Medical Ethics

Brief facts on Christian views on Medical Ethics

?

Arguments to Favour Abortion

PROCHOICE

  • ****
  • Child seriously handicapped
  • When birth threatens life of mother
  • Mother is in an unfit state to look after child
  • Feminists argue women have right of choice
1 of 7

Arguments Against Abortion

PROLIFE

  • Life begins at conception
  • Human life is sacred to God
  • Unborn babies deserve to be protected
  • Adoption is a possibility
2 of 7

Fertility Treatment - The Facts

Deff: Fertility treatment is used when people want to have children but are unable to conceive naturally.

Types of treatment: 

  • Drugs to increase sperm count or ovulation 
  • IVF in test tube, then embryo formed, placed into womb
  • AI - Artificial Insemination, sperm collected and placed into womb
  • AIH - husbands sperm
  • AID - donor's sperm
3 of 7

Christian Arguments Supporting Fertility Treatment

  • God said to Adam and Eve 'Be fruitful and multiply'
  • Can bring happiness to couple
  • God gave us intelligence, we shall use it
  • AIH is ok, not against the Exclusive nature of marriage
4 of 7

Christian Arguments Against Fertility Treatment

  • Unnatural 
  • AID is wrong, child grows up unaware of father
  • Makes it available for old women and lesbian couples
5 of 7

Euthanasia -The facts

Deff: literally means 'Good Death' to induce a quiet and easy death by drugs, neglect or some other method

Voluntary: person with painful terminal disease, unable to take own life, asks someone else to help them to die in a painless way

Non Voluntary: person is not kept alive because they have life worse than death, but cannot make decisions for themselves 

Passive: person with a painful terminal disease has heart attack, you do not attempt to resuscitate them, but let them go in peace

6 of 7

Christian Teachings of Euthanasia

  • Life is sacred, therefore should not be terminated prematurely 
  • Euthanasia is murder, therefore it is a grave sin
  • God is the only giver and taker of life, only God has the right
  • In exceptional circumstances Church will allow Passive Euthanasia
7 of 7

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Religious Studies resources:

See all Religious Studies resources »See all Morality resources »