Abstract
Gospel and constitutional imperatives: the right to life In the Republic of South Africa, Christians are called to live out gospel imperatives within the legal framework of the Constitution. Ethical issues about the right to life are considered from the perspectives of selected gospel and constitutional imperatives. Gospel imperatives impose themselves as a consequence of Christian discipleship. These are many and diverse, both explicit and implicit. Christian vocation, discipleship, witness and perseverance, are foundational and integral to the praxis of Christian daily living. These facets of Christian life are illustrated by the selected gospel imperatives, “Follow me” (Matt. 4:19 and synoptic parallels), “Love God, and your neighbour as yourself” (Matt. 22:34-40 and synoptic parallels), and “Take up your cross” (Matt. 10:38 and synoptic parallels). The central theoretical argument of this article is driven from a reformed ethical perspective. Gospel imperatives have priority over constitutional imperatives since gospel imperatives are of divine origin and constitutional imperatives of human origin. Acknowledgement of these priorities informs the Christian ethical perspective on the right to life and on abortion.
Highlights
From a reformed Christian ethical perspective, the issues of abortion is at best a curtailment and at worst a denial, albeit explicit or implicit, of the Judeao-Christian assertion that God alone creates and sustains life (Gen. 1:26-27); that it is the Lord who gives life and the Lord who takes it away (Job 1:20); and that it is not for anyone to take away human life wilfully at whatever stage (Exod. 20:13)
From a Christian ethical perspective, this right extends from the moment of conception to the moment of death
This is not the case from the South African constitutional perspective that extends the legal right to life from the moment of birth to the moment of death since personhood is deemed to commence only at live birth
Summary
From a reformed Christian ethical perspective, the issues of abortion is at best a curtailment and at worst a denial, albeit explicit or implicit, of the Judeao-Christian assertion that God alone creates and sustains life (Gen. 1:26-27); that it is the Lord who gives life and the Lord who takes it away (Job 1:20); and that it is not for anyone to take away human life wilfully at whatever stage (Exod. 20:13). The right to life, both within the framework of the gospel and the Constitution, is essentially the right to a dignified human life. From a Christian ethical perspective, this right extends from the moment of conception to the moment of death. The issues of the right to life and abortion are distinct but not separate, vis-à-vis the right to a dignified human life, but are separated in this article for convenience of consideration. The selected foundational gospel imperatives “Follow me”, “Love God and your neighbour as yourself” and “Take up your cross”, are distinct but not separate, vis-à-vis a life of discipleship and the Christian attitude towards the right to a dignified human life and to abortion
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