Abortion and Euthanasia: Explain How Christians would respond to these issues. In your answer you should refer to the different attitudes that Christians have to these issues as well as to the practical ways of that Christians might offer support

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AQA Specification A Religion Coursework

Joseph Leadbetter

AO2: Abortion and Euthanasia: Explain How Christians would respond to these issues. In your answer you should refer to the different attitudes that Christians have to these issues as well as to the practical ways of that Christians might offer support

Abortion is the deliberate termination of a pregnancy. Pro Life is a belief that abortion is murder, as life begins at the moment of conception and Pro Choice is the belief that the woman who is pregnant should make her own decision.

The Roman Catholic Church believes that abortion is murder. “Do not kill” Exodus 20: 1-17 is one of the Ten Commandments, in their eyes life begins at conception and so abortion would be classed as murder. Pope Paul IV wrote a Human Vitae in which stated that it was an absolute rule for human’s to accept abortion and the in 1970 the Roman Catholic Church reiterated this view. Although there is a clause in this belief, the doctrine of double effect. This means that, if it is the primary objective to save a mother from a life threatening disease but she is pregnant, everything in the doctor’s power must be done to save the mother.

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Another organization with the same view as the Roman Catholic Church is SPUC. SPUC (Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child) aims to ‘defend and promote the existence and value of human life from the moment of conception’ it is a non-religious pro-life organization. It is also concerned about the welfare of mothers during pregnancy and that of the child.

The Church of England believes that the foetus is God given life and is to be ‘nurtured, supported and protected.’ The mother is to be shown compassion, and her feelings and wishes are to be recognized. Abortions ...

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