4.Matters of Life and Death

Source of authority for life after death

'......Who has gone into heaven and is at gods right hand '

How it's carried out

Active- when something is done deliberately to make the patient die such as giving a lethal dose of drugs . People say active is more humane as passive euthanasia results in a slower and more painful death Passive - when the death occurs because the doctor doesn't do something that is necessary for them to stay alive . Medical professionals have a responsibly to preserve and save lives when they can

Teachings about sancity of life

All life is special because it comes from god Life should only be ended by God Life should be preserved It's different compared to other forms of life because humans are created in image of god God has a plan for everyone's life

Outline beliefs about animals

Animals were not created with souls Humans have stewardship over animals God created animals

Catholic view on abortion

Catholics and evangelical protestants believe Abortion is viewed as murder and the bible tells us 'thou shalt not kill' in the ten commandements. Catholics follow the popes teachings on abortion, which is that it is wrong, this view is support by religious texts such as the humanae vitae. It's important they accept and follow the teachings of a higher religious authority. God has a plan for everyone PRO LIFE- foetus has a right to live

'Human life is special as it was created by God'

Christians believe that life is special as the bible says that god created man in his own image. This suggests human life was made to be different The bible describes the body as a temple. As a temple is something special that should be looked after this suggests that human life is sacred and should be treated as such Many would argue that life is special because humans have ambitions, want to succeed and aim to do well. They would also argue its special because humans have the ability to communicate, think and feel Non religious would argue is special but there is no connection to god instead claiming you only get one life so should make the most

Source of Authority to why they shouldn't use the world as a commodity

Genesis 1-2 shows how God created the world in 6 days, creating something different on each day. For this reason the universe is not a commodity to be abused by humans but should be treasured.

Outline origins of universe

God is the creator The world took 6 days World was created a gift from god for humanity

Arguments against euthanasia

Hospices provide palliative care which is relieving the symotons of a condition a person is dying from which means euthanasia is not needed The Ten Commandments say "Do not kill", euthanasia results in the death of a person and some Christians see this as murder Sanctity of life says that all life is sacred Story of job- he suffered extreme pain and satan tested him. Job didn't doubt god and as a result maintains his integrity as a servant of god and didn't not fall into the trap set by Satan by giving up or taking his own life. It shows suffering has a spiritual purpose so don't question your faith God has a plan for everyone and good and bad and birth and death are part of that

Non religious views on abortion

Humanists do not the believe the life of the foetus begins at conception so they think women should be able to decide as the rights of the mother outweigh those if the child as it's not considered a person until it's born They do not believe life is sacred but they do respect and value life. They think quality of life is just as ,if not more, important than a right to life. So if baby was gonna be badly disabled then Quality of life would be poor

Why it's special

Humans were given stewardship over the universe. This is a god given responsibly to care for the world thus showing how important it is 'the lord god took the man and out him in the garden of Eden to work it and take care of it ' A gift from god

Why does theory of evolution create problems

If the theory is correct then the creation story found in Genesis must be wrong. Genesis states that God specifically created plants, fish, birds and animals. If evolution is correct, all of there were just a product of natural selection. The bible states that Adam and Eve disobeyed god in the story of fall. At this point original sin occurred which all humans take a part in. This means that all humans are sinful and so need to be reconciled with God through the death and resurrection of Jesus. If evolution is true, there was no Adam and Eve or original sin and so no atonement and salvation is needed.

Importance of sanctity of life

It will impact the way they act.They will live a life that shows respect for human life such as not drinking alchohol or smoking. It will guide them when making moral decisions such as euthanasia and abortion. Life is a gift from God and every person is made in Gods image. "So god created mankind in his own image Human life is more special than other kinds of life. Other animals don't have souls and are not made in the image of god, although they deserve to be treated with kindness and care.

Outline 3 beliefs that support existence of life after death

Jesus' ressurection Praise of life is a reward in heaven for living as god intended Jesus taught of an afterlife as rooms in his fathers house

Christian responses to non religious

Life is a gift from god and only god who created life can take it away. He gave free will but it doesn't give humans the right to take away life. Stewardship means that they have a responsibility to protect the weak and vulnerable in society Legalising voluntary euthanasia could mean that people feel pressured to end their lives so they are not a burden to their family. A right to die becomes a duty to die

3 beliefs about euthanasia

Life is special as god created it Some view it as murder Hospices are an alternative to euthanasia

Evolution

Origin of human life was through the gradual development of species over millions of years Individuals who are better adapted to the environment survived to pass on their genes to the next generation- survival of the fittest

Outline 3 reasons why they don't accept euthanasia

Sancity of life Story of job Only has right to choose when life should end Commandments - you shall not murder

Christian responses to scientific explanations for the origins of the universe

Some Christians reject scientific theories of creation, instead believing that the creation story in the bible is true in all detail. Where there is conflict between religion and science, they believe science is wrong. Literalists Some believe that there is no conflict between science and religion. They believe the Big Bang did cause the universe to exist and evolution is correct, but that these are part of Gods plan. Non literalists

Arguments for abortion

Some agree that it may be the 'lesser of two evils'. The child may be born disabled or they may be raped or the Mothers life may be at risk Situation ethics where the circumstances of each individual situation are considered very carefully and Christians make a decision about whether something is morally right o wrong based on the principle of agape and what the most loving thing to do is for everyone involved

Non religious views on ethanasia

Some atheists and humans would argue that the kindest thing might be to let a person end their life , if it what they want and they are in pain. Humanists do not believe in god and so they do for not believe that only god can decide when and how they die. They have a fundamental right to die with dignity in a way that they have chosen Some may follow situation ethics principles, which state that we should make descisions based on each individual situation and that general rules of euthanasia being right or wrong shouldn't be applied

Two ways in which Christians respond to scientific explanations about the origin of human life

Some may accept evolution. They may believe that the two complement each other and view evolution a part of God's plan in creating the world. The special Agenda IV Diocesan Synod attempts to bring together ideas of evolution and traditional Christian teachings to show they are not in direct conflict but can work together. Some may reject all scientific explanations for human origins. They may view the bible as the key source of authority, arguing that is it gods word and therefore cannot be wrong

2 ways in which Christians respond to the use of animals in experimentation

Some may argue it's acceptable if it benefits human life. It may lead to new drugs being developed and cures for diseases Some may argue it's wrong in all forms as humanity has a duty of stewardship to look after animals as god created them

Christian responses to issues in natural world

The Christian declaration on nature Assisi 1986- religious leaders met to discuss how their faiths could combine to save the natural world. Operation Noah is a Christian charity representing many different churches. It focuses on climate change and global warming. It responds by equipping churches with the resources to respond to these issues from proving materials that can be used during worship to giving talks on climate change Churches shrink their footprint. They place solar panels on their roofs and replaced old boilers with ground source heat pumps

Bible quotes showing sanctity of life

The bible states that humans were made as a 'Temple of the Holy Spirit' -humans are given a soul that connects them to God In genesis god man man in his own image as the final part of creation. This mans that god has made humans to be different from every other creation as he wanted to show they are special

Why do Christians belief in life after death

The resurrection of Jesus shows that there is life after death. Jesus rose from the dead and showed the way that Christians to can achieve a reward in heaven. Jesus in the bible teaches that there is an afterlife. 'My fathers house has many rooms...... I'm going the to prepare a place for you' There are references to the existence of life after death in the New Testament for example when Jesus forgave the criminal with him on the cross he told him "Today you will be with me in Paradise" suggesting the reality of the afterlife Jesus taught the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats to show the reality of heaven and hell in it he showed Christians what they need to do to enter heaven as they serve others

should christians be vegetarian

The teachings of Christianity may suggest the application of ethical theory in the treatment of animals, such as it being the most loving thing to do for example; some Christians believe that animals have been given life by God, including their own value and dignity. Christians may recognise the importance of animals and their treatment by focusing on the responsibility to care for them, rather than dominion 'People always remember that we are given dominion over animals but they forget that later we are given a vegetarian diet." The Christian Vegetarian Association Christians are taught that God gave mankind all the plants and trees as food, and does not say the same about the animals, suggesting that the original diet was vegetarian. It is possible to be a Christian and a meat-eater, but it is important to be responsible for how your food is sourced, keeping in mind moderation, wise stewardship and compassion Vegetarianism is not a requirement of Christianity, but it is how some Christians feel they should live their lives as stewards of the earth; this is however, a minority view that does not impact on the treatment of animals by the vast majority of Christians

Value of the universe

The universe is a source of general revelation(something beloved to show the existence of god in an indirect way ) Christianity teaches that the universe is important and has value because it's been created and proclaimed 'good' by god God is omniscient and omnibenevolent and therefore knows and cares about everything they happens in the universe

Non religious arguments against life after death

There is no evidence of an afterlife, no one has ever returned to prove it. Many would argue that science disproves religious ideas of an after life's and suggests there is nothing after death Some people have tricked others into believing they can contact people who have died and some vulnerable people have been taken advantage of in this way. This idea caused people to reject the idea of an afterlife completely Some people think that believing in an afterlife gives people a false sense of control over what they fear the most (death). They see a belief in the life after death as a coping mechanism that offers false hope. The church also are seen to control peoples behaviour by making them afraid of going to hell Humanists believe when a person dies their body decays and there is nothing else

Christian responses to humanist and atheist views

They agree however with a belief in the sancity of life

Use of animals for food

They agree it's acceptable as god gave them to humans for this purpose. The bible also states that god gave humans domination over animals Some may choose to be vegetarian as they believe since god created animals they are important and should not suffer. In genesis he only gave the plants and trees as food, not animals . They may only eat meat if they can be assisted the animal has been treated well before it was killed Humans were given souls and were made in the image of god which suggests animals are not as important as people The ethical theory of utilitarianism could be applied which states that the right action is that which gives the greatest happiness to the great number. In this case, the use of animals for food may be acceptable if large numbers of humans benefit

Explain 2 reasons why Christians believe the world shouldn't be used a commodity

They believe the world is a special gift created by God and that humans were given the duty of stewardship. - the resources of the earth are there for humans to use but people have a moral and spiritual obligation to use these resources sustainably They also believe God will judge them after death on how they treated the world. This will determine whether they should go to heaven or hell. Therefore we should take care of Gods gift and not use it as a commodity. The Old Testament teaches that humans have a responsibility to treat the animals humanely and to treat the land kindly by not growing crops every 50th year.

Why Christians believe they should look after world

They believe the world was created by god as a gift and is special. They believe that after death they will be judged on how they took care of his creation The bible teaches that Christians should care for the world. They were given the responsibility of stewardship. They believe god wants them to preserve the world for future generations.

Christian responses to belief there is no life after death

They hold beliefs about god creating the world and loving his creation and they don't think he would just allow it to end. Christians argue that Jesus' resurrection is evidence of an afterlife. Jesus came back to life after death which shows that non religious arguments about there not being an afterlife are wrong Christians maintain that the bible teaches them there is life after death. Passages such as from peter talk of Jesus being in heaven at the right hand of god

Christian responses to value of human life

They still respect human life like atheists etc. They ALL think human life has intrinsic value meaning it is worth something in its own right just by existing. They would agree because human life is created in the image of god and all have humans have a soul . However non religious would agree but for different reasons such as humans being capable of conscious thought They regard life as having extrinsic value too. It has value in relation to other things such as its potential. Fulfilling gods purpose for them gives their life greater meaning and value

C of e view on abortion

They will accept if pregnant arose a result of rape, there is risk to Mother's life, the baby is likely to have a serious disability . Medical technology allows us to indentify any problems with the foetus so children do not need to be born if they will suffer short or painful lives The bible doesn't specially mention it but the sanctity of life is considered. Life is sacred so shouldn't be destroyed PRO CHOICE- individuals have right to decide

Significance of belief in life after death for Christians

They will try to love their life well and please god so they can achieve eternal life in heaven. It acts as a form of social control by the church as it influences the way Christians behave It helps them cope with death as following Christian teachings shows them that death is not the end

3 types of euthanasia

Voluntary - refusing to eat, asking to end life, requesting medical treatment is stopped Assisted sucicide- where a person is given the means to end their own life Non voluntary- they can't ask but there is good reason for thinking it's what they want eg, on life support