THE CONCEPT OF HUMAN LIFE IN AMORIS LAETITIA
Keywords:
Care of Children and Elderly, Human Body and Life, Genetics, Infertility, Marketing Human Organs, Moment of Conception, PregnancyAbstract
Protecting and promoting human life is most debated in bioethics and in the general teachings of the Catholic Church. There are different attitudes and ethical approaches towards human life. The Catholic Church follows the sanctity of life approach. Amoris Laetitia (AL) is the recent document of Pope Francis on marriage and family life. The concept of human life flows from the theology of marriage and family life. This article explores the theological concept of human life in AL and argues that even though AL is specific about the theology of marriage and family, it has highlighted the concept of human life. My particular focus is on the fundamental theological concepts of human life and the different bioethical issues. After exploring and analysing the notion of human life in AL, this article concludes that AL follows the sanctity of life ethics specifically as it relates to Christian care ethics. It is in the same light that AL concurs with the teachings of the previous documents of the Catholic Church on human life.
References
S. Kanniyakonil, The Fundamentals of Bioethics: Legal Perspectives and Ethical Approaches, Kottayam: OIRSI, 2007.
G. O‘Collins, ―The Joy of Love (Amoris Laetitia): The Papal Exhortation in Its Context,‖ Theological Studies 77, 4 (2016)
T. Petri, Aquinas and the Theology of Body: The Thomistic Foundations of John Paul II‘s Anthropology, Washington: Catholic University of America Press, 2015.
T. Srampickal ―Abortion and its Evil,‖ in Baiju Julian and Hormis Mynatty, ed., Catholic Contributions to Bioethics: Reflections on Evangelium Vitae, Bangalore: Asian Trading Corporation, 2007.
R. Sokolowski, ―Phenomenology of the Human Person,‖ Husserl Studies 26, 3 (2010) .
X. Thévenot, ―Avortement et discernement chrétien,‖ in J. Doré, éd., Éthique, religion et foi, Paris, Beauchesne, 1985.
R. Burggraeve, ―Het ethisch statuut van het menselijk embryo benaderd vanuit de sacraliteit van het leven,‖ in Y. Englert & A. Van Orshoven, ed., Het menselijk embryo in vitro, Leuven-Apeldoorn: Garant, 1999.
M.A. Warren, ―Do Potential People Have Moral Rights?,‖ Canadian Journal of Philosophy 7, 2 (1977).
I. Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals, Translated by H.J. Paton, New York: Harper & Row, 1964.
L.D. Chirico, ―The Dignity of the Human Person: Towards an Evangelical Reading of the Theology of Personhood of Vatican II,‖ Evangelical Quarterly 77, 3 (2005).
S. Kanniyakonil, ―Human Dignity and Moral Norms in Gaudium et Spes,‖ The Living word 119, 1 (2013).
C. Melchert, ―God Created Adam in His Image,‖ Journal of Qur‘anic Studies 13, 1 (2011).
M. Illathuparampil, ―Population and Environment,‖ in S. Kanniyakonil & D. Vechoor, ed., Paristhithideivasastrathinu Oru Samakalikabhashyam, Kottyam: OIRSI, 2016.
T. Frejka and J. Ross, ―Paths to Subreplacement Fertility: The Empirical Evidence,‖ in R.A. Bulatao and J.B. Casterline, ed., Global Fertility Transition, New York: Population Council, 2001.
M.J. Gorman, ―Abortion,‖ in J.B. Green, ed., Dictionary of Scripture and Ethics, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2011.
S. Kanniyakonil, Chritrimaprethyulpadanam (The Morality of Artificial Reproduction), Kottayam: OIRSI, 2012.
S.V. Brakman and D.F. Weaver, ed., The Ethics of Embryo Adoption and the Catholic Tradition: Moral Arguments, Economic Reality and Social Analysis, New York: Springer, 2007.
A. Harmon, ―Human Gene Editing Receives Key Panel‘s Support,‖ The New York Times (February 15, 2017).
S. Kanniyakonil, ―Genetic Medicines in India: Blessing or Curse?,‖ Asian Horizon 7, 4 (2013).
I.V. Cully, ―A Theology of Children,‖ Review and Expositor 80, 2 (1980).
Catechesis (4 March 2015), L‘Osservatore Romano, 5 March 2015.
T. Cooreman-Guittin, ―Amoris Laetitia through the Lens of Disability,‖ Journal of Disability & Religion 20, 3 (2016).
S. Kanniyakonil, Wait for God‘s Call: Catholic Perspective on Euthanasia, Kottayam: OIRSI, 2011. S. Kanniyakonil, Wait for God‘s Call: Catholic Perspective on Euthanasia, Kottayam: OIRSI, 2011.
K. Aramesh, ―Iran‘s Experience on Living and Brain-Dead Organ Donation: A Critical Review,‖ in R.J. Jox et al., ed., Organ Transplantation in Times of Donor Shortage, International Library of Ethics, Law, and the New Medicine 59, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2016.
G.G. Garcia, P. Harden & J. Chapman, ―The Global Role of Kidney Transplantation,‖ The Lancet 379 (2012).
S. Shroff, ―Legal and Ethical Aspects of Organ Donation and Transplantation,‖ Indian Journal of Urology 25, 3(2009).
Directorate-General for External Policies European Parliament, Trafficking in Human Organs, Belgium, 2015.
S. Hughes, ―Neo-Cannibalism: The Global Trade in Human Organs,‖ Hedgehog Review 3, 2 (2002).
T. Knieps-Port le Roi & R. Burggraeve, ―New Wine in New Wineskins: Amoris Laetitia and Church‘s Teachings on Marriage and Family,‖ Louvain Studies 39, 3 (20152016).
B. Petra, ―From Familiaris Consortio to Amoris Laetitia: Continuity of the Pastoral Attitude and a Step,‖ INTAMS Review 22, 2 (2016).
A. Lambert, ―Accompanying, Discerning and Integrating the Fragility of Couples,‖ International Conference INTAMS, October 26-27, 2016, KU Leuven, Belgium;
S. Kanniyakonil, ―Amoris Laetitia and Indissolubility of Marriage in the Syro-Malabar Church of India before and after the Synod of Diamper,‖ International Conference INTAMS, October 26-27, 2016, KU Leuven, Belgium.
