Abstract
In this article, the author -a Bishop of the Catholic Church-discusses the similarities and differences between two sets of ethical values that may guide the behaviour of medical professionals towards their patients and society. One set derives from Biblical principles contained in the Old and New Testaments, mainly represented by the Ten Commandments and Christ's Prayer from the Mountain. These principles are shared by all Christian nominations and by the Jewish and Muslim religions. The second one, although intrinsically agnostic, is also focused in the human individual and the human society. Both streams obey a "natural morality" common to all humans: every individual should respect each one's conscience, should avoid doing to others what each one would not inverted exclamation markike to receive, to do not lie, kill or rob, to obey the rules of family and society. The Biblical Ethics stresses the value of responsibility in human behaviour while Modern Ethics sets the point in authenticity. In spite of their differences, the sharing of crucial points and end goals should inspire medical professionals regardless their religious beliefs to follow a common set of ethical values and to remain united in pursuing it.
Highlights
The author –a Bishop of the Catholic Church– discusses the similarities and differences between two sets of ethical values that may guide the behaviour of medical professionals towards their patients and society
The Biblical Ethics stresses the value of responsibility in human behaviour while Modern Ethics sets the point in authenticity
In spite of their differences, the sharing of crucial points and end goals should inspire medical professionals regardless their religious beliefs to follow a common set of ethical values and to remain united in pursuing it (Rev Méd Chile 2007; 135: 800-5). (Key words: Bible; Ethics, medical; Philosophy, medical)
Summary
La Biblia, en su primera parte o Antiguo Testamento, es el libro de un pueblo, del pueblo israelita o sea de los descendientes de un pastor nómada, que vivía en Ur, en Caldea y a quien Dios se le apareció, cuando se encontraba en Harran, camino a Palestina. En el siglo I, una decena de autores, inspirados ellos también, recopilaron y pusieron por escrito episodios de la vida de Cristo y sus enseñanzas –sus «hechos» y sus «dichos»– narraciones de los primeros tiempos de la Iglesia, cartas de apóstoles a comunidades cristianas y una visión «apocalíptica» y, con estos escritos, reconocidos por la Iglesia como inspirados por Dios, se constituyó el nuevo Testamento, el que los cristianos agregaron al Antiguo Testamento para formar la Biblia. O sea, una cosa era alejarse de la iglesia, como institución humana poderosa e influyente en la vida del país y otra era renunciar a la moral de la Biblia, a la que se consideraba indispensable, hasta para mantener el orden social y la convivencia nacional. Los del antiguo y los del nuevo testamento, los santos ilustres y canonizados y los santos que encontramos en la vida diaria
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