Title: The Value of Life

Objectives: 1.) What does God say about the value of life?

2.) What are some worldly opinions of life?

3.) Present (technology) your findings to a fellow teenage Christian.

Resources:

As Christians our standards are dramatically different from the world. The concept of a "sanctity" to life has nothing to do with its quality but with the value God places on it. God is life's Creator and Terminator (Deuteronomy 32:39, Genesis 9:6; Exodus 20:13). God is also life's Redeemer (John 10:10; John 3:16; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 2:1-5). As people of God-inspired faith, our value system change. With regard to our own lives we are not our own (1 Corinthians 6:19). Instead, we are always seeking to do the will of God (Psalm 40:8; Psalm 143:10; Matthew 6:10).

Faith, however, does not make us immune to falling into the world's way of thinking. The Apostle Paul characterizes this tension as if it is an internal war (Romans 7:14-25). Yet, even in the face of suffering, a Christian clings with optimism to the blessing of life until God determines it is time for it to end (Philippians 1:21-24; Romans 5:3ff; Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 12:7ff).

Death from a Christian perspective is a matter of Divine will exercised within a circumstance. Christians accept that our times are in God's hands (Psalm 31:15). When life is allowed to be extended, regardless of its quality, it serves a purpose (Romans 8:28). That purpose is not necessarily always for the benefit of the patient (John 9:1-3) but may be for the benefit of those tending to the patient or those observing the patient and those tending to him.

As Christians we view life not as a right but as a blessing to be dispensed and retrieved by God at His will (Job 1:21). We are not permitted to favor our blessings (Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; James 2:1) or to resent greater blessings others have in comparison to our own (Matthew 20:1-16). When given the means to preserve and care for a blessing we are obliged to use those means (Luke 12:48)

Resources cont.:

Wisconsin Abortion Laws

http://www.sexetc.org/index.php?topic=Sex+in+the+States&state=wisconsin#statutory_rape

Abortion topics

http://www.sexetc.org/index.php?topic=FAQ&sub_topic=Abortion

Biased Counseling Against Abortion

http://forms.aclu.org/ReproductiveRights/ReproductiveRightsMain.cfm

Right-to-Die Pressure Grows

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,11026,1451336,00.html

Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide:

http://www.aafp.org/afp/970515ap/society.html

Right to Die

http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/overview.cfm?issue_type=right2die

Quality of Life:

http://www.christianliferesources.com/cgi-bin/dcisDisplay.pl?webpage&pageID=995

A Double Standard on Suicide?

http://www.christianliferesources.com/cgi-bin/dcisDisplay.pl?webpage&pageID=125

Schiavo Case Matters in…

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/calthomas/ct20050321.shtml

Beginning of Life

http://www.christianliferesources.com/cgi-bin/dcisDisplay.pl?webpage&pageID=675

Quality of Life

http://www.christianliferesources.com/cgi-bin/dcisDisplay.pl?webpage&pageID=58

Countering “The Right to Die”

http://www.christianliferesources.com/cgi-bin/dcisDisplay.pl?webpage&pageID=275

The Downhill Slide on the Slippery Slope

http://www.christianliferesources.com/cgi-bin/dcisDisplay.pl?webpage&pageID=51

Historical Look at Euthanasia

http://www.christianliferesources.com/cgi-bin/dcisDisplay.pl?webpage&pageID=280

Constructivist Lesson Plan Sample:

Title: TheThe Value of Life mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmDate:4/4/05

Teacher: Andrew Willems—7-8^th Grade Religion

1. Situation:

line You are presenting a PowerPoint to a Christian Teen Bible Class.

line Present the worldly view of one life issue. Present God’s view of life. Have the Bible Class recognize the subjectivity of worldly views and to formulate a Christian argument in support of all life.

2. Groupings:

line Class Periods: 1—Bible Passages showing what God says concerning the value of life. Students are given overview of project with rubric; 2—using the links above, show worldly views of various life topics. Groups should pick their life issue after class 2; 3—find and incorporate relevant Bible passages. Evaluate the appropriateness of passages to your life topic before using; 4—recognize subjectivity of worldly arguments you choose to include in your PowerPoint. Choose passages that formulate good arguments from the world; 5—finish presentation by peer editing with another group and listening to constructive criticism; 6—revise and animate and include slide transitions; 7 & 8—present to the class for assessment by peers and teacher. Those receiving highest evaluations will be posted to the class web site.

line Students may work in groups of two or three. They are free to choose their own groups.

3. Bridge:

line Students know basics principles of God’s Law on life issues. We will start with group discussions on the commandments and basic passages on murder. They will expand that knowledge in deeper passages and apply the new information in a practical, real world setting.

4. Questions:

line I do not anticipate needing to ask questions to stimulate student questions, or to help develop background.

line Students will have many questions. I will redirect them to God’s Word, and help them refine those questions to make an effective presentation the value of life.

5. Exhibit:

PowerPoint after peer evaluation.

6. Reflections:

Teacher will give students Blooms’s taxonomy of synthesis and evaluation questions to include in their evaluation of choices and their presentation for peers. Peers will help in reflection and revision with the same questions as well as logic of presentation.