Bioethics, Medical Ethics, and Moral Challenges in the Digital Age

Part 9: Bioethics, Medical Ethics, and Moral Challenges in the Digital Age

Opening Reflection

In today’s complex world, ethical questions increasingly touch the foundations of human life—birth, death, health, sexuality, technology, and our interactions with others. Orthodox Christian ethics offers timeless guidance grounded in Scripture, Tradition, and the Holy Spirit. As we face these challenges, we are called to honor the sanctity (ቅድስና) of life, maintain human dignity, act with holiness, and responsibly use the gifts of medicine and technology for the good of others and the glory of God.

1. Sanctity of Life: Abortion, Euthanasia, Suicide

Life is a sacred gift from God.

“አቤቱ፥ አንተ ኵላሊቴን ፈጥረሃልና፥ በእናቴም ሆድ ሰውረኸኛል። ግሩምና ድንቅ ሆኜ ተፈጥሬአለሁና አመሰግንሃለሁ፤ ሥራህ ድንቅ ነው፥ ነፍሴም እጅግ ታውቀዋለች። እኔ በስውር በተሠራሁ ጊዜ፥ አካሌም በምድር ታች በተሠራ ጊዜ፥ አጥንቶቼ ከአንተ አልተሰወሩም። ያልተሠራ አካሌን ዓይኖችህ አዩኝ፤ የተፈጠሩ ቀኖቼ ሁሉ አንድ ስንኳ ሳይኖር በመጽሐፍህ ተጻፉ።” (Psalm 139:13–16).

In this verse, the Psalmist states that life is God’s intentional creation, formed in the womb under His loving care. It reminds us that life is sacred, purposeful, and deeply valued by God.

Abortion, euthanasia (physician-assisted dying), and suicide (ራስን ማጥፋት) violate this sacred gift and stand in direct opposition to God’s life-giving purpose.

Scripture clearly teaches that these actions violate God’s word.

““ከእኔም በቀር አምላክ እንደሌለ እዩ፤ እኔ እገድላለሁ፥  አድንማለሁ።” (Deuteronomy 32:39) — God alone has authority over life and death.

“እግዚአብሔር ሰጠ፥ እግዚአብሔርም ነሣ” (Job 1:21)—Life originates from God and returns to Him in His divine will.

“የሰውን ደም የሚያፈስስ ሁሉ ደሙ ይፈስሳል፤ ሰውን በእግዚአብሔር መልክ ፈጥሮታልና።” (Genesis 9:6) — Human life is sacred (ቅዱስ) as God’s image, and taking it deliberately violates this divine gift. The flow of human blood here signifies the loss of human life.

“አትግደል።” (Exodus 20:13)— Taking innocent human life is a grave sin that carries serious consequences both on earth and before God. It is important to note that this commandment applies to abortion, euthanasia (physician-assisted dying), and suicide (ራስን ማጥፋት).

“እግዚአብሔር ይገድላል ያድናልም፤ ወደ ሲኦል ያወርዳል፥ ያወጣል።” (1 Samuel 2:6) — Saving and taking life belong to God alone.

“…በዚያን ጊዜ አሳልፎ የሰጠው ይሁዳ… ንጹሕ ደም አሳልፌ በመስጠቴ በድያለሁ አለ። እነርሱ ግን፦ እኛስ ምን አግዶን? አንተው ተጠንቀቅ አሉ። ብሩንም በቤተ መቅደስ ጥሎ ሄደና ታንቆ ሞተ።” (Matthew 27:4-5) — Judas’s suicide shows the tragic consequences of rejecting repentance.

Specifically, suicide—the intentional ending of one’s own life—contradicts God’s will and the gift of life He grants. The verses above affirm this truth.

No matter how dark the moment feels, support is available. The Church opens its arms to those struggling with suicidal thoughts, and professional counselors can also provide additional care. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the presence of loving individuals, life can regain its meaning and brightness, and it is fully possible to live a meaningful and fulfilling life.

Therefore, in light of the above words of God, abortion, euthanasia, and suicide are contrary to God’s will and the divine gift of life and are consequently forbidden by the Church.

The Church emphasizes compassion (ርኅራኄ), pastoral care (guidance and support from the Church), and moral responsibility, especially for those struggling with these issues.

Patristic Insight:

“Every human life is a temple of God; no one has the right to destroy what God has made holy.” — St. John Chrysostom.

Practical reflection: How do my thoughts and actions reflect my respect for life? Do I care for those in need? Do I demonstrate God’s love and show respect for others and His creation?”

2. Medical Ethics: Organ Donation and Genetic Engineering

Organ donation is a voluntary act of love that can save lives, which aligns with Orthodox moral principles if done ethically and without force or pressure.

“ለተቸገረው ሰው በጎ ነገርን ማድረግ አትከልክል፥ ልታደርግለት የሚቻልህ ሲሆን።” (Proverbs 3:27)

Scripture also emphasizes healing and compassion (ርኅራኄ)

“ኢየሱስም መልሶ እንዲህ አለ፦ አንድ ሰው ከኢየሩሳሌም ወደ ኢያሪኮ ወረደ በወንበዴዎችም እጅ ወደቀ፤ እነርሱም ደግሞ ገፈፉት ደበደቡትም በሕይወትና በሞት መካከልም ትተውት ሄዱ። ድንገትም አንድ ካህን በዚያ መንገድ ወረደ አይቶትም ገለል ብሎ አለፈ። እንዲሁም ደግሞ አንድ ሌዋዊ ወደዚያ ስፍራ መጣና አይቶት ገለል ብሎ አለፈ። አንድ ሳምራዊ ግን ሲሄድ ወደ እርሱ መጣ አይቶትም አዘነለት፥ ቀርቦም ዘይትና የወይን ጠጅ በቍስሎቹ ላይ አፍስሶ አሰራቸው፥ በራሱ አህያም ላይ አስቀምጦት ወደ እንግዶች ማደርያ ወሰደው ጠበቀውም” (Luke 10:34).

Genetic engineering is the process of changing an organism’s genes to give it certain characteristics or abilities. This must respect human dignity, avoid manipulation that devalues life, and respect God’s creation, for humans are made in the image and likeness of God.

“እግዚአብሔርም ሰውን በመልኩ ፈጠረ፤ በእግዚአብሔር መልክ ፈጠረው፤ ወንድና ሴት አድርጎ ፈጠራቸው።” (Genesis 1:27)

Patristic Insight:

“Medicine and care for the sick are expressions of God’s mercy (ምሕረት); they must never become instruments of pride or harm.” — St. Basil the Great.

3. Technology and Digital Age Challenges

• Digital media brings opportunities and dangers for morality.
• Challenges include misinformation, addictive behaviors, and moral decline.
• Orthodox ethics encourages discernment (ማስተዋል), moderation, and the use of technology for truth, encouragement, and to grow spiritually and professionally.

“በቀረውስ፥ ወንድሞች ሆይ፥ እውነተኛ የሆነውን ነገር ሁሉ፥ ጭምትነት ያለበትን ነገር ሁሉ፥ ጽድቅ የሆነውን ነገር ሁሉ፥ ንጹሕ የሆነውን ነገር ሁሉ፥ ፍቅር ያለበትን ነገር ሁሉ፥ መልካም ወሬ ያለበትን ነገር ሁሉ፥ በጎነት ቢሆን ምስጋናም ቢሆን፥ እነዚህን አስቡ ::” (Philippians 4:8).

Practical reflection: Am I using technology to build virtue and community, or is it shaping me toward vice (መጥፎ ስራ) and distraction (መሰናክል)?

Conclusion

Contemporary moral issues—from abortion, euthanasia, and suicide to organ donation, genetic engineering, and digital technology—demand discernment, compassion, and moral responsibility. Orthodox Christian ethics teaches us to respect God’s creation, protect human life, and use our freedom wisely. By following Scripture, seeking guidance from the Church, and relying on the Holy Spirit, we can respond to modern challenges with integrity (ታማኝነት), love, and holiness, cultivating a life that reflects God’s will in every place.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, guide our hearts to honor the gift of life. Grant us wisdom to make ethical choices in medicine, technology, and daily living. Strengthen us to protect human dignity and uphold Your creation. Fill us with compassion for the vulnerable and courage to act rightly. Through the Holy Spirit, guide us in righteousness, truth, and love, now and always. With the prayers of the Holy Theotokos and all the saints, Amen!