Explain the beliefs Christians hold about their responsibility for those at the beginning and end of their lives.
AO1- Explain the beliefs Christians hold about their responsibility for those at the beginning and end of their lives.
The heart of Christian ethics is love, which has its source in God. Christianity is based on the principal of love,' love thy neighbour as yourself' is the greatest teaching and in this context means having concern/caring for others. Christians extend this teaching further when considering those at the beginning or end of their lives.
Christians believe that an unborn baby or foetus is created in God's own image, which is why they would regard every child and living person as precious, and whilst in the womb it is closest to perfection (completely innocent).
Christians believe that all human life is sacred as it has eternal destiny and as an unborn child a potential life an unborn child/ foetus is treated with protection and respect, as a human should be. In general Christians feel it is their responsibility to take care of the body carrying an unborn baby and because traditional Christian teaching places the highest value on human life most Christians condemn the concept of abortion as it would involve destroying something so innocent and going against God's will because God chose to give the life. Christian's regard abortion in any sense as murder which goes against their moral teachings, the fifth commandment states 'Thou shall not kill'.