Sanctity of life

• Sanctity of Life


  Belief that life is sacred/special because it was created by God
• Quality of Life


  The standard of health, comfort and happiness/fulfilment experienced by a person or group
• Christianity: Sanctity of Life


  • Life is a gift from God
  • God created humans 'in his own image' - IMAGO DEI
  • St Paul teaches that your body is a 'temple of the Holy Spirit'
  • God is 'sovereign' over life
  • 'Do Not Kill' is one of the 10 Commandments
• Islam: Sanctity of Life


  • Muslims believe life is sacred / holy and it belongs to God
  • All life has unconditional worth & should be respected
  • God is 'sovereign' over life
  • Life is a gift from God
  • God chooses when life begins and how long it lasts
  • Suffering is a test from God
• Why is the Sanctity of Life important?
• Importance of Sanctity of Life


  • It determines religious beliefs about moral issues such as abortion
  • Means theists unconditionally value human life (gift from God)
  • Influences how theists treat other people (e.g. do not harm / kill)
• Secular: Quality of Life

  • The 'value' of life is conditional - it varies

  • Subjective and subject to change over time

  It is an 'individual's perception of their position in life'

  If a person has low quality of life, they may feel more inclined to want to end their life Many Christians and Muslims how you feel is important but does not affect life's value.