Title: Christian & Muslim Attitudes to Abortion

1. The Problem of Unanswered

Prayers & Belief In God

2. The Problem of Evil & Suffering and How Religion Responds to It

3. Christian & Muslim Beliefs

About Life After Death

4. Reasons Why Some People Do Not Believe In

Life After Death 5. Christian & Muslim

Attitudes to Abortion

6. Christian & Muslim Attitudes

to Euthanasia

Christmas!8. Assessment

Feedback7. Assessment

Lesson

By the end of this lesson…

D Grade: Describe four main points about Christian & Muslim attitudes to abortion

C/B Grade: Explain Christian & Muslim attitudes to abortion

A/A* Grade: Evaluate religious attitudes to abortion

Key Words: Abortion, Immortality of the Soul, Sanctity of Life, Double Effect, Evangelical Protestants, Catholics, Liberal Protestants, Shari’ah, Foetus, Conception

Christian attitudes to abortion

There are different Christian attitudes to abortion. All Christians agree that abortion is not good because God created the life, and it is holy. This is called the sanctity of life.

One Christian attitude says all abortion is wrong and will only accept it in extreme situation that pregnancy threatens the life of the mother. Another Christian attitude states that abortion is not ideal but will accept that it is necessary in some situations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK5RXdnlB5c - Watch and make notes. (Vivos for the first person to spot spelling error!)

Mrs Smith’s Dilemma. What would a Christian think?

• Mrs. Smith is 34, she has just left her husband as he was having an affair.

• She has 3 children.

• She has just lost her part time job.

• She has just found out she is pregnant.

• She is considering whether she can look after 4 children alone?

Christian attitudes to abortion

Abortions should be allowed sometimes because...

Abortion is wrong because...

A woman should have complete control over her own body

Life starts at conception and should be protected

Life starts when the baby can survive independently

God started the life so only God has the right to end it

Christians are supposed to reduce suffering - an abortion could be to prevent suffering Doctors should protect life, not end it

Life is taken in the Bible and according to God’s will, so why not before birth?

Life is holy (sanctity of life) and therefore should not be interfered with

Abortion is a personal issue - the decision should be made by the woman,

not doctors

The 5th Commandment of the Decalogue states, ‘Do not kill’

Bible quotes to support your answers

Jeremiah1:5Before I formed

you in the womb I knew you

1 Corinthians 3:16Don’t you know that you

yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in

your midst?

Genesis 1:26Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in

our image, in our likeness...’

Exodus 20:13Thou shall

not murder Can you think of any others?

Exam questions

b) Do you think all Christians should accept abortion? Give 2 reasons for your point of view (4)

Muslim Attitudes to Abortion• Muslims believe that human beings are Allah’s most important

creation because they are the only living thing to have a soul.

• They believe that Allah gives each human a soul as soon as they have begin to develop as a baby in the mother’s womb.

• All Muslims accept that Allah is the creator and that family life is essential for Muslims. Therefore abortion is not good.

• They believe that body is just the ‘carrier’ for the soul.

• Allah allows each soul to be in a body for a certain time.

• Muslims believe that life is a test and an opportunity to do good. They believe that good acts will be rewarded in paradise with Allah, but evil acts will be punished.

Qur’anic quotes can argue abortion either way...

Use Page 50 to and make three points under the following titles:

Reasons Why Some Muslims Allow Abortion

Reasons Why Some Muslims Never Allow Abortion

MUSLIMS & ABORTION: TRUE OR FALSE?Abortions should be allowed

because... Abortion is wrong because...

Life begins at conception Allah is the creator of life, only Allah has the right to end life

The Qur’an says do not kill your child because of want

The Qur’an says that those who kill have gone astray

An abortion could prevent danger on the mother’s life

The mother has been raped Mother is disabled and unable to look after the child

Sanctity of life - life is holy and belongs to Allah

Life starts at 120 days (ensoulment)

MUSLIMS & ABORTION: TRUE OR FALSE?Abortions should be allowed

because... Abortion is wrong because...

Life begins at conceptionFALSE

Allah is the creator of life, only Allah has the right to end life TRUE

The Qur’an says do not kill your child because of want FALSE

The Qur’an says that those who kill have gone astray FALSE

An abortion could prevent danger on the mother’s life FALSE

The mother has been raped TRUE Mother is disabled and unable to look after the child FALSE

Sanctity of life - life is holy and belongs to Allah FALSE

Life starts at 120 days (ensoulment) FALSE

MUSLIM ATTITUDES: TO ABORTION

Abortions should be allowed because... Abortion is wrong because...

Mother is disabled and unable to look after the child

Allah is the creator of life, only Allah has the right to end life

Life starts at 120 days (ensoulment)

The Qur’an says do not kill your child because of want

An abortion could prevent danger on the mother’s life

Sanctity of life - life is holy and belongs to Allah

The mother has been raped The Qur’an says that those who kill have gone astray

Life begins at conception

Spot the Similarities: Christian attitudes to abortion

Abortions should be allowed sometimes because...

Abortion is wrong because...

A woman should have complete control over her own body

Life starts at conception and should be protected

Life starts when the baby can survive independently

God started the life so only God has the right to end it

Christians are supposed to reduce suffering - an abortion could be to prevent suffering Doctors should protect life, not end it

Life is taken in the Bible and according to God’s will, so why not before birth?

Life is holy (sanctity of life) and therefore should not be interfered with

Abortion is a personal issue - the decision should be made by the woman,

not doctors

The 5th Commandment of the Decalogue states, ‘Do not kill’

Challenge time• Create a learning summary about the similarities and

differences with Christian and Muslim views to abortion

• You must use a Venn diagram

•Use quotes to help support your points

Exam questions

• a) What is sanctity of life? (2)

• b) Do you think all Muslims should accept abortion? Give 2 reasons for your point of view (4)