An acceptance of the practice of abortion is incompatible with Christian beliefs in the sanctity of life but not with the attitudes of some medical practicioners and some ethical philosophers. Discuss

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Tessa Appleby  8033

An acceptance of the practice of abortion is incompatible with Christian beliefs in the sanctity of life but not with the attitudes of some medical practicioners and  some ethical philosophers.   Discuss

When discussing issues that concern the sanctity of life it is important to give an accurate definition of what the term means. Within Christianity the term sanctity of life is taken to mean ‘the belief that all life is holy and belongs to God and therefore only God has the right to end life’ (Victor W Watton, Religion and Life). It is important however to note that this definition only covers the moral ideas of the Christian Church. It has been argued that as we know enter the 21st Century, that our society has become more less Church orientated and more people orientated. It is therefore important to provide an alternative definition for the sanctity of life (one that exists more on an ethical plain rather than a religious one). An ethical definition of the sanctity of life has been put forward by Peter Singer in ‘Writings on an ethical issue’,  ‘the doctrine of the sanctity of human life may be taken to be no more than a way of saying that human life has some special value, a value quite distinct from the value of the lives of living things.’ (1) Both of these definitions can be applied when debating the question of abortion, for that is to complex a subject that has many different interpretations depending upon your beliefs. The debate on abortion is not a new one, it has been discussed for many centuries (an earliest form of the abortion debate can be found in the writings of Aristotle). The law can also confuse matters within society when people are debating the issue of abortion. Within Britain abortion is legal due to the 1967 Abortion Act, this law states that a person shall not be found guilty of the unlawful ending of a pregnancy if two strict rules are adhered to. Those rules are:

1. The operation is carried out by a registered doctor and in a registered hospital (unless it is an emergency)

2. Two registered doctors agree that by carrying on with the pregnancy there would be a risk to the physical and mental health of the mother, or that there is a risk that the foetus would be born with a serious physical or mental handicap. The 1967 Abortion Act was later amended in 1990. The 1990 act states that an abortion cannot take place after 24 weeks of pregnancy, unless the mothers life is at risk because advances in medical techniques mean that such foetuses have a small chance of survival.

The date of the Abortion Act (1967) would tend to suggest that the issue of abortion is a new one, but as stated earlier this is far from the case (as proved in the writings of Aristotle). Before the Abortion Act women who did not want to continue with their pregnancy ended up having ‘backstreet abortions’. These illegal abortions often carried out by unskilled (ie they were not proper doctors) people for money in un- sterilised environments caused many women to die through bleeding to death after being butchered. Therefore the Abortion Act was seen as a huge victory for women’s rights to life (their own life independent of children) and for their rights to choose ( if they carried on with the pregnancy or if they had a termination). It is plain to see that on the issue of abortion there are many differing views and no overall moral absolute that people will always take into account (when making moral decisions  in this case on the issue of abortion). Within this essay different view points will be discussed on the issue of abortion ranging from the Christian views, Medical practicioners and ethical philosophers. At the same time as answering the question posed (detailed at the start of the essay), I will detail each groups (Christians, Medical practicioners and Ethical philosophers) view on the idea of a woman having an abortion because it is certain that the baby will be born handicapped.

Within Christianity there is one view that is fundamental and spans all of the different denominations found within the Christian faith. This view is that human life is sacred (ie they believe in the sanctity of life) and that the Almighty God is the only giver, sustainer and taker away of life. This fundamental view has far reaching consequences when applied to the issue of abortion. The basic Christian view on abortion is perhaps best summed up by the Roman Catholic viewpoint, (however this does not completely cover all the views from the different Christian denominations, but it does however give a broad view on the basic Christian thinking).

 ‘We have been created by Almighty God in His own image and likeness. No pregnancy is unplanned because no baby can be made unless Almighty God has planned it, and has decided to bring that individual personality into the world. What has actually happened in our society is that clever arguments have convinced those who don’t believe in God to think its right to kill unborn babies. They have argued that this killing is all right and even necessary for peoples happiness and the good of society.’ (Joe Jenkins, Introducing Moral Issues.) (2)

The above quote helps to highlight the feelings of many Christians towards the issue of abortion however sometimes they may accept that having an abortion would be the best thing for the health of the mother.

In 1982 Pope John Paul 2nd stated ‘I condemn, in the most explicit and formal way, experimental manipulations of the human embryo, since the human being, from conception to death, cannot be exploited for any purpose whatsoever.’ This view has been seconded by the Catholic Church’s document ‘Donum Vitae’. Also Roman Catholics would take their views on abortion from the Cathechism. The Cathechism for Catolics is the final authority on moral decisions and issues. Within the Cathechism it states that ‘human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person – among  which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life. Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable .’ (3)

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Catholics base their views on abortion on the idea of natural law. Natural law is based upon the idea that everything within nature has a role and that God created these roles and therefore only he has the right of control over those roles. Therefore using the principle of natural law Catholics would always state that abortion is wrong because it is going against the natural law of the world.

Catholics also have moral laws and moral theologies (that can beapplied to the issue of abortion.) As Robin Gill states ( In A Textbook Of Christian Ethics) ‘Moral ...

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