Imago Dei and Protection of the Unborn

Why being made in God’s image matters

Imago dei means ‘image of God’. Christians believe that human beings are created in God’s image, giving every person a dignity that does not depend on their abilities, health or usefulness to others. Genesis 1:27 teaches: ‘So God created humankind in his image.’

For Catholics, this is a foundation of the sanctity of life: human life is sacred because it comes from God. Protecting people is therefore a religious responsibility, not simply a matter of personal preference. Within the theme of incarnation, God becoming human in Jesus also reinforces the importance of human life.

Catholics apply this protection to the unborn. The Church teaches that human life must be respected and protected from conception, when a new human life begins. It holds that the developing child must be treated as having the rights of a person, including the right to life. Being small, dependent or not yet born does not remove that dignity.

Luke 1:44: recognising life before birth

Luke’s Gospel describes Mary visiting her relative Elizabeth. Mary is pregnant with Jesus, while Elizabeth is pregnant with John the Baptist. When Elizabeth hears Mary’s greeting, her unborn child responds. Elizabeth tells Mary:

‘For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy.’ — Luke 1:44

Catholics understand this passage as recognising the presence and significance of both children before birth. John responds to Jesus while both are still in their mothers’ wombs. This supports the belief that unborn children already matter to God rather than acquiring value only when they are born.

The passage does not itself state when life begins. Catholics read it alongside belief in imago dei and the Church’s teaching that life must be protected from conception.

How belief becomes Catholic practice

Abortion is the deliberate ending of a pregnancy. The Catholic Church opposes direct abortion: abortion intended either as the goal of an action or as a means to another goal. Its reasoning is that deliberately ending innocent unborn life violates the child’s God-given dignity and right to life.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2270, states: ‘Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception.’ This makes protection of the unborn a moral duty rather than an optional act of kindness.

Catholics may put this teaching into practice by joining or supporting pro-life organisations such as Life or SPUC, the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child. Supporting organisations that oppose abortion is one way of seeking protection for unborn children in wider society.

Protection also involves practical care. Catholics may support organisations that help women who have chosen to continue their pregnancies. Such support connects opposition to abortion with care for the woman: her dignity matters too. The belief should therefore lead to helping people facing difficult circumstances, not merely stating that abortion is wrong.

Contrasting Christian arguments

Christians do not all reach the same judgement about abortion. Anglicans and Methodists generally value and seek to protect unborn life, but may accept abortion in certain circumstances, such as a serious threat to the pregnant woman’s health. Some Christians reason from Jesus’ command to ‘love your neighbour as yourself’ in Matthew 22:39, arguing that compassion requires attention to the woman’s suffering and circumstances.

This contrasts with the Catholic position on direct abortion. A Catholic response is that compassion must include the unborn child and cannot justify deliberately ending an innocent life. The disagreement is therefore not simply between people who value life and people who do not. It concerns how to respond when protecting unborn life appears to conflict with care for the pregnant woman.

Evaluating the influence of imago dei

Imago dei strongly influences Catholic practice because it explains why the unborn deserve protection: their worth comes from God, not from someone else’s decision about whether they are wanted. This gives Catholics a consistent reason to oppose direct abortion and support vulnerable children.

However, imago dei is not the only influence. Luke 1:44 provides biblical support, and authoritative Church teaching gives Catholics explicit moral guidance. Moreover, Christians who share belief in God-given dignity may disagree about abortion in difficult circumstances. The belief alone does not produce identical practices across Christianity.

A justified conclusion is that imago dei is a central foundation of Catholic protection of the unborn, but its practical influence works together with Scripture and Church teaching. That influence is expressed most fully through both opposition to direct abortion and compassionate support for pregnant women.