Strong sanctity of life

Source: http://www.swcc.beds.sch.uk/studentresources/MPSRE/Sourcesforabortionkeyconceptslesson.pdf

The Bible is often cited as the basis of strong sanctity of life stance and proponents of
this stance are referred to as ‘pro-life’. According to these thinkers, God is the giver and
creator of life and people have no right to destroy what he has given. People are seen as
created in the ‘image of God’ (imago dei) so humans are set apart from other animals and
have a ‘spark’ of divinity in them.
“So God created humankind in his image” (Genesis 1)
The Incarnation according to Christian teaching, reaffirms the sanctity of human life as
God himself became human.
“And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as
of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth” (John 1.14)

If God is the creator of life, it is down to him to say when it should start and end. A
person does not have the freedom to decide to end his own or anyone else’s life.

“He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall Ireturn there; the Lord
gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord'” (Job 1)

Throughout the Bible there is also the command not to take life, and the biblical writers
saw this as part of the covenant with God and his people:
“You shall not murder” (Exodus 20.13)

The idea of the sanctity of life is also part of the teaching of Natural Law – which
underlies the ethical teaching of the Catholic Church. Taking life is seen as intrinsically
evil and unborn life must be protected. Natural Law states that preserving the innocent is
a primary precept and there are no exceptions which make it right. The only way that
advocates of natural law theory can allow abortion is if it is the unwanted consequence of
an attempt to save the life of the mother. This is allowed due to the doctrine of double
effect.

Thinking point: Does the theory of evolution challenge the biblical image of imago dei?
Does a strong sanctity of life position presuppose religious belief?