When Does Life Begin?

• Aim: to think about when life begins

• Goal: to think about how this has an impact on how we understand abortion.

Exam Alert‘Children are a miracle’

What do you think? Explain your opinion. (3 marks)

3 reasonsDevelopment

1- 1 simple point2- 2 simple points3- sounds knowledge and understanding

Conception

Birth

Somewhere in the

middle...

I think life begins here because…

When does life begin?• http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4uEZGY6iy0

As this video progresses, you decide when life begins, explain your answer

Key WordsFoetus This is part of us which cannot be seen but is

believed to be a special part of us that exists.

Embryo An unborn baby before the first 8 weeks of development.

Conception When the sperm and the egg meet.

Soul An unborn baby after 8 weeks

Viability When a baby could survive outside of the mothers womb.

On your arrow

identify where you think life begins.

Day 1- The sperm and egg meet… This is know an conception.

A small bundle of cells…the baby is the size of a poppy seed. Layers of cells are in place to make each part of the baby!

DAYS 3-4

The fertilised egg travels towards

the uterus through the fallopian tube. Cells divide.

DAYS 5-9

Implantation takes place.

2 weeks

DAYS 10-14

The embryo releases chemicals and hormones that preventthe mother from Menstruating (having aperiod). The embryo attaches its self

at the womb.

DAY 20

Foundations of the brain, spinal cord and central nervous system

are already established.

DAY 15-18 At the beginning of the 3rd week a groove, called the primitive streak, forms toward what will be the tail end of the embryo. The spine, the kidneys and some of the major tissues of the body start to now develop.

3 weeks

DAY 21

The heart begins to beat.

8 weeks – The size of a large peanut Umbilical cord is attached to the placenta. Hands and feet can be seen. The baby’s intestines are working.

10 weeks – the baby is about 2 – 3 cm long. Its arms, legs, feet, and hands are visible. Its ears begin to work. It has tooth buds growing in its gums.

5 weeks – the baby is the size of an orange pip. The beginnings of an umbilical cord can be seen. Although still a ‘blob’, places are marked out for its eyes, nose and ears!

12 weeks – the baby is about 6cm long and looks like a mini baby. Its fingernails are growing and it’s sex has been determined.

15/16 weeks – the baby is about the size of a small grapefruit, it can now breath for itself. Its hair pattern is established and its blood vessels are visible and working. The baby has now started moving around although the mother may not feel it for another few weeks.

21 weeks – the baby is about the length and weight of a banana. Its heart beat is clear and detectable. Baby has a subtle sleeping and awake pattern. It usually sleeps in the same position.

24 weeks – This is known as viability the baby is about 10 inches long. It is very active and can be felt by the mother. Its eyes are developed, although not yet open. If born now, with a huge amount of medical intervention, the baby is capable of survival

A WOMAN CAN HAVE AN ABORTION LEGALLY UP UNTIL THE 24TH WEEK OF PREGNANCY!!!

28 weeks

29 weeks

27 weeks

27 to 29 weeks – the baby’s facial and physical features are already very prominent. It’s brain is very active, its eyes are open and the baby can see shadows. It can recognise familiar voices and has definite sleep patterns. It’ lungs are developing well and fast. The baby is putting on lots of weight and getting plump!

UNTIL 1990, THE LEGAL LIMIT FOR AN ABORTION WAS 28 WEEKS!!! AT 27 WEEKS THE BABY/PREGNANCY IS CLASSED AS ‘VIABLE’ MEANING IF IT WAS BORN IT HAS MORE CHANCE OF SURVIVING THAN A 24 WEEK OLD BABY.

35 weeks34 weeks

34 and 35 weeks – the baby has unique foot and finger prints. It is fully formed except for it’s lungs which continue to develop until it is born and takes its first breath. The baby moves a lot less now as conditions inside the womb are very cramped! From now till birth the baby will just grow and wait to meet its family!

40 weeks- The baby is born.

Life begins at...

Life begins at conception, people think it starts at this point because....

Having considered the stages in

pregnancy where could we say life

begins at?

Key Term

Soul: Christians believe the soul is a non-physical and immortal part of the body that continues after death and is the connection with God

Does the foetus have

a soul?

Many Christians (Roman Catholics) believe that all babies have a soul from the moment of

conception and so are fully human. This is based on the teaching in Genesis 1:27 that

people are made in the image of God; that God has a plan for

every individual (Jeremiah 1:5) and that God is the creative spark from the moment of

conception (Psalm 139:13). This means that they believe the

foetus is fully human.

In Christianity there is little debate that a human person exists before birth. The Bible makes reference to human life in the womb.

1. ‘Before I was born the Lord Called me.’ 2. Before I formed you in the womb I knew

you, before you were born I set you apart.’

However, there are differences amongst the Churches about when life starts, and when

the foetus receives its soul .

All human rights at conception When the embryo breathes It develops throughout the pregnancy

The early Church father Tertullian ( 160-220CE) wrote: ‘Now we allow that life begins at conception because we contend that the soul also begins from conception; life taking its commencement at the same moment and place that the soul does.’ (Apology 27)

‘Human life must be respected and protected from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognised as having the rights of a person- among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.’

‘ The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.’ (Genesis 2:7)

Some Christians use this to argue that ensoulment happens when breathing begins. Before an embryo begins to breath amniotic fluid, abortion can be justified.

‘ It is simply not possible to identify the single moment when a new human person begins. The right of the embryo to full respect clearly increases throughout a pregnancy.’

‘There is never any moment from conception onwards when the foetus totally lacks human significance- a fact which may be overlooked in the pressure for abortion on demand. However, the degree of this significance manifestly increases. At the very least this suggests that no pregnancy should be terminated after the point when the aborted foetus would be viable.’

(Methodist Church of Great Britain, 1976)

What does this mean about the status of the embryo?

What does this mean about the status of the embryo?

What does this mean about the status of the embryo?

All human rights at conception When the embryo breathes It develops throughout the pregnancy

The early Church father Tertullian ( 160-220CE) wrote: ‘Now we allow that life begins at conception because we contend that the soul also begins from conception; life taking its commencement at the same moment and place that the soul does.’ (Apology 27)

‘Human life must be respected and protected from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognised as having the rights of a person- among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.’

‘ The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.’ (Genesis 2:7)

Some Christians use this to argue that ensoulment happens when breathing begins. Before an embryo begins to breath amniotic fluid, abortion can be justified.

‘ It is simply not possible to identify the single moment when a new human person begins. The right of the embryo to full respect clearly increases throughout a pregnancy.’

‘There is never any moment from conception onwards when the foetus totally lacks human significance- a fact which may be overlooked in the pressure for abortion on demand. However, the degree of this significance manifestly increases. At the very least this suggests that no pregnancy should be terminated after the point when the aborted foetus would be viable.’

(Methodist Church of Great Britain, 1976)

What does this mean about the status of the embryo?

What does this mean about the status of the embryo?

What does this mean about the status of the embryo?

The embryo has full human rights and should be treated like any other born human being. It is a human person.

After the embryo begins to breath it has full human rights. Before it begins to breathe it is not fully human.

The embryo is developing towards a full human person with full human rights. However, ‘it lacks independence and the ability to respond to relationships’ so is not the same. Over time it is becoming more human and so gains rights progressively. It should be treated with respect.

Does the foetus have

a soul? Muslims believe in the concept of the soul. They believe it is

given by Allah. Therefore when the foetus gains its soul its life begins. They believe that this

happens at 120 days (16 weeks) and they call this ensoulment.

However, they realise the potential for life from the moment of conception.

Some Christians like Catholics think life begins at conception. They believe God knows his creation

from this point.

Some Christians think that life begins when the embryo begins to

be able to breath. They think God gives the

embryo the ability to breath so that’s when

its life must begin.

Some Christians think that the more the

embryo develops the more it’s life begins. Therefore its life fully

begins at birth.

Muslims believe life begins when Allah gives the embryo a soul. Every human has a soul so life must begin when a soul is given.

Now lets compare

• We will watch the clip just once more. Reflect on what you have learnt this lesson.

• Has the information that we have discussed today changed your mind about when life begins?

• How is your belief different or the same as the Christian view about ‘when does life begin?’

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4uEZGY6iy0

Exam Alert

Explain when some people think life begins. 6 marks

Outline when Christians think life begins. 3 marks