The Sanctity of Life (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note
Exam code: C120
Christian attitudes to the sanctity of life
The sanctity of life
All humans agree about the value of human life
Everyone accepts the idea that life is precious and should be preserved
The value of human life has an extra dimension for religious believers because they consider that life comes from God
Believers see life as a unique and precious gift from God
The idea that life is precious and sacred is known as the sanctity of life
Belief in the sanctity of life is a core idea in any part of religious ethics that deals with the value of life
This includes issues such as abortion and euthanasia
Christian attitudes to the sanctity of life
Christians believe that human life is the most valuable and special of all forms of life
Life is sacred because it comes directly from God
It is a gift that must be protected
God is the creator of all life and, therefore, only God has the right to take life away
The Bible teaches that human life has unique value because humans were created “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27)
Every human life is created, known and valued by God
God has a purpose for each individual, even before they are born. The book of Jeremiah says:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5)
Christians believe that God created all things good from the start of creation
Genesis says:
“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31)
St Paul reminds the early Christians of the value of their lives, saying that they are “God’s temple”
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)
The Ten Commandments include “You shall not kill” (Exodus 20:13), which underlines that taking life is wrong
Instead, only God decides matters of life and death
“I, your God, give life and I take it away” (Deuteronomy 32:39)
Jesus clearly showed through his teachings and practice that he valued all human life, often taking time to care for the poor, the sick and outcasts
How Christians apply the belief
The Catholic Church teaches that human life must be respected, from conception to natural death
Because life is sacred, many Christians are pro-life on issues such as abortion and euthanasia
God has a plan for every person’s life — ending someone’s life early prevents that plan from being fulfilled
Many Christians support hospices and palliative care, valuing life even when its quality is reduced by illness
Some Christian groups, such as Quakers, oppose the death penalty and war because such actions fail to uphold the idea of the sanctity of life
Muslim attitudes to the sanctity of life
Like Christians, all Muslims believe in the sanctity of life
Life is a sacred gift from Allah, who alone has the power to give it and take it away
All life is created by Allah and therefore has equal value
The Qur’an teaches that human life is precious and must be protected
“Nor take life — which Allah has made sacred — except for just cause” (Qur’an 17:33)
Muslims believe in Al-Qadr (predestination): Allah has a plan for every person’s life, and it is Allah’s will who lives or dies
Taking life, even one’s own, rejects Allah’s plan and is seen as shirk, or the worst sin, because it challenges Allah’s authority
The Qur’an teaches that saving a single life benefits the whole of humanity because all life is valuable
“If anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people” (Qur’an 5: 32)
Every human being is part of a single community
“This is your community, one community, and I am your Lord: be mindful of Me” (Qur’an 23:52)
Because all life is sacred, Muslims must respect every person regardless of background, race or belief
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said in his final sermon that no group is superior to another; all are equal except by piety and good actions
“All mankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; also, a white person has no superiority over a black person, nor does a black person have any superiority over a white person, except by piety and good action.” (The Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh’s) words in the Hadith)
Muslims believe that all life is a test and that the rewards when they die depend on the choices they have made. They believe that:
Ending one’s own life or the life of another who is suffering is cheating the test and will be punished on the Day of Judgement
Suffering is purposeful and part of Allah’s plan
They will be rewarded if they help people who have no quality of life
Therefore, it is wrong to take a life away, as each life is holy
“O you who have believed … do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful.” (Surah 4:29)
“We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land — it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one — it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.” (Qur’an 5:32)
Humans have a responsibility to everything else in their community (all living creatures, as well as other humans)
This is the idea of stewardship: Muslims are called to be khalifahs or stewards of all living things
“It is He [Allah] who made you successors [khalifahs] on the earth” (Qur’an 6:165)
As well as the teachings in the Qur’an, there are also several references in the Hadiths to the need for all Muslims to respect the sanctity of life
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) taught that every person should be respected
“Your blood, your property and your honour are sacred!” (Hadith -— Sahih Al-Bukhari)
“The Muslim is one from whose hands and tongue the people are safe!” (Hadith — Nasa')
Harming others is forbidden
All Muslims must treat all life with dignity and respect
Humanist attitudes to the sanctity of life
Humanists believe that human life is valuable, but not sacred in a religious sense
They do not believe that the value of life comes from God or that humans have a soul or an afterlife
Humanists believe this life is the only one we have, so it should be lived fully and meaningfully
Because life is finite, it deserves respect and care. But that value comes from human experience, not divine command
Humanists believe that the purpose of life is to live well, show kindness and help others to be happy
They argue that morality and compassion come from human reason, empathy and social responsibility rather than religion
Life is not seen as sacred, but it is worthy of the highest respect because it allows people to improve the world and support one another
Some non-religious thinkers, such as Peter Singer, reject the idea of the sanctity of life and focus instead on a person’s quality of life
The idea of quality of life is covered in more detail in the End of Life section, where it is applied to questions about euthanasia and assisted dying
Worked Example
Define what is meant by the sanctity of life.
[2 marks]
Answer:
The sanctity of life refers to the belief that life is holy and special because it comes from God, so only God has the right to give and take life.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
These teachings form the foundation for many other ethical issues in this topic, including abortion and euthanasia. Learning key quotes and beliefs about the sanctity of life will help you to explain and evaluate religious views across several exam questions.
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