Life & Death key terms

Afterlife

life after death; the belief that existence continues after physical death.

Environmental Responsibility

Ensuring that the demands placed on natural resources can be met without reducing capacity to allow all people and other species of animal, as well as plant life to live well, now and in the future.

Sanctity of life

The belief that life is precious, or sacred. For many religious believers, only human life holds this special status.

Evolution

The process by which different living creatures are believed to have developed from earlier less complex forms during the history of the earth.

Soul

The spiritual aspect of a being; which connects someone to God. The soul is often regarded as non-physical and as living on in the afterlife, after physical death.

Quality of life

The extent to which life is meaningful and pleasurable.

Creationists

The belief that God created the world and that it didn’t come about by scientists.

Stewardship

The responsibility to look after the world

Dominion

The power over animals