More than Sparrows, Less than Angels

Respect for intrinsic human dignity encompasses an acknowledgment that while we human beings are of inestimable value, we are not of infinite value. We are worth more than sparrows but less than the angels. We are made in the image of God, but we are not gods. As the psalmist says, we are made “a little lower than God.” Thus, while there might be an absolute prohibition on killing, the duty to maintain life is finite. PBS