9.4.2 Religion & Abortion (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062))

What is Abortion?

• Abortion is the removal of a foetus from the womb before the end of pregnancy, with the intention of destroying it

• Abortion is legal in the U.K. but there are strict guidelines relating to when an abortion is permitted

• There are many reasons why someone might consider getting an abortion. These include situations when:

• The foetus has inherited a genetic condition which would cause it to suffer greatly 

• The mother is too young to care for a baby

• A woman has become pregnant as a result of rape or incest

• A woman requires medical treatment that will end the pregnancy e.g. chemotherapy

• The pregnancy was unplanned, and the mother does not want children

• The father does not want to be involved, and the mother doesn’t feel she can cope alone

Situations when Abortion is Considered

• The Abortion Act 1967 allows the termination of a pregnancy by a registered medical practitioner, subject to certain conditions. This applies to England, Scotland and Wales

• Under the Act, an abortion must be carried out in a hospital or specially licensed clinic

• Before a legally induced abortion can take place, two doctors must agree that one of the following applies:

• The mother's life is at risk

• The mother's mental or physical health is at risk

• The well-being of existing children was at risk

• The foetus would be born with a severe disability

• An abortion cannot take place after 24 weeks, unless the mother's life is at risk, or the foetus will be born with a severe disability

• Abortion is legal, even after 24 weeks, if:

• There is a serious threat to the woman’s health or life 

• There is a substantial risk that the child will be born with physical or mental abnormalities and have severe disabilities 

Religious Views on Abortion

• There are different religious views on abortion but all religions believe that abortion is not a good thing

• They believe this because of the belief in the sanctity of life and the fact that humans should not decide who lives or dies

• Some people believe that abortion is never justified. Others believe that it is acceptable in certain situations

• In certain circumstances, some religious people might consider the quality of life of both the unborn child and the mother as the priority

Christianity and abortion

Islam and abortion

• Muslims, like Christians, believe in the Sanctity of Life

• Most Muslims believe that abortion is wrong

• The Qur'an says,

• This means that killing an unborn child would be sinful

• The Qur'an says,

• This means that abortion is particularly sinful after 120 days when ensoulment has taken place

• There are two situations for Muslims when abortion may be permitted:

• If the abortion takes place before ensoulment and the unborn child has a serious birth defect

• If the mother's life is in danger - because the life of the mother is more important than potential life. This is also the only time abortion is permitted after 120 days

• Some Muslim women would argue that it is their choice what to do with their bodies and therefore might have different views about whether and when an abortion should be allowed

Arguments For & Against Abortion

• Abortion is a controversial issue and there are lots of different opinions, both religious and non-religious on the topic. Opinion differences centre on the following;

• People do not agree when life begins

• If life begins at conception, abortion is murder. If life begins at birth, abortion is acceptable

• There is a conflict of rights between the right of the mother to have control over her own body, and the right of the unborn child to live

• Laws on abortion are often dictated by men when abortion is an issue that primarily affects women

• Arguments for and against abortion are often called pro-choice and pro-life

Arguments for abortion

• A woman has the right to choose whether she wants to have the baby. It is her body

• In the case of rape, it would be lacking in compassion to deny a woman the right to an abortion

• The woman might be too young to bring up a child, or she may have work or family commitments which make bringing up a child difficult or impossible

• The pregnant woman's health and welfare are more important than that of the embryo or foetus

• The embryo or foetus does not have the same rights as the mother

• The quality of life of the unborn child or the woman's existing children could be adversely affected by the birth

• Stopping legal abortions would mean a return to back street abortions, causing a great deal of suffering to the health and well-being of the woman

• Abortion is the lesser of two evils

Arguments against abortion

• The belief that life begins at conception and therefore abortion is morally wrong

• Every human being, including an embryo or foetus, has the right to live and to reach their potential

• There are alternatives to abortion, e.g. adoption

• The unborn child is denied a choice

• Abortion destroys human life and makes life appear cheap and disposable. This affects the quality and value of life

• People born with disabilities can live full and happy lives

Adoption as an alternative to abortion

• The main alternative for a person considering abortion who does not want to keep a child is adoption

• This is where a mother gives up her legal rights of parenthood, and the child becomes the legal responsibility of someone else

• Religious groups would prefer this because:

  • People do not agree when life begins

  • It means that an innocent life is not taken, so doesn’t break rules about the sanctity of life

  • It is a way of helping childless couples have children

  • It is a way of showing agape (unconditional love) which Christianity teaches all Christians should do

  • It ensures that the child will be brought up in an environment where they are loved and wanted 

  • It protects the mother from the guilt associated with abortion

• Some people may view adoption as undesirable because:

  • The child may grow up to question why they were given up when they were young

  • The mother still has to go through the process of pregnancy and birth, which for many women is part of the reason why they would have an abortion 

  • It is unfair to expect a person to go through the process of birth only to give up their child afterwards

  • The mother may regret the decision and will have no legal way of reuniting with the child