1. The Consistent Ethic of Life

2. As Catholics we believe that all life is sacred. By using the word all, we mean from the moment of conception (the sperm and egg) to the moment of natural death. This is known as the consistent ethic of life and it covers many controversial topics from contraception and abortion to euthanasia and capital punishment.

3. The ethic also demands that we respect all life, including how we relate to those we see as outside of our understanding of morality. (For instance, while abortion is wrong, so is harassing a woman who has had to make this traumatic decision.)

4. The consistent ethic of life challenges us every day. 1)It encourages us to hold together a great variety of issues with a consistent focus on the value of life. 2) It challenges us to reflect on our basic values and convictions which give direction to our lives. 3) It leads us to express our commitment to life in civil debate and public policy.

5. Abundant Life If we are consistent, we must speak and act concerning abortion and euthanasia but also concerning welfare and immigration, sexism and racism, cloning and health-care reform, trade agreements and sweatshops, the buying and selling of women for prostitution, genocide and many other issues. Based on our ancient Scriptures and attention to contemporary experiences, the consistent ethic of life provides an ethical framework for confronting the moral dilemmas of a new millennium. It helps us to promote the full flourishing of all life.

6. The ethic is based on a reading of key passages from scripture, most notably in Genesis. Read the following and write a 2 sentence summary as well as suggesting what it says about our understanding of life... – Genesis 2: 7-8 – Genesis 2: 20-26 – Genesis 4: 1-16 – Genesis 9: 5-17 – Genesis 38: 6-10

7. Life Is a Gift from God Genesis 2:7-8 7 then the L ORD God formed man from the dust of the ground, [a] and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. 8 And the L ORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed.a The first passage tells of the creation of humankind. Man is formed from the Earth and is bound to it – he does not live but God breathes life into him

8. Life is a gift to be passed amongst People Genesis 2:20-26 20 The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man [a] there was not found a helper as his partner. 21 So the L ORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the L ORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said,a “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, [b] for out of Man [c] this one was taken.”bc 24 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed. Woman is created from man. She is not remade by God but is rather a continuation of the gift God has given

9. Life is to be decided by God, not by people Genesis 9: 5-17 4 Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have produced [a] a man with the help of the L ORD.” 2 Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the L ORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the L ORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 The L ORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.”a 8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” [b] And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him. 9 Then the L ORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And the L ORD said, “What have you done? Listen; your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it will no longer yield to you its strength; you will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the L ORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 Today you have driven me away from the soil, and I shall be hidden from your face; I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and anyone who meets me may kill me.” 15 Then the L ORD said to him, “Not so! [c] Whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance.” And the L ORD put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him. 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the L ORD, and settled in the land of Nod, [d] east of Eden.bcd Third passage tells how jealousy and sin results in hatred and disregard for life Sets a stern penalty from God, not from people

10. Life is so sacred it is respected by even God Genesis 9: 5-17 5 For your own lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning: from every animal I will require it and from human beings, each one for the blood of another, I will require a reckoning for human life. 6 Whoever sheds the blood of a human, by a human shall that person’s blood be shed; for in his own image God made humankind. 7 And you, be fruitful and multiply, abound on the earth and multiply in it.” 8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9 “As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. [a] 11 I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”a God has taken life to create righteousness. He reserves the right to punish but indicates that he will use it with mercy

11. Life is present in the seed of procreation, not just the child itself. Genesis 38: 6-10 6 Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the L ORD, and the L ORD put him to death. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her; raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 But since Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, he spilled his semen on the ground whenever he went in to his brother’s wife, so that he would not give offspring to his brother. 10 What he did was displeasing in the sight of the L ORD, and he put him to death also. Even as seed the gift of life is present and should not be wasted or used without thought of life.

12. When is a life a life? Here is an excellent argument to articulate why all life is sacred and abortion violates the Consistent Ethic of life. Kathy Ireland uses Science and Reason to tell Mike Huckabee why she became pro-life. 8:23 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMjeddIJCqU

13. Consistent ethic of life Requires strong understandings of : Contraception, abortion, love and understanding, marriage and childbearing, same sex orientation, mercy, capital punishment, euthanasia

14. Living Justice and Peace Read Pages 130-135 In point form, write down at least 6 ways to make it easier to choose life when faced with a decision that challenges the Consistent Ethic of Life