Sanctity of Life

• What is the sanctity of life?

  The belief that life is holy and belongs to God
• What texts does the sanctity of life derive from?

  - Genesis 1:26-27. Humans are born 'in the image of God'. What is created in the image of the creator must be sacred to him

  - Genesis 2:7. 'and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being'. From the Hebrew nephesh, usually translated as 'soul'. Only described as humans, not other forms of life, humans must be the only beings with souls. Belief in the existence of souls is an important part in the Christian belief that human life is sacred to God
• What does the strong principle mean?

  Believe entirely in sanctity of life. Embryo research and abortion not allowed at all
• Why does the strong principle not support embryonic stem cell research?

  They believe that it is a life once the embryo is fertilised. So embryonic stem cell research breaks the sanctity of life
• Why does the sanctity of life override quality of life for strong principle supporters?

  Life is sacred because it is created in God's image. Abortion destroys that image. Our care of life should be by good stewardship rather than ownership of the embryo
• What is the weak principle?

  Can be overrode by quality of life when necessary. For example if someone is on a life support machine and has no real hope of recovery and has shown a wish to not be kept on life support and their doctor and family agrees, quality of life is valued over sanctity of life.
• Who supports the weak principle?

  The Church of England supports the weak principle under some circumstances. For example an abortion for a woman that was raped