What do religions teach about the value of life, abortion, euthanasia and the environment?
The origins and value of life, the sanctity of life, abortion, euthanasia, and care for the environment, from religious and non-religious perspectives.
An Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies (C120) Component 1 answer on issues of life and death, covering the origins and sanctity of life, abortion, euthanasia, and care for the environment, from Christian, Islamic and non-religious (Humanist) perspectives, with sources of wisdom and authority.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
Have a quick question? Jump to the Q&A page
Jump to a section
What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to explain religious and non-religious teachings on the origins and value of life, the sanctity of life, abortion, euthanasia, and care for the environment, from Christian, Islamic and non-religious (including Humanist) perspectives. This is the Issues of Life and Death theme. It feeds 15-mark evaluation questions on abortion and euthanasia, so you need the content, both religions' views, the range within each, and the sources of wisdom and authority Eduqas rewards.
The origins and sanctity of life
On origins, religions teach that life comes from God the creator, while accepting (for many) that science describes the mechanism (the Big Bang and evolution) as the means God used. This belief in the sacredness and God-given nature of life shapes every issue in this theme.
Abortion
The debate turns on when life begins and on weighing the sanctity of life against compassion and the mother's situation, which is exactly what the evaluation question tests.
Euthanasia and the environment
Most Christians and Muslims oppose euthanasia (ending a life to relieve suffering) because of the sanctity of life: only God should end life, and they support good palliative care and the hospice movement instead. A minority of Christians, out of compassion, may accept it in extreme cases, and the quality-of-life and autonomy arguments (often used by Humanists) pull the other way.
On the environment, religions teach stewardship (khalifah in Islam): God made humans caretakers of creation, answerable for how they treat it (Genesis 2:15; the Qur'an's teaching that humans are Allah's stewards on earth). So caring for the planet, animals and future generations is a religious duty, shared with Humanists who value it for the sake of human and other life.
Common and divergent views
The common view among believers is the sanctity of life and a duty of stewardship. The divergences are over abortion and euthanasia: a firm "always wrong" position (Catholic, many Muslims) versus acceptance in hard cases (some Protestants and Muslims), with Humanists weighing quality of life and autonomy. For the exam, present the sanctity of life as the shared starting point and the hard cases as where views divide.
Try this
Q1. What is euthanasia? [a-style recall]
- Cue. The deliberate ending of a person's life to relieve their suffering; most Christians and Muslims oppose it because of the sanctity of life and support palliative care instead.
Q2. Explain why many religious believers oppose euthanasia. [b-style short explanation]
- Cue. Because of the sanctity of life: life is holy and God-given, and only God should end it ("the Lord gives and the Lord takes away", Job 1:21; "do not take life, which Allah has made sacred", Surah 17:33), so they support good palliative care and hospices rather than ending life.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas C120 2019 (style)2 marks[a] What is meant by the sanctity of life?Show worked answer →
This is the 2-mark (a) AO1 definition question. Define the term precisely: the sanctity of life is the belief that life is holy and sacred because it is given by God. A short developed phrase secures both marks, for example "the belief that life is sacred and God-given, so it must be respected and protected, and only God has the right to end it". A single word risks only one mark.
Eduqas C120 2021 (style)8 marks[c] Explain religious teachings about euthanasia. Refer to sources of wisdom and authority in your answer.Show worked answer →
This is the 8-mark (c) extended AO1 question, and referring to sources is required for the top band. Explain that most Christians and Muslims oppose euthanasia because of the sanctity of life: life is God-given and only God should end it ("the Lord gives and the Lord takes away", Job 1:21; in Islam, "do not take life, which Allah has made sacred", Surah 17:33). Develop that they support good palliative care and the hospice movement instead. Note that some Christians, out of compassion, may accept it in extreme cases, and that the quality-of-life argument is used on the other side. The top band rewards developed points each tied to a named source.
Eduqas C120 2022 (style)15 marks[d] "Abortion is always wrong." Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should refer to religious beliefs and teachings, give reasoned arguments to support this statement, give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view, and reach a justified conclusion.Show worked answer →
This is the 15-mark (d) AO2 evaluation question, where SPaG is assessed, so write in continuous prose with specialist terms. Arguments to support: the sanctity of life means life is God-given and begins at conception, so abortion is the taking of an innocent life ("you knit me together in my mother's womb", Psalm 139:13; "do not kill your children", Surah 17:31); the Catholic Church and many Muslims hold this firmly. Arguments for a different view: some Christians accept abortion in cases such as rape, serious risk to the mother's life, or severe disability, weighing compassion and quality of life; Humanists judge by the woman's wellbeing and rights and the consequences. Use specialist terms (sanctity of life, quality of life, conception). A justified conclusion weighs the sanctity of life against compassion and the circumstances.
Related dot points
- Religious and non-religious teachings on the nature and purpose of marriage, divorce and remarriage, the family, and gender equality and roles.
An Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies (C120) Component 1 answer on issues of relationships, covering marriage, divorce and remarriage, the nature and purpose of the family, and gender equality and roles, from Christian, Islamic and non-religious (Humanist) perspectives, with sources of wisdom and authority.
- Religious and non-religious teachings on sexual relationships (sex before and outside marriage), same-sex relationships, and the use of contraception and family planning.
An Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies (C120) Component 1 answer on human sexuality and contraception, covering sex before and outside marriage, same-sex relationships, and contraception and family planning, from Christian, Islamic and non-religious (Humanist) perspectives, with sources of wisdom and authority.
- Religious and non-religious teachings on crime and punishment, the aims of punishment, the treatment of criminals, forgiveness, and the problem of suffering and evil.
An Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies (C120) Component 1 answer on issues of good and evil, covering crime and punishment, the aims of punishment, the treatment of criminals, forgiveness, and the problem of suffering and evil, from Christian, Islamic and non-religious perspectives, with sources of wisdom and authority.
- Non-religious worldviews (Humanism and atheism), how religious and non-religious people make moral decisions, and where they agree and differ on ethical issues.
An Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies (C120) Component 1 answer on non-religious worldviews and ethics, covering Humanism and atheism, how religious and non-religious people make moral decisions, and where they agree and differ, with sources of wisdom and authority.
Sources & how we know this
- Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies specification (C120, from 2016) — WJEC Eduqas (2016)