Christian Roots of Human Rights

• Recent scholarship suggests that the concept of human rights originated in Christian Europe during the late Middle Ages.
• This development stemmed from unique Christian doctrines absent in other cultures, primarily the belief in the image of God.
• The Bible emphasizes the equal worth of every individual as bearers of God's image, forbidding not just killing but even cursing.
• This contrasts sharply with figures like Aristotle, who justified slavery based on perceived differences in rationality among races.
• While other cultures often viewed different groups as separate species, the Bible's teaching affirmed the shared humanity of all.