How do Christians apply the sanctity of life to abortion and euthanasia?
Matters of life and death: the Christian belief in the sanctity of life, Christian attitudes to abortion, Christian attitudes to euthanasia, and beliefs about life after death and how they shape these views.
A focused CCEA GCSE Religious Studies guide to matters of life and death in Unit 6 Christian Ethics. Covers the sanctity of life, Christian attitudes to abortion and euthanasia, and beliefs about life after death and how they shape these views, showing the range of Christian responses.
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What this dot point is asking
You need to explain Christian responses to matters of life and death: the belief in the sanctity of life, Christian attitudes to abortion, Christian attitudes to euthanasia, and how beliefs about life after death shape these views. CCEA examiners reward precise knowledge of Christian teaching, an awareness that Christians hold a range of views, and balanced evaluation. The strongest answers explain how a principle such as the sanctity of life is applied to a difficult issue.
The sanctity of life
The sanctity of life is the foundation of Christian ethics on life and death: it is the reason many Christians are cautious about, or opposed to, deliberately ending a human life.
Christian attitudes to abortion
Abortion is the deliberate ending of a pregnancy. Christians hold a range of views.
- Many Christians, including the Roman Catholic Church, teach that life begins at conception and is sacred, so abortion is the taking of an innocent life and is wrong.
- Other Christians, while valuing life, accept that abortion may be the lesser of two evils in some situations, such as a serious risk to the mother's life or health, and stress compassion.
- Most Christians treat abortion as a very serious matter, never to be taken lightly, whatever their view.
So Christians agree that life is precious, but differ on whether, and when, abortion can ever be justified.
Christian attitudes to euthanasia
As with abortion, the debate over euthanasia turns on weighing the sanctity of life against compassion for those who are suffering.
Beliefs about life after death
Christian views on life and death are shaped by belief in life after death. Christians believe that death is not the end: through the resurrection of Jesus, they have the hope of eternal life with God. This belief can make some Christians more willing to accept death peacefully, trusting in God, while still upholding the duty to protect life and not to bring it to an end deliberately.
How to answer a question on life and death
A model paragraph built from this method: "Many Christians teach that euthanasia is wrong because life is a gift from God and only God should decide when it ends, and they support the hospice movement to give loving care to the dying. Other Christians, moved by compassion for those in great pain, may accept that in extreme cases it could be the kinder choice. Whatever their view, Christians take the sanctity of life seriously and weigh it against compassion." This scores highly because it explains the reasons and shows the range of Christian views.
Try this
Q1. What is meant by the sanctity of life? [2 marks]
- Cue. The belief that all human life is sacred because it is a gift from God and humans are made in God's image.
Q2. Why do many Christians believe abortion is wrong? [2 marks]
- Cue. They teach that life begins at conception and is sacred, so abortion takes an innocent life.
Q3. What is the hospice movement, and why do many Christians support it? [2 marks]
- Cue. Care that gives loving support to the dying; Christians support it as a compassionate answer to suffering instead of euthanasia.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of CCEA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
CCEA Unit 6 (style)5 marksExplain Christian beliefs about the sanctity of life.Show worked answer →
A five-mark AO1 question. Give two or three developed points, not a list.
Life is God-given: Christians teach that life is a gift from God, who is the giver and taker of life, so human life is sacred and not ours to end as we choose.
Made in God's image: Christians believe humans are made "in the image of God," which gives every human life special value and dignity.
A duty to protect life: because life is sacred, Christians teach a duty to protect and respect life, which shapes their views on issues such as abortion and euthanasia.
Develop each point with what it means and, where you can, link to teaching such as "You shall not murder." Two or three explained points reach the top of the mark band.
CCEA Unit 6 (style)12 marks'Abortion can never be right for a Christian.' Consider different points of view.Show worked answer →
A twelve-mark AO2 evaluation question. Give different points of view, refer to the statement and reach a justified judgement.
Agree: many Christians teach that life begins at conception and is sacred, so abortion is the taking of an innocent life and is wrong; the Roman Catholic Church holds this firmly.
Other views: other Christians, while valuing life, accept that abortion may be the lesser of two evils in some cases, such as a serious risk to the mother's life or health, and stress compassion and the woman's situation.
Judgement: argue that, although Christians value the sanctity of life and many oppose abortion strongly, others believe compassion allows it in some difficult cases, so it is not held to be always wrong by all Christians. A balanced, supported judgement that refers to the statement reaches the top level.
Related dot points
- Personal and family issues: Christian teaching on the purpose of marriage, attitudes to sexual relationships including sex before marriage, Christian responses to divorce and remarriage, and the importance of the family and the upbringing of children.
A focused CCEA GCSE Religious Studies guide to personal and family issues in Unit 6 Christian Ethics. Covers Christian teaching on the purpose of marriage, attitudes to sexual relationships, responses to divorce and remarriage, and the importance of the family and raising children.
- Developments in bioethics: Christian responses to fertility treatment (IVF), genetic engineering and cloning, and embryo and stem cell research, and the ethical principles such as stewardship and 'playing God' that shape them.
A focused CCEA GCSE Religious Studies guide to developments in bioethics in Unit 6 Christian Ethics. Covers Christian responses to fertility treatment (IVF), genetic engineering and cloning, and embryo and stem cell research, and the principles of stewardship and 'playing God' that shape them.
- Prejudice and equality: Christian teaching against prejudice and discrimination, beliefs about the equality of all people, attitudes to wealth, poverty and the duty to help those in need, and the work of Christians for justice.
A focused CCEA GCSE Religious Studies guide to prejudice and equality in Unit 6 Christian Ethics. Covers Christian teaching against prejudice and discrimination, the equality of all people, attitudes to wealth, poverty and helping those in need, and Christian work for justice.
- War and peace: Christian attitudes to war, the Just War theory, Christian pacifism and the example of peacemakers, attitudes to nuclear weapons, and teaching on forgiveness and reconciliation.
A focused CCEA GCSE Religious Studies guide to war and peace in Unit 6 Christian Ethics. Covers Christian attitudes to war, the Just War theory, Christian pacifism, attitudes to nuclear weapons, and teaching on forgiveness and reconciliation, showing the range of Christian views.
Sources & how we know this
- CCEA GCSE Religious Studies specification — CCEA (2017)