When Does Life Begin? A Medical and Theological Perspective

When Does Life Begin? A Medical

and Theological Perspective

Mark Castellaw, MD

Dr. Castellaw is a native Memphian and a graduate of the University of Memphis and University of Tennessee Medical School. He is currently the Medical Director of The Medical Group BMG, an internal medicine practice in Germantown, TN. He has been married to Pamela for 43 years. They have three married sons, and seven grandchildren. Dr. Castellaw and his wife are members of Bellevue Baptist Church where he is a deacon and Bible Fellowship teacher.

When does life really begin? Some say it's when a fetal heartbeat is detected. Others say life starts when a baby is outside of the mother's womb. The Bible makes it clear that we are known by God before any of those things. Psalm 139:13?16 declares, "For you formed my inward parts, you wove me in my mother's womb for I am fearfully and wonderfully made ... My frame was not hidden from you ... Your eyes have seen my unformed substance ..." (NASB) This Scripture is not talking about a thing; it refers to a person. How does it happen? Does science support Scripture? Absolutely. This review attempts to demonstrate that science and technology authenticate that life begins at fertilization. Science and common sense come together to clearly define the moment a new life is formed and a new soul is created. The prophet Jeremiah voiced God's relationship: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you" (Jeremiah 1:5 NASB).

As early as 1859, based on their research, Schleidenal and Schwann recognized that the embryo developed from the single cell zygote or fertilized egg. Directly based on this observation, the American Medical Association published a statement strongly opposing abortion, particularly commenting on the independence of the zygote (fertilized egg) during the time between its formation and implantation in the womb.1 The American College of Pediatricians concurs with the body of scientific evidence that corroborates that a unique human life starts when the sperm and egg bind to each other in a process of fusion of their respective membranes and a single embryo is created.2

A one-cell embryo is "Greek" for "it's a baby." More recently, the study of embryology defines the series of human development. According to Keith Moore,

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"Human development begins after the union of male and female gamete or germ cells during a process known as fertilization or conception."3 Moore goes on to say, "Fertilization is a sequence of events that begins with the contact of a sperm with an ovum, and ends with the mingling of the chromosomes to form a new cell."4

Is there a difference between fertilization and conception? The conception process includes the process of fertilization. In ovulation, an egg is released. Fertilization occurs when the sperm joins the egg. Implantation happens when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterus. Some people argue that life begins only at implantation, but life is already present by the time the fertilized egg implants. Life begins at the fertilization phase of conception rather than at the implantation phase as some pro-abortion advocates proclaim.

Medications such as the "morning after pill" (which prevents implantation) are called contraceptives. However, the process of conception and fertilization is already in place before implantation. Life has already begun before implantation. Again, science clearly echoes when life begins: "The development of a human being begins with fertilization--a process where two highly specialized cells, the spermatozoa from the male and the zygote from the female, unite together to give rise to a new organism, the zygote (new baby)."5 Birth is just part of the development of a baby. It is not the beginning of life.

This concept is easy to understand, right? Maybe not. Let me attempt to clear it up a bit. In your body, you have 46 chromosomes or genetic material in each cell. This genetic material is in a pattern that is exclusive to you alone. This pattern never existed before and will never be formed in the same way again. A unique individual is generated by this certain pattern of 46 chromosomes. However, the sex cells, egg and sperm, only carry 23 chromosomes, which is half of what is needed. God has this all figured out. When the sperm of a man, which has 23 chromosomes, joins with the egg of a woman, which has 23 chromosomes, then a unique new set of 46 chromosomes are formed. Life begins at this point. This new creation of 46 chromosomes is unique and has all the parts necessary to form a complete human being.

In short, at that moment of joining egg and sperm, the result is a baby. This baby is totally complete other than it needs food, water, and shelter to grow. This developing baby is referred to as an embryo. Douglas wrote, "Embryo: The developing individual between the union of the sperm cells and the completion of the organs which characterize its body. At the moment the sperm cell of the human male meets the ovum of the female and the union results in a fertilized ovum, a new life has begun."6

We are in a culture that is influenced greatly by science. New technologies such as 4-D ultrasounds clearly reveal the humanity of unborn babies. Because of the advancements of science, it seems to be unthinkable to say these babies are beings that can be discarded. The argument of pro-life movements and pro-choice

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movements are both centered on the concept of when life begins. Kate Michelman, former NARAL president, was quoted by Newsweek staff writer Sarah Kliff about the impact of technology: "The technology has clearly helped define how people think about a fetus as a full breathing human being."7

Emma Green, in an article for The Atlantic, states that the progress in neonatology has been a means to save young lives. New science is instilling a sense of awe that we never really had before at any point in human history.8 Scripture reflects this awe that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Despite what is said in the media and other resources, true science will agree with Scripture regarding when life begins. People may say, "Well that's my body. I will do what I want." No. When a woman is pregnant, there are two separate bodies and two separate souls. You can do what you want with your gallbladder, but an unborn baby growing inside of a woman is an individual.

Scripture says, "But when He who had set me apart before I was born and who called me by His grace" (Galatians 1:15 ESV). A young embryo/baby needs food and water which it gets from the umbilical cord and placental complex. It also needs shelter which is provided by a woman's womb. A woman's womb should be one of the safest places on earth, but unfortunately, these days it is not. Possibly the womb of a woman contemplating abortion is one of the most dangerous places on earth. We must understand this baby is a separate entity. The blood of the mother and the blood of this new baby never mingle. The placenta provides a barrier from the mixing of their blood which could have catastrophic consequences. However, food and water pass through and waste products are eliminated. Did God not do a marvelous work in this design?

David tells us, "My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place ... All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" (Psalm 139:15?16 NIV). In other words, when you were formed at fertilization you were not out of the sight or mind of God. The birth process and human development must be vitally important to God because we were made in his image (Genesis 2:26?27). Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was "made in human likeness" (Philippians 2:7 NIV). Jesus started his life on this earth like any other embryo/baby except that His father was The Holy Spirit and His mother was Mary. "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call is name Jesus" (Luke 1:31 ESV).

Some people call the product of fertilization a zygote, some call it a mass of tissue, and others call it an embryo. God calls it a baby. Science and theology are now even closer to agreement on when life begins. With the new technology that is available, it is extremely difficult to dismiss an active independent life in utero. Following protocols and the scientific method, science is agreeing with God's plan.

We already know, as described in God's Word, that a unique soul is made in the womb. Whether science completely agrees or not is inconsequential to the

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obvious truth of God's Word. God made us all, and He knows all about us from before fertilization all the way to the grave. He knows every person has value as a unique individual from the moment of fertilization. He loves not just all of us, but each of us. Jesus said, "Permit the children to come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." (Luke 18:16b NASB).

I believe we should not hinder children born or unborn. We bear the image of God and are made in His likeness. As Christians, we must be prepared with knowledge based on science and theology to defend all life, especially the life of the unborn. An unborn child is as much a living unique person as anyone and must be respected and protected. To answer the question "When does life begin?" we look at science and God's Word. The agreement is that life begins in the process of fertilization when a new person and soul is formed.

NOTES

1. American College Pediatrics, 2017. 2. "When Human Life Begins," American College of Pediatricians, March 2017, https:// the-college-speaks/position-statements/life-issues/when-human-lifebegins. 3. Keith Moore, T. V. N. Persaud, and Mark Torchia, Before We Are Born: Essentials of Embryology and Birth Defects (Toronto: Saunders, 1988), 2. 4. Ibid. 5. T.W. Sadler, Langman's Medical Embryology, 3rd Edition, (Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1975), 3. 6. Douglas M. Considine, ed., Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia 5th edition (New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., 1976), 943. 7. Kate Michelman, former NARAL president, quoted in Sarah Kliff, "Newsweek Examins NARAL Survey Showing `Intensity Gap' between younger Abortion rights Opponents, Supporters," Newsweek, April 19, 2010. 8. Emma Green, "Science Is Giving the Pro-life Movement a Boost," The Atlantic, January 18, 2018, .

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