Faith and action: Dr Peter Saunders at The Christian Institute
We were privileged to have Dr Peter Saunders, CEO of Christian Medical Fellowship, visit The Christian Institute’s Newcastle office this week to speak about the wonder of the human embryo and their widespread destruction in medical practice and research.
Dr Saunders came to our head office in the run up to the launch of ‘Faith and action’, a joint publication with The Christian Institute.
In the short booklet Dr Saunders explains how it is possible to fall foul of different errors of thinking when it comes to tackling ethical issues. For some, ethical questions are engaged with but viewed only through a lens of ‘love’ and ‘compassion’, thereby neutralising biblical calls to obedience. For others – bold in their defence of the ‘central’ doctrines of salvation – an emphasis on ethics is a ‘distraction from the gospel of grace’.
He points out that Jesus calls all people to repentance and faith and that Christians cannot afford to neglect either doctrine or ethics.
In his address to Institute staff Dr Saunders considered the development of laws over the decades that have shaped our country’s attitude to the embryo, before going on to consider the amazing development of a human life from fertilisation onwards.
He highlighted some of the more than 60 Bible verses that make clear the significance of life before birth – right from conception.
Not surprisingly he gave special attention to Psalm 139 – specifically drawing out verses 13 to 16 which speak of God seeing the unborn child in the womb. This, he said, showed our personhood begins in the womb, and is not dependent upon their intellect or ability.