In early Christian times it was held that human life should be cherished and shown absolute moral respect from conception because human life is an inviolable divine gift. The Second Vatican Council confirmed this living tradition on the moral status of human embryos: 'Life once conceived must be protected with the utmost care...'.  I believe this theological insight expresses a widely shared value for human life, held also by many who do not believe in the Bible.

There are also sound philosophical, ie, rational, arguments that support the biblical and Christian tradition on absolute respect for the human embryo based on its natural actual and proximate potential, inherent in its formative process from conception, to form a human individual and person. The recognition of the need of moral respect for human life from conception reflects humanity’s high regard for life that from time immemorial has taken its origin from a couple's mutual self-giving in  love.  It arises in the heart  and not from religious sources alone. Adults have moral responsibilities for embryonic human life, but not direct dominion over life itself.  There is no justification  for the reductionism that views human embryos as no more than genetic products, devoid of significance and inherent value. The passive potency of sperm and egg to become a human embryo is not accorded moral value, but the new human life resulting from their fusion certainly has a claim to absolute moral respect.