Topic 3: Biomedical Ethics in the Christian Narrative Topic 3 DQ 1   Due Date: Wednesday 19-M ...

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Biomedical Ethics and the Four Principles: A Christian Perspective

In the field of biomedical ethics, the “Four Principles” approach—autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice—has long served as a standard framework for navigating ethical decisions in health care. Originating from the work of Beauchamp and Childress, these principles offer a structured method for analyzing dilemmas in clinical and research settings. However, this model has often been critiqued, particularly in the American context, for placing an excessive emphasis on autonomy. In contrast, a Christian biblical worldview reorders these principles based on values such as love, humility, stewardship, and the inherent dignity of all people as bearers of the imago Dei (the image of God).

Drawing from Hoehner’s Practicing Dignity: An Introduction to Christian Values and Decision Making in Health Care (2020), we will explore how these principles are commonly ranked in secular bioethics and how a Christian perspective leads to a reordered prioritization.