Value of human life

Abortion

notes

texts

Genesis 1. Man created in God’s image. 

Jeremiah 1.  A human being is a person in the womb. 

Psalm 139. Human life is a gift from God. 

Corinthians 1. The body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. 

Why do Christians care about abortion? 

• Life is a gift from God. - Genesis 1

• Human beings share God’s divine life in some way. - Genesis 1

• Human life is superior to animal life. - Genesis 1

• God gives life to individuals in the womb where they have personality. - Jeremiah 1

• Human life is sacred, worthy of respect and dignity and should not be destroyed, because it’s a part of God’s creation - Psalm 139

What is the law about abortion? (unnecessary)

2 medical practitioners have to agree that the continuation of the pregnancy would damage the

• health of the mother more than having a termination

• welfare of existing children

• mother’s psychological well being

Abortion can be legally performed up to 24 weeks unless the foetus is found to have a serious handicap, in which case there is no limit. 

Contrasting Views

Pro-choice: people who are for abortion being available on demand. They think it is every woman’s right to choose whether to continue with a pregnancy or not as the foetus is part of her body. 

Pro-life: people who think abortion should not be available on demand. They think the foetus is a potential human being and should be given the right to life.  

Why do some Christians think abortion is morally acceptable?

• considered the most loving action, to avoid pain, if the foetus is severely handicapped. 

• considered loving to the mother if the birth of a baby would be harmful to her. 

• considered recognition of the dignity of women and their freedom to make choices about their body - Corinthians 1

Why do some Christians think abortion is morally unacceptable?

• considered murder as the foetus is a human life and is sacred 

• considered that any difficulties experienced by mother or foetus aren’t as great as losing a life and they can always be tackled by alternative action. 

• life is a gift from God and should be cherished, not destroyed, e.g. Psalm 139

12 marker plan

Life organisation 

Aims: 

• To help relieve the emotional, physical and social problems of pregnant girls and women. 

• To respect the right to life. 

Action. 

• Pregnancy testing; pregnancy counselling

• Housing for pregnant women and women with babies, family accommodation for under age mothers

• Counselling and referral about adoption

• Abortion counselling, post abortion counselling

• Advice on fertility problems

• Education and information for schools

• Money is raised form donations, covenants and is staffed wholly by volunteers

Embryo experimentation

Why some Christians think it is right 

• contribute to healing if it is used to discover better treatment for disease. Healing was an important part of Jesus’ ministry 

• We should use our God given intelligence to develop methods of healing 

• Christianity has usually been slow to accept the morality of medical advances but accepted them later, like heart transplants

Why some Christians think it is wrong 

• life begins at conception and life is a gift from God which should not be destroyed

• there is personality in the womb so the foetus should be given full human status and rights - Jeremiah 1

• even if we are not sure of exactly when someone should be given human status we should be cautious with something as important as life. 

Euthanasia

Definitions

Euthanasia is a medical intervention to hasten the death of a terminally ill (dying) or chronically ill (incurable) patient.

Currently Euthanasia is illegal in the UK, but voluntary euthanasia or doctor assisted suicide is legal under certain conditions in some countries.

Voluntary Euthanasia: Someone makes the decision to end their life but needs help to do so

Involuntary Euthanasia: The patient is unable to make a decision so other people make the decision for them

Active Euthanasia: Something is done to end their life like a high dose of drugs

Passive Euthanasia: Something is removed which will result in death, like the end of a treatment

Pulling the plug

Removing unreasonable treatment if its judged to be the only thing keeping a patient alive with no prospect of proper recovery is judged as letting nature taking its course, not considered euthanasia.

Contrasting Views

Anti-Euthanasia - Sanctity of life

non religious views

• dying patient might not be able to make a rational decision

• a patients opinions on Euthanasia might have changed but they are now unable to tell anyone

• some people recover after being “written off” by doctors

• euthanasia makes life seep disposable - could be the start of killing the elderly or disabled

religious views

• it’s wrong to take away God’s gift of human life - “Thou shall not kill”

• Human life is a sacred gift from God - “God made man in his own image” - Genesis 1:27

• We don’t have the right to take a life - “God gives and God takes away” - Job 1:21

• Jesus healed the sick/dying, not killing them, Christians should help those suffering

Pro-Euthanasia - Quality of life

non religious views

• allows a patient to die without suffering and with dignity

• helps to shorten grief and suffering for loved ones

• everyone should have the right to decide how they die - Autonomy

• people view putting their pets down as kindness, why not with people?

religious views

• allowing someone to suffer isn’t loving, and so Euthanasia is the best way of putting agape love into practice

• we as humans have dominionship, so we should be able to choose for ourselves - Genesis 1:28

• Jesus improved peoples quality of life, Euthanasia also allows people to have a good quality life - John 10:10

• God gave humans the gift of free will, so we should have the right to decide when our lives end

Hospice

The strongest argument against euthanasia is Hospice, these help people die with dignity. the Hospice Movement…

• cares and supports patients during the most difficult stage in their lives

• relieves pain, caused by illness or stress

• cares for emotional needs for patients loved ones before, during, and after a patient’s death

12 marker plan

“It can’t be right for a doctor to end a patients’ life”