Section 1 - Religious rights and responsibilities

Question 1

Bible defintion

Answer 1

The holy book of Christians

Question 2

Church definition

Answer 2

The community of Christians (with a small c it means a Christian place of worship)

Question 3

Conscience definition

Answer 3

An inner felling of rightness or wrongness of an action

Question 4

The Decalogue definition

Answer 4

The ten commandments

Question 5

Electoral processes definition

Answer 5

The ways in which voting is organised

Question 6

Democratic processes definition

Answer 6

The ways in which al citizens can take part in government (usually through elections)

Question 7

The Golden Rule definition

Answer 7

The teaching of Jesus that you should treat others as you would like them to treat you

Question 8

Human rights definition

Answer 8

The rights and freedoms to which everyone is entitled

Question 9

Political party definition

Answer 9

A group which tries to be elected into power on the basis of its polices

Question 10

Pressure group definition

Answer 10

A group formed to influence government policy on a particular issue

Question 11

Situation ethics definition

Answer 11

The idea that Christians should base moral decisions on what is the most loving thing to do

Question 12

Social change definition

Answer 12

The way in which society has changed and is changing (and also the possibilities for future change)

Question 13

Genetic engineering AGAINST points

Answer 13

• Long term consequences to genetically modified creatures
• Killing of embryos for stem cell research
• Technologies could use it for ‘evil’
• Slippery slope argument

Question 14

Genetic engineering FOR points

Answer 14

• Genetic engineering offers a cure for many diseases
• GM crops
• Renewable fuel
• Medicines, Huntingtons disease

Question 15

Situation ethics AGAINST points

Answer 15

• Goes against fundamental commandments in the Bible e.g. divorce
• Law put in place to curb self interest, Aquinas
• Might lead to evil acts, murder could be allowed
• Idea of love could be ‘subjective’

Question 16

Situation ethics FOR points

Answer 16

• Jesus’ teachings
• Jesus is a role model for this approach
• Personal. Based on the Well-Being of others
• Practical. It is more flexible and useful than rigidly following Biblical laws for the sake of following them

Question 17

Conscience FOR points

Answer 17

• Inner feeling of right and wrong, given by God
• Church Teachings
• Joseph Butler, its a natural guide
• Helps Christians know what to do in specific circumstances, Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Question 18

Conscience AGAINST points

Answer 18

• The conscience could be biased towards personal preferences
• The conscience should not be used by itself as it may not have been understood properly
• The conscience is not from God it is our environment (Freud)
• The conscience may be mistaken, Peter Sutcliffe murders

Question 19

Christian using Church Teaching FOR points

Answer 19

• The Bible teaches that the Church is the Body of Christ on Earth
• Authority to teach was given to the apostles by Jesus and this authority has been passed down through the leaders of the Church
• Christ is called the Head of the Church in the New Testament so Church teachings come from Jesus
• The Holy Spirit is present in the Church today so can guide leaders on modern-day issues

Question 20

Christian using Church Teaching AGAINST points

Answer 20

• The church is bias, all male

- Church of England is often divided, liberal and conservative

Question 21

Christians should only use the Bible FOR points

Answer 21

• Fundamentalist Christians believe that the Bible is the literal word of God
• It contains rules accepted in society, the Ten Commandments do not murder
• It contains the teaching of Jesus and shows what Jesus would do in moral situations
• The Bible is not influenced by present in culture an society

Question 22

Christians should only use the Bible AGAINST points

Answer 22

• Liberal Christians believe that, although inspired by God, the Bible was written by humans and therefore needs to be seen in the context of history, stem cell research
• Things in the Bible such as slavery and genocide are not accepted in todays society
• Other moral authorities should be used
• The Bible does not contain information on modern day issues
• There are contradictions in the Bible, number of days for the flood

Question 23

Why are human rights important to Christians?

Answer 23

• Every human being is created by God in his image and we are all equal in his eyes, Imago Dei
• The Teachings of the Bible uphold human rights, golden rule
• The Teachings of the Church uphold human rights, Desmond Tutu
• Jesus is a role model for the protection of people’s human rights

Question 24

Christian reasons FOR genetic engineering

Answer 24

• God gave us dominion, (power over the world)
• The Golden Rule, help people who are suffering
• Jesus healed, so should we
• God has given us the gift of knowledge

Question 25

Christian reasons AGAINST genetic engineering

Answer 25

• We are playing God
• The Sanctity of Life, stem cell research
• Ecclesiastes 7:13 “Consider God’s handiwork; who can straighten what He has made crooked”
• Made in God’s image, we shouldn’t be curing things that don’t cause suffering such as short-sightedness