R.E - Life&Death

• Conservative views on creation

  • Young Earth creationism: The world was created by God in seven actual days, less than 10,000 years ago
  • The world was created in 7 literal days
  • 'all scripture is God-breathed.' 2 Timothy 3:13
  • Detailed account of creation over 7 days in Genesis 1:1-2:3
  • God has a plan for each part of creation
  • The Bible is the literal word of God
  • 'Then God said, "Let us make mankind in out image, in our likeness…"' Genesis 1:26 - Humans are superior than any other part of God's creation
  • Creation story in Genesis 2:4-25 states that God created Adam before Eve, Eve was created from Adam's rib
  • Humans are the peak of God's creation as he 'breathed life' into humans, interpreted as God putting in souls within humans
  • 'For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb…Your eyes saw my unformed body: all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.' Psalm 139:13,16 - Idea of predestination
  • Creationism: The belief that all life was made by God
• Liberal views on creation


  • Old Earth creationism: Creation took place millions of years ago, the seven days refer to long eras of time
  • Theistic guided evolution: Life came about through evolution, guided by God's direct intervention
  • Natural evolution: Evolution is the natural process through which life has emerged, with God setting down the laws of nature
  • Liberal Christians believe 'let there be light' could be God commanding the start of the big bang
  • Alister McGrath: The world was created in 7 periods of time rather than 7 literal days, evolution is plausible with religion
• Cosmology


  The origin of the universe
• The Big Bang


  1. Started 13.8 billion years ago from a singularity, an infinitely tiny point

  2. As the singularity expanded, subatomic particles and atoms began to appear

  3. This led to the formation of stars and planets, making up the universe we know today

  4. The universe will continue to expand for billions of years, becoming bigger and colder

  5. Evidence of the Big Bang comes from the discovery of background radiation
• Conservative Christians' reaction to the Big Bang Theory


  Very critical as it contradicts the idea that God formed all life through his own power, takes away from the idea that humans are created with a purpose and devalues the sanctity of life argument
• Liberal Christians' reaction to the Big Bang Theory


  Accept the evidence but argue that God instigated the Big Bang with 'Let there be light'
• Theory of Evolution


  Charles Darwin's theory that living creatures have evolved through a process of gradual change over millions of years, backed by detailed evidence
• Evidence for evolution

  • Darwin's observations of finches on the Galapagos Islands, with different beak shapes adapted to different food sources
• Natural selection


  The process by which characteristics that are useful for survival are passed on to offspring, leading to the emergence of new species
• Religious reactions to Darwin's theory of evolution


  • Liberal Christians accept that science can teach things the Bible writers didn't understand
  • Evangelical and Conservative Christians see evolution as an attack on their beliefs, as it suggests life developed by chance rather than by God, undermines religious texts and the idea of the human soul
• Evolution


  The process by which different living creatures are believed to have developed from earlier less complex forms during the history of the earth
• Environmental sustainability


  Ensuring that the demands placed on natural resources can be met without reducing capacity to allow all people and other species of animals, as well as plant life, to live well, now and in the future
• Sanctity of life


  The belief that life is precious, or sacred. For many religious believers, only human life holds this special value, as life is created by God
• Quality of life


  The extent to which life is meaningful and pleasurable
• Abortion


  When a pregnancy is ended so that it does not result in the birth of a child
• Euthanasia


  The act of killing or permitting the death of a person who is suffering from a serious and incurable illness
• Afterlife


  Life after death; the belief that existence continues after physical death
• Soul


  The spiritual aspect of a being; that which connects someone to God. The soul is often regarded as non-physical and as living on after physical death, in an afterlife
• Atheists and humanists believe that life is a result of blind chance
• Jacques Monod: 'Man at last knows that he is alone in the unfeeling immensity of the universe, out of which he emerged only by chanced. Neither his destiny nor his duty have been written down.'
• Richard Darwin: 'Natural selection…has no purpose in mind. It has no vision, no foresight.'
• William Paley's Argument of Design


  Seeing the complexity of the world, like a pocket watch in a garden, leads to the conclusion that there must be a designer, who is God
• Stewardship


  Caring for the planet and managing its resources, as a trustee or caretaker on behalf of God
• Global citizenship


  The idea that we should see ourselves as part of a world community, with a responsibility to care for the whole world, not just our local area
• Conservative Christian view on the environment

  • Believe God has given them the right to utilise the world's natural resources
  • Dominion - Rule over nature
  • 'You have made them (humans) a little lower than angels and crowned them with glory and honour. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet.' Psalm 8:5-6 - Humans have superiority over the rest of God's creation
  • 'God blessed them and said to them…"Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground."' Genesis 1:28 - God has commanded humans to rule over his creation
• Liberal Christian view on the environment


  • Believe humans should be stewards to the earth rather than exploit it
  • 'Cultivate and care for it.' Genesis 2:15 - Humans should look after and guard God's creation, the earth
  • Responsibility towards the environment, using resources in a sustainable manner
  • Green Christians promote environmental awareness and action
  • 'Love your neighbour' Matthew 5:43 means everything, not just humans
• Humanist view on the environment

  • Agree with the idea of stewardship, believe humans have the responsibility to work for a more sustainable world
  • Humanist for a Better World (H4BW) campaign on issues like climate change and the environment
  • 'The humanist perspective places a strong emphasis on personal responsibility for our actions and the importance of social co-operation'
• Speciesism


  The idea that humans should not discriminate against animals, as being human is not a good enough reason to have greater moral rights than non-human animals
• Dualism


  The belief that humans are made of both a physical body and a non-physical soul
• Sustainable world


  Causes minimal harm to the earth
• Humanist for a Better World (H4BW)


  Group that creates networks for Humanists to share ideas about campaigning on issues such as peace, international co-operation, global justice, climate change and the environment
• Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of the BHA: 'The humanist perspective places a strong emphasis on personal responsibility for our actions and the importance of social co-operation, and we very much hope that Humanists for a Better World can build upon this tradition.'
• Speciesism


  The idea that humans should not discriminate against animals. It is a prejudice that most humans have in favour of our own species.
• Speciesism (Peter Singer)


  Being human is not a good enough reason for individuals to have greater moral rights than non-human animals. Speciesism is wrong, just as racism and sexism are wrong.
• Dualism

  The belief that humans are made of two separate parts: a physical body and a spiritual soul. The soul lives on after the material body dies.
• Materialism

  The view that nothing else exists apart from matter. Humans have only a physical body; there is no soul or spirit.
• Non-Dualism


  The body and soul are one, they cannot be separated. After death, the soul is temporarily separated and then reunited on Judgement Day.
• Christian view of the afterlife

  Humans have one earthly existence followed by an eternal afterlife. The dead will rise and be judged by God, with the worthy going to heaven and the unworthy to hell.
• Christian view of the soul

  The soul is the inner part of a being, and the body is the home of the soul. The soul gives humans their sense of aliveness, personality and individuality. Humans are connected to God through their soul.
• Ensoulment (Christian view)


  The moment when the human soul is said to enter a baby's body, which occurs at an early point in pregnancy.