Human Dignity

Human Dignity

Human dignity originates from God and is of God because we are made in God’s own image and likeness (Gn 1:26-27). Human life is sacred because the human person is themost central and clearest reflection of God among us. Human beings have transcendent worth and value that comes from God; this dignity is not based on any human quality, legal mandate, orindividual merit or accomplishment. Human dignity is inalienable – that means it is an essential part of every human being and is an intrinsic quality that can never be separated from otheressential aspects of the human person.

Human dignity therefore transcends any social order as the basis for rights and is neither granted by society nor can it be legitimately violated bysociety. In this way, human dignity is the conceptual basis for human rights. While providing the foundation for many normative claims, one direct normative implication of human dignity isthat every human being should be acknowledged as an inherently valuable member of the human community and as a unique expression of life, with an integrated bodily and spiritual nature. It seems clear enough that human dignity must consist in what is unique about man as compared with other beings. Moreover, in a culture which has little or no conception of thesupernatural, man cannot avoid comparing himself primarily with other visible beings (as opposed to invisible or spiritual beings) in determining where his uniqueness lies.

As a gift from God,every human life is sacred from conception to natural death. The life and dignity of every person must be respected and protected at every stage and in every condition. The right to life is thefirst and most fundamental principle of human rights that leads Catholics to actively work for a world of greater respect for human life and greater commitment to justice and peace....