Unit One: The Right To Life

This unit explores the idea of the sanctity of life and looks at key medical
issues and the arguments for and against them.

The Sanctity of Life

This is the key Christian belief that all life is sacred because only God can
give and take life. It is a central argument to use in this section. There are
many quotes that support the idea of the sanctity of life. Fill in the table below
to explain what each of these quotes means.

Quote Explanation, this means.

before I knew you I formed you I the
womb I knew you, before you were
born I set you apart

man was made in the image of God

thou shall not kill

your body is the temple of God

Abortion

Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy that results in the death of the

embryo or foetus.

In the UK abortion is legal if:

Two doctors agree it
The pregnancy has not passed 24 weeks
There is a risk to the mothers health, physically or psychologically
There is a significant risk that the baby will be born with disabilities

Abortion is carried out either medically (using drugs) or surgically (using

surgery). In the early stages of pregnancy a pill can be used to abort the
foetus and in the later stages a surgical procedure is necessary.

When does life begin?

Christians believe that a human person exists before

birth because in the Bible it states before I formed you
in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set
you apart
 When does life begin? Who and why do they think this?
At the moment of conception Catholics human life must be
respected from the moment of
conception

At ensoulment the Lord God formed man from the

dust of the ground and breathed into
him the breath of life
Some Christians argue life begins
when the soul enters the body
(ensoulment) and that this takes
place when breathing begins

Pro Life and Pro Choice

Catholics are completely against abortion (Pro Life). The Church of England
and Non Conformists believe it is acceptable if the health of the mother is in
danger or the embryo is severely deformed. (Pro Choice)

Complete the table below with arguments for each side

Pro Life (against abortion) Pro Choice (in favour of abortion)

thou shall not kill love your neighbour as you love

yourself

Alternatives to Abortion

Many Christians argue that more should be done to support women who are
considering an abortion. There are many ways they may be helped:

Direct social and financial support from the church

Counselling people
By accepting and welcoming single mothers into the church life
Offering fostering provision
In extreme cases where the mother cannot adequately care for and
love the child adoption may be offered
 Christian should never agree with abortion Do You Agree? (6 marks)

Euthanasia

Euthanasia literally means an easy or good death. It is sometimes referred to

as mercy killing It is often defined as the act of killing someone painlessly,
especially to relieve suffering from an incurable illness.

In the UK euthanasia is illegal, HOWEVER, each case is considered

individually. There are lots of cases at present that you can refer to in your
exam:
E.g. Tony Nicklinson locked in syndrome
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17336774

Voluntary Euthanasia: when a terminally ill person asks a doctor or friend to

help them die peacefully and with dignity. It can be called mercy killing or
assisted suicide. An example you could use here is the case of Diane Pretty.

Involuntary Euthanasia: when a persons wishes cannot be given for some

reason, e.g. being in a coma

Active Euthanasia: where something is actively done to end a persons life

e.g. a lethal injection is given or pills are taken

Passive Euthanasia: where something that could be done to pro long a

persons life isnt e.g. not giving them medical treatment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daE3lcMFmls

Christian Responses to Euthanasia

Christian arguments for euthanasia Christian arguments against

euthanasia

Agape and compassion for the thou shall not kill

person who is suffering
 Christians should never agree with euthanasia
Do You Agree? (6 Marks)

Christians should not agree with euthanasia because the Bible has many
teachings that say you should not take life. The Bible says thou shall not kill
Also in the Bible Jesus healed many people. The Bible is important for
Christians as it guides them in life. They should follow the rules in the Bible
and also try to be like Jesus. Some Christians think that God has given them
freedom to decide what they should do. They may think that helping someone
who is in great pain is a way of showing love and mercy

Using the A02 mark scheme how many marks would you give this answer?
Why? What targets would you set it to improve?

The Quality Of Life

The debate about the quality of life is central to euthanasia. The question
often arises when is life no longer worth living? A good example to use here
is the case of Tony Bland.

At 17 Tony Bland was severely brain damaged after the 1989

Hillsborough disaster. His parent and the hospital asked permission
to withdraw the artificial food and water that was keeping him alive.
The High Court and the House of Lords agreed.

The Right to Self Determination

Self determination refers to the right to make decisions for yourself in your life.
It is an argument used by those who agree with voluntary euthanasia.

Dignity in Dying is one organisation which campaigns for a choice at the end
of life and a dignified death for all.

For some Christians because life is sacred they believe there should be some
quality to it and people should have the right to decide for themselves if that
standard of life is too low.
The Hospice Movement

Hospices are special where people go to die with dignity. In 1967 Cicely
Saunders founded the Hospice movement and there are now over 220
hospices in the UK

Many Christians argue the hospice movement is a

better alternative to euthanasia because
It emphasises compassionate care with expert
pain relief
It emphasises healing either physically or
spiritually
It emphasises valuing the person and every
moment of their life

Possible exam questions:

Explain the difference between active and passive euthanasia (2

marks)

There is no need for euthanasia because we have hospices What do

you think? Explain your opinion (3 marks)

Give three reasons why a woman may wish to have an abortion (3

marks)

THE RIGHT TO LIFE IS THE MOST

IMPORTANT RIGHT OF ALL SO WE
SHOULD NOT KILL

THE RIGHT TO LIFE MEANS WE

SHOULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE WHEN
AND HOW WE DIE