanctity of human life."

Why do I prefer this latter term? One reason is that human rights, as understood and espoused even by some Church leaders, is basically the responsibility of governments, and governments only, vis-à-vis their citizens. Therefore human rights violations are committed only by government functionaries. This gives too much comfort to rebellious forces that kill and maim, destroy bridges, and electric plants and put barrios to the torch. Another reason why I'd rather not use the term "human rights" is that it is too closely linked with the term "theology of liberation." Literally, this is a good term, for it is reminiscent of the exodus story of liberation and the words of Jesus in Luke 4:18-19 in which our Lord speaks of his liberating work.

But the problem is that the theology of liberation in its origin in Latin America is too closely associated with Marxist categories. As all of us know, theology of liberation extremists have gone so far left that they have joined the forces of insurgency. Well-known Roman Catholic and Protestant theologians are right in their judgment when they declare that Christianity and Marxism are irreconcilable orm in the words of an eminent theologian, are "an impossible compromise."

To speak of "respect for the sanctity of human life" carries considerably more than does the term human rights, the spirit and meaning of the message of the Bibly, particularly as we read it in the story of creation. For the Bible speaks of human beings, male and female, as created Imago Dei.

I would like us today to focus our thoughts on the areas of present-day Philippines which cry aloud for respect for the sacredness of human life.

Let us begin with the subject of the feminine species of humanity-the story in the book of Genesis that Eve is taken from Adam and she becomes the mother of all human beings. Now when the Bible speaks of humankind as Imago dei, both male and female are invested with sanctity. "In the image of God, he created humankind, male and female he created them."

The way many societies around the world have developed, however, the female has been placed in a class much lower than the male. This was true in the Old Testament times and in the New Testament times as well. *TO BE CONTINUED

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