Final answer:
Each Catholic is considered a child of God with equal dignity based on the sanctity of baptism, the universal faith in Jesus Christ, and the belief that all humans are created equal in the eyes of God. This equality is independent of human-established ecclesiastical roles and is deeply rooted in Christian teachings that emphasize divine grace and the universal priesthood of believers.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Christian teaching, particularly within the Catholic tradition, what makes each Catholic a child of God with equal dignity is the belief in the sanctity of baptism, the unity of faith, and the intrinsic value and equality bestowed upon all humans by God. This concept emerges from the teachings of the New Testament, where St. Paul proclaims that all who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ, thereby sharing in His identity as children of God (Galatians 3:26-28). This spiritual status is affirmed without distinction, implying that all baptized Christians are equal in dignity before God.
This equality is further elaborated by the notion that all Christians, by virtue of their baptism, partake in the priestly, prophetic, and royal office of Christ. This makes them participants in the spiritual estate, contrasting with the older notion that divides society into a spiritual and a temporal estate with inherent inequalities. Furthermore, Christian teachings emphasize that this dignity is not a result of human qualifications or offices but is rooted in the grace of God, freely given and available to all believers.
Equality in dignity among Catholics is, therefore, not based on ecclesiastical consecration by human authority, but rather on the divine consecration as seen through the lens of baptism and faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. The essence of being a child of God and living out that calling is captured in adhering to the teachings of the Gospel and exercising the faith that is common to all believers. This understanding serves as a foundation for the Catholic doctrine of the universal priesthood of all believers, aligning with the belief that God's love and calling extend equally to all humanity without exception.