CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION AND THE PRESERVATION OF HUMAN LIFE: A BIBLICAL-THEOLOGICAL APPRAISAL OF CHRISTIAN ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY IN EMERGENCY CARE

Abstract

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency intervention designed to restore circulation of blood during cardiac arrest and improve survival prospects. However, decisions concerning its application create ethical tensions between religious convictions about life’s sacredness, clinical prognosis, patient autonomy, and the appropriateness of continued intervention. This study addresses the insufficient integration of biblical-theological reflection with ethical decision-making in emergency resuscitation. Its objectives are to examine scriptural perspectives on human dignity and life preservation, evaluate Christian moral responsibilities in CPR, and establish principles for constructive engagement between theology and emergency medicine. The theoretical framework combines Sanctity of Life Theology with Christian Biomedical Ethics, particularly beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice. A qualitative documentary methodology guides the examination of biblical passages, theological scholarship, peer-reviewed medical literature, and established resuscitation guidelines. The study excludes interviews, clinical observations, experiments, and statistical procedures. Its principal limitations are dependence on secondary sources, variations in theological interpretation, and the absence of explicit biblical instructions concerning contemporary resuscitation technology. Documentary findings indicate that compassion, stewardship, human dignity, and responsibility towards vulnerable persons provide a theological basis for supporting appropriate life-saving interventions. Nevertheless, these principles do not justify indiscriminate resuscitation irrespective of clinical circumstances or patients’ informed wishes. The study concludes that responsible CPR decisions require ethical discernment informed by Christian values, medical evidence, and respect for individual dignity. It recommends that churches encourage certified CPR training, healthcare institutions strengthen communication about resuscitation preferences, and theological educators collaborate with medical professionals to promote informed, compassionate, and ethically proportionate emergency care.