Starter quiz
- What is creationism?
- the belief that God created life exactly as described in Genesis ✓
- the belief that life developed through natural processes
- the belief that life developed through artificial processes
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- What does ‘sanctity of life’ mean in Christianity?
- all life is sacred because it was created by God ✓
- life is valuable only if it is useful to society
- human life is special, but animals have the same worth
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- What does it mean to be created in the “image of God”?
- that humans reflect God’s nature and have a special purpose ✓
- that humans physically resemble God
- that humans are identical to angels in their abilities
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- Which Christian denomination emphasises the belief that “there is a part of God in everyone”?
- The Catholic Church
- The Quakers ✓
- The Plymouth Brethren
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- According to Genesis 2, how was Adam created?
- he evolved over millions of years
- he was made in the same way as animals
- he was formed from dust and given life by God’s breath ✓
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- Many Christians believe that while human life has a unique status, they still have a duty to care for ______.
- 'animals' ✓
Exit quiz
- Which scientist argued that evolution is evidence of God’s design?
- Richard Dawkins
- Peter Singer
- John Polkinghorne ✓
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- What does the term ‘sentientism’ mean?
- the idea that all sentient beings deserve moral consideration ✓
- the belief that humans are the only intelligent species
- the rejection of evolution in favour of religious belief
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- Which philosopher is best known for promoting the concept of speciesism?
- Charles Darwin
- Peter Singer ✓
- Alice Roberts
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- What does Alice Roberts believe about human life?
- that humans evolved alongside animals and have a duty to care for the planet ✓
- that humans are more important than animals
- that human life has value because it was created by God
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- Which law regulates how animals are used for food in the UK?
- The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing regulations (WATOK) ✓
- The Animal Protection Act
- The Sentient Beings Act
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- Richard Dawkins argues that the appearance of design in nature is an ______.
- 'illusion' ✓
Worksheet
Presentation
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Life began approximately 3.8 billion years ago, and modern humans appeared about 300,000 years ago.
- Species evolve via natural selection.
- Some see divine design in evolution, while others, such as Richard Dawkins, see natural selection.
- Laws regulate how animals are used.
- Peter Singer argues against speciesism and in favour of moral consideration of all sentient beings.
Common misconception
All scientists reject the idea that God is involved in evolution.
Many scientists who accept the theory of evolution do not see it as incompatible with a belief in God. For example, some see evolution as the process through which God works, allowing for the possibility of divine involvement in the natural world.
Keywords
Evolution - scientific theory describing the development of species from earlier less complex forms through a process of natural selection and survival of the fittest
Sentientism - the belief that moral consideration should be given to all beings that can experience pain or pleasure (sentient beings), regardless of their species
Speciesism - the belief that humans are superior to other animals, justifying their use for human benefit, seen by Peter Singer as morally equivalent to racism