Putting image into practice: Imago Dei, dignity, and their bioethical import

In this paper, I examine the role that the imago Dei plays in bioethical considerations of dignity. In so doing, I rely on resources primarily from the Roman Catholic tradition to articulate what it means to understand dignity as related to the imago Dei and what the normative implications of such an account would be in bioethics. After explaining reasons for narrowing the scope of discussions of dignity, I take up what reflection on what the imago Dei means for humanity, relying on the concepts of mystery, conformation, and vocation. I conclude with a brief consideration of Ruth Macklin's now infamous critique of dignity and a discussion of the broader implications of relying on the imago Dei in an account of dignity for bioethics.