religion and life

• Universe

  All existing matter and space considered as a whole; the cosmos.

  
• Fundamentalist Christians


  Christians who believe that the Bible is 100% true and the word of God e.g. the World created in 6 days.

  
• Liberal Christians


  Christians who believe that both the Bible and science are right e.g. the Bible story is not literally true, but a myth, God created the Big Bang etc.

  
• Wonder


  Marvelling at the complexity & beauty of the universe.

  
• Awe

  A feeling of respect, mixed with fear & wonder.

  
• Responsibility

  A duty to care for or something we have to do.

  
• Stewardship

  Duty to look after the world, and life. To guard over/look after something on behalf of God.

  
• Dominion

  The idea that humans have the right to control all of creation.

  
• Environment

  The world around us.

  
• Natural Resources

  The resources the earth provides without the aid of mankind.

  
• Sustainable development


  Building and progress that try to reduce the impact on the natural world for future generations

  
• Fossil fuels

  The Earth's natural resources - coal, oil and gas.

  
• Deforestation


  The removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a non-forest use.

  
• Renewable/sustainable energy

  Energy from a source that is not depleted when used, such as wind or solar power.

  
• Pollution

  The presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects.

  
• Vegetarian


  A person who does not eat meat or fish, and sometimes other animal products, especially for moral, religious, or health reasons.

  
• Vegan


  A person who does not eat or use animal products.

  
• Evolution


  Change in inherited traits in a species

  
• Abortion


  Deliberate expulsion of foetus from the womb with the intention to destroy it.

  
• Sanctity of Life

  The belief that life is sacred, special and holy. Therefore, all life deserves respect, and should be treated equally. Life is special because it involves the creative action of God.

  
• Quality of Life

  A description of how good someone's life is. It includes how comfortable they feel, how easy it is for them to live through each day, perhaps how much they have in terms of money and possessions. For many medical ethics issues it is ultimately about whether or not life is worth living because of the situation a person finds themselves in.

  
• Euthanasia


  Mercy killing; ending life for someone who is terminally ill, or has degenerative disease.

  
• Voluntary euthanasia

  If someone asks someone else to help them to die.

  
• Involuntary euthanasia


  If the person has not asked for it or is incapable of asking for it (e.g. in a coma).

  
• Active Euthanasia

  When action is taken to bring life to an end.This is generally against the law.

  
• Passive euthanasia

  When a decision is made to stop giving a dying person further treatment, even though death will be the result. This is not against the law.

  
• Afterlife


  Belief about what happens after we die to our self/soul.

  
• Big Bang Theory


  The scientific view of the beginning of the universe.

  
• Foetus

  The name of the unborn baby from the eighth week of pregnancy until birth.

  
• Embryo

  An egg in the early stages of growth from fertilisation by a sperm until the eighth week of pregnancy.

  
• Abuse


  Misuse of the world and environment.

  
• Animal rights


  The idea that animals should have rights because of respect for life.

  
• Charles Darwin


  The man who put forward the theory of evolution.

  
• Conception

  When the sperm fertilises the female egg so allowing pregnancy.

  
• Hospice


  A place that cares for the dying, usually from an incurable disease.

  
• Natural Selection


  One of the basic mechanisms of evolution.

  
• Pro-choice


  The idea that women have the right to decide on abortion.

  
• Pro-life


  The idea that life should be preserved and so abortion be disallowed.

  
• Science

  Knowledge coming from observed regularity in nature and experimentation.

  
• Right to die

  The belief that a human being should be able to control their own death.