Christian Views on Abortion

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Christian Views on Abortion
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Your job

• Read the following pages carefully. They teach
  you about the Christian views on abortion.
• Design a leaflet aimed at people your own age
  explaining to them what Christians believe about
  abortion.
• Your leaflet must include answers to the
  following questions in your own words
• Do all Christians agree about abortion?
• What does sanctity of life mean?
• What are the main views on abortion called?
• What do these 2 groups believe about abortion?
• What does the SPUC fight for and why?

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This lesson you will learn about the various
Christian views on abortion. Not all Christians
agree about abortion. There are two main
groups Pro Life (for life AGAINST
abortion)Pro Choice (for choice Open to the
possibility of abortion).
Pro-Choice Pro-Life Sanctity of
Life Bible
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Pro-Life

• This group of Christians believe that abortion is
  wrong. They believe the Bible teaches about the
  sanctity of life. They argue that life is
  God-given and therefore only He should decide
  when life should end. The Catholic and Orthodox
  churches forbid abortion. They believe life
  begins at conception so abortion is murder.
  Protestant Churches generally agree with the
  Catholic view but often leave such decisions to
  the conscience of the individual, leaving room
  for abortion in difficult situations such as
  rape.
• SPUC is a Pro-Life group.

Pro-Choice Pro-Life Sanctity of
Life Bible
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SPUCThe Society for the Protection of the Unborn
Childhttp//www.spuc.org.uk/about

• This society has campaigned strongly against
  abortion since 1967.
• The Roman Catholic Church supports S.P.U.C.
• S.P.U.C. is against abortion because
• Abortion denies the right to exist.
• Unborn children are vulnerable - they need
  someone else to speak up for their rights.
• Life begins at the moment of conception so there
  is no difference between abortion and murder.

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Pro - Choice

• In the 1960's some Church leaders felt that
  traditional teaching on abortion was out of date.
  Illegal abortions were dangerous and unhealthy.
  They felt that legalising abortion was the lesser
  of two evils. These Christians did not reject
  the idea of sanctity of life, but weighed it
  against other principles from the Bible. They
  considered that abortion might be permissible in
  some circumstances.
• The Bible says that we should love one another
  and help the weak. Some Pro-Life Christians
  argue that the most compassionate thing in many
  cases may be to allow the unsupported, single
  mother to have an abortion.
• Jesus invites us to live life to the full. What
  kind of life awaits a severely brain-damaged
  foetus?
• God gives free will. Who are we to take it away
  from someone?
• To be Pro-choice does not mean to be
  pro-abortion. Many pro-choice Christians see
  abortion as a last resort. They tolerate
  abortion rather than favour it.

Pro-Choice Pro-Life Sanctity of
Life Bible
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Sanctity of Life

• This is the idea that life is sacred / special /
  holy. Christians believe life is a gift from God
  and people are made in His image. Life is not
  ours to end. The Bible has much to say on this
  topic.

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What does the Bible say about abortion?

• '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 27)
• 'For you created my inmost being you knit me
  together in my mother's womb.'
• (Psalm 13913)
• 'Your eyes saw my unformed body.' (Psalm
  13916)
• 'You shall not kill.' (Exodus 2013)

Pro-Choice Pro-Life Sanctity of
Life Bible