Essay Sample on The Image of God: Man's Dominion, Freedom, and Unity

Introduction

The story of creation is one of the building principles of the Christian view of the human person. The first chapter of the book of Genesis explains that man is created in the image of God, which means that he has native capabilities and tendencies that express his godlikeness. The likeness of God means that he has an urge for freedom and unity and that they have dominion of all the creatures in land, air, and sea (Stahl & Kilner, 2017). Also, man was given the breath of life by God, which made him a living thing. God constructed man from the earth material and made him whole. It is important to note that the scriptures describe man as an organic unity, and life principles revolve around the concepts of ego and self (Stahl & Kilner, 2017). The scriptures also infer some of the truths that concern the human person such as the ability to inherit gifts, potentialities, aptitudes, dispositions from ancestors, and the possession of intellect, which makes them supreme beings on earth.

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Theory of Moral Status

Moral status describes the action of treating what is valuable with special regard, for instance, life. There are five theories of moral status; human properties, cognitive properties, moral agency, sentience and relationships (Meilaender, 2013). The best theory of moral status that describes the Christian view of the human person is the theory based on cognitive awareness. The Bible describes humans as being created by the image and likeness of God and is given godlike abilities, including cognitive abilities, that gives him the power to rule over all the other living creatures (Stahl & Kilner, 2017). This indicates that they possess cognition which describes perception, thinking, memory and understanding, the ability to rule others, the freedom to act and the capability of engaging in meaningful activities, the ability to communicate with language, as well as self-awareness (Shelly, & Miller, 2009). These qualities describe the creature that God created, and the freedoms bestowed to him, from the very beginning of the creation which can be viewed in today's man.

Relation to Intrinsic Human Value and Dignity

The moral status theory of cognitive awareness places human value and dignity as its central pillar in describing the human person (Meilaender, 2013). Dignity is the honorable authority that is placed in a person and thus meriting respect and honor. God created man, and crowned him with honor and respect above all the other creatures. He gave him the value, by breathing a breath of life to him, making man a superior creature in the universe. Christianity places a high value on life, and they insist that humans must be treated with dignity, and even the biblical laws prohibit murder (Stahl & Kilner, 2017).

Theory Applied in the Case Study and Its Justification

The case study applies two theories of moral status in its arguments. The first theory is based on human properties and the other is moral agency (Vehmas & Curtis, 2017). The theory of human persons states that life begins when fertilization occurs and from there, humans have full moral rights as well as status just like adult human beings (Shelly, & Miller, 2009). Being a staunch Christian, Maria believes that it is God's will that the fetus has abnormalities. She believes that the fetus has the right to live regardless of the abnormalities it has, and even the possibilities of it having Down's syndrome.

The theory of moral agency applies to Jessica, Marco, and Dr. Wilson. The theory describes the capacity for one to act as a moral agent on the conditions that moral judgments are applied to justify right from wrong and that the motives of an individual can be judged morally. Dr. Wilson, based on his experience, views the situation professionally. He believes that it is morally right that abortiopytt5n is a just course for the fetus, given its chances of survival and the quality of life. Marco feels like he needs to first, think through what the doctor is suggesting to ensure that he is sure of the justifiable course of action. Jessica, on the other hand, knows that society will judge negatively is she proceeds with abortion. On the other hand, she knows that the fate of her child is worse given the quality of life it will live.

Justification for the Selected Theories

I believe that the theories selected are correct based on their actions at the facility and the understanding of the moral theory of human person and moral urgency as they apply to the case. Maria is highly religious, Marco is a caring husband, Jessica is a concerned mother to be, and Dr. Wilson is a professional medic with experience. Their actions in the clinic reveal their moral standing and their individual views on the human person based on their experiences and moral belief.

Influence of the Selected Theories on Recommended Action

From the case study, Maria values her religious beliefs and her understanding is that life begins from conception, and acts of abortion are considered murder and it violates the Bible teachings. Marco, on the other hand, believes that such delicate news needs to be conveyed more diligently. Jessica is concerned about how the society will view her based on her moral choices, while Dr. Wilson, believes that the fetus once born will live a low-quality life, and may not survive for a long time.

Selected Theory for Recommended Action

I believe that moral urgency theory makes more sense in this case study. The matter at hand is highly driven by the urgency of the matter at hand, given the conditions that prevail, both economically and socially (Vehmas & Curtis, 2017). The theory influences the decision to be taken by the family, the victim and the medical professional involved. Based on how informed an individual is, and the beliefs that one holds the decision to either keep or terminate the fetus. It a difficult step but it narrows to Jessica and her husband and their moral view of the situation. The selected theory gives individuals the freedom to determine the right course of action, without force.

Reference

Meilaender, G. (2013). Bioethics: A Primer for Christians. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.

Shelly, J. A., & Miller, A. B. (2009). Called to care: A Christian worldview for nursing. InterVarsity Press.

Stahl, D., & Kilner, J. F. (2017). The Image of God, Bioethics, and Persons with Profound Intellectual Disabilities. Journal of the Christian Institute on Disability, 6(1-2), 19-40.

Vehmas, S., & Curtis, B. (2017). Profound intellectual disability and the bestowment view of moral status. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, 26(3), 505-516.