Lesson video

Hello, my name's Mrs. Rawbone, and I'm your RE teacher today.

I'd like to welcome you to this lesson on the Quality of Life as part of a unit on Religion and life.

In today's lesson, you're going to be explaining the concept of the quality of life and examining Christian and non-religious perspectives on what makes life good quality.

We're going to be using the key words quality of life, sanctity of life, and value.

Now, quality of life means the standard of health, comfort and happiness or fulfilment experienced by a person or group.

Sanctity of life is the belief that life is sacred or special because it was created by God or because we are each unique individuals and value is the worth, importance, or usefulness of something.

Today's lesson will form two parts.

We'll be looking first at the concept of the quality of life, and then we'll be looking at different views on the quality of life.

So let's begin with the concept of the quality of life.

Laura and Jacob are discussing the value of life.

Jacob says, "Is life's value determined by the way we experience it?" Laura responds, "Yes, I think happiness and well-being give life meaning." Jacob replies, "Does that mean life shouldn't always be protected?" And Laura responds, "Yes, if a life involves constant suffering with no chance of improvement, you could argue it might be kinder not to protect it at all costs." Why is Jacob's question important? Pause and talk to somebody nearby if you can, or you can talk to me.

Give yourself a little bit of time to think about the importance of that question Jacob asked about the value of life and how that is determined.

Come back when you're ready to move on.

The word quality comes from Latin.

It's from qualitas, meaning a characteristic or a property.

So quality of life refers to the standard of health, comfort and happiness or fulfilment experienced by a person or a group.

So it's about the characteristics that life has, and it emphasises an individual's overall well-being.

We're gonna check your understanding now.

Which description best explains the concept of quality of life? Is it A, the standard of health, comfort and happiness or fulfilment experienced by a person or group? Is it B, the belief that life is sacred and should be respected because it is created by God? Is it C, the belief that all human life has intrinsic value regardless of circumstances? Or is it D, the idea that life is valuable simply because it exists deserving of protection and care? So pause the video whilst you think about your answer and reread those options.

Press play when you are ready to join and check.

Well done if you put A.

It is about the standard of health, comfort, and happiness.

So it's about those characteristics of life.

Quality of life being the qualities or characteristics of life has the impact of saying that life is valued based on some extrinsic factors.

So things that beyond the person's control necessarily, so things that are happening outside of that person.

So this could be their physical or their mental health.

It could be about their relationships.

It could be about their freedom or autonomy.

And what that means is that taking those factors into account, someone might not believe that life needs always to be protected if the quality is low.

Someone who has more relativist views on the sanctity of life, which is the view that God has created life and therefore it has that intrinsic value, would take quality of life into account.

And they may think that life does not always need to be protected.

So it's possible to believe the sanctity of life, but to take quality of life into account too.

Laura says, "When someone's quality of life is poor, for example, if they're unable to make choices for themselves, it could be that protecting their life is not the kindest thing to do." So we have a scale here from zero to 10, with zero meaning life does not always need to be protected, and 10 meaning life should always be protected.

So 10 would be an absolutist view on the sanctity of life, and zero would be more of a quality of life view.

Where do you think Laura's view would fit on that scale? Pause the video, have a discussion with somebody nearby if you can, or you can talk to me, and then come back when you are ready to move on.

We're going to check our understanding now.

I'd like you to give me one factor that could affect the value of human life.

So pause the video, have a think about the idea that life's value may be based on certain qualities or extrinsic factors.

Jot down your answer and come back when you're ready to check.

You could have said physical health, mental health, relationships, freedom.

There's quite a number of things that could have been included there, so well done if you've got any one of those.

For task A, to practise your understanding, I would like you firstly to define quality of life.

And then secondly, I'd like you to identify two factors that contribute to a person's quality of life.

For each, you're going to describe what it is, explain why it's important, and include an example of how it could affect someone's day-to-day life.

So take your time to think back over this idea of quality of life.

Pause the video.

Give yourself long enough to write those two paragraphs describing it, explaining the factor, and giving an example of how it impacts somebody.

Come back when you're ready to see what you might have written.

You could have said quality of life is how good or bad someone's experience of life is.

And for part two, two factors that contribute to a person's quality of life.

Health is a key part of quality of life.

Poor physical or mental health can make it harder to do everyday things and can affect someone's mood.

For example, if someone is sick, they may miss out on events which can make them feel frustrated.

Having strong relationships with family and friends is important for a good quality of life.

Being able to talk to someone during tough times can reduce stress.

For example, talking to a friend when feeling anxious about school can help someone to feel less alone.

You might have chosen different factors from me, but have a look.

Have you said why it's important and have you also given that example to support it? Well done if you have.

Moving on to the second part of our lesson, we're going to be looking at some different views on the quality of life.

Questions, we'll try to answer questions such as, is life's value determined by the way it is experienced by consulting sources of authority such as the Bible and the teachings of the church or tradition? Now, they might also use their conscience and their reason, which is their ability to work things out, because they see these as coming from God too.

So in doing that, they might reflect on non-religious arguments as well.

In the end, Christians do come to different conclusions, and that might be because they interpret sources differently or they value one or emphasise one over another.

We're going to look at Bible teachings as a source of wisdom and authority.

So a teaching from Matthew 25:35-36, which is part of the parable of the sheep and goats, says, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.

I was sick and you looked after me." Now, this teaching is often used by Christians to emphasise the importance of helping people and supporting people.

So here we might use it to emphasise the role of compassion, and support, and generally improving people's well-being as being an important thing for them to do.

So it could be used in support of the idea that life should have good quality, and that Christians should be helping people to achieve that.

Love your neighbour as yourself.

So this word love is the word agape used in the New Testament by Jesus, and it's the kind of love that people give without expecting anything in return.

It's an action rather than just a feeling.

And in fact, it might not even be the feeling.

It's more the action that matters here.

So this quotation encourages treating other people with care and respect just as you would want to be yourself.

So it might support the idea of quality of life, of making sure that someone's well-being is protected.

"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you." This comes from Jeremiah 29:11, and it's God speaking.

So God is speaking to Jeremiah and it seems to be suggesting that God has a plan, Jeremiah has a future, and that plan is about prosperity, and that means about becoming a thriving individual.

So in terms of quality of life, God wants people to thrive.

He wants people to live well.

So it might well be used to support the idea that Christians should be helping people to improve their quality of life.

"God saw all that he had made and it was very good." This is taken from the first creation story in Genesis, and it's God's comment every day of creation that what he has created is good.

So in other words, life and the world should be appreciated and they should be enjoyed and valued.

So, essentially, you could argue that life should be something that people can enjoy, and hence you might see it as suggesting that quality of life really matters because it helps improve someone's enjoyment.

Let's check your understanding.

Give one biblical teaching which could be used to support the quality of life.

So think back through what we've just talked about, pause the video, write down an answer, and then come back when you're ready to check.

You could have said any of the verses that we looked at together, you could have mentioned Matthew 25, "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat." Matthew 22:39, "Love your neighbour as yourself." Jeremiah 29:11, "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper and not to harm you." or Genesis 1:31, "God saw all that he had made and it was very good." Well done if you actually managed to write a whole quotation out, and also well done if you paraphrased or put it into your own words as long as you were expressing what the Bible is teaching and being accurate in that.

Different Christian denominations uphold the sanctity of life, but also support the idea that quality of life matters.

So the Catholic Church emphasises human dignity and well-being, and says the dignity of the person is the foundation of a moral vision for society.

This is in the Catechism.

So the basis of society is to allow people to live a dignified life, and this really means showing them respect in the way they live their life.

The Anglican Church acknowledges we should consider quality of life as well as sanctity of life.

So they're not absolutists in their view that life should always be protected.

It might matter also to think about how much suffering or pain someone is in.

And Quaker teachings, whilst emphasising that God is in every person, also focused on the idea that personal well-being is part of our responsibility, so we should be improving that for other people.

There are, of course, a number of non-religious perspectives on the quality of life.

People who don't believe in God are unlikely to believe in the sanctity of life, although they will likely regard life as valuable, even intrinsically valuable, but perhaps for different reasons.

Here we're gonna focus on how much quality of life might matter to someone who isn't religious.

So we're going to use Richard Dawkins and Peter Singer who were both atheists, a scientist and a philosopher.

So as a representative of humanism, Richard Dawkins would say that quality of life is about freedom, so the ability to make decisions and about happiness.

So these are things that we should take into account when thinking about the value of life.

Now, as a sentientist, Peter Singer believes that the ability to experience pleasure and pain is what gives life value, including animal life.

So for him, quality of life might very much depend on pleasure and pain.

So for a humanist, freedom enhances quality of life.

So someone's ability to choose is really important.

And for a sentientist, like Peter Singer, the better quality of life would involve reducing pain and probably increasing pleasure.

Danielle is a Roman Catholic and she's been asked about her views on the quality of life.

She says, "The church teaches that every life has intrinsic value because it is created by God.

This means that all life is sacred, regardless of age, health, and circumstances.

While the quality of life may vary, its value remains unchanged.

Every person deserves respect and dignity, and we are all called to protect life at all its stages.

We should improve the quality of life for others while ensuring that we value their life intrinsically.

Every life is a precious gift from God." So Danielle is acknowledging that people deserve respect and dignity, but she's also emphasising that we should protect someone's life at all stages.

Fergus is a liberal Anglican, and he has also been asked about his views on the quality of life.

He says, "Although the sanctity of life is important, we must also recognise the quality of life when making moral decisions.

By this, I mean factors such as health, happiness, dignity, and the ability to live a life that feels meaningful and fulfilling.

Situation ethics teaches us to prioritise love and compassion.

We should act in ways that show love, understanding, and care for each individual, recognising the complexity of each person's situation." So as someone who follows Situation ethics, he's more relativist in his views, and that means that although he believes life is sacred, he can be flexible on this when he thinks about an individual situation.

So for example, if the suffering was great, that might affect his view on how far that life should be protected.

Tamara is a Quaker, and she's also been asked her views on the quality of life.

She says, "I believe that all life is sacred because every person holds a part of God within them.

This means I value not just the act of living, but the quality of life that each person experiences.

It's not just about survival, but it's about living a life filled with dignity, peace, and love.

The sanctity of life is deeply connected to the quality of life.

I disagree with anything that causes suffering or limits someone's ability to live life fully." So in other words, Tamara very much upholds the sanctity of life, but she actually can't see it as separate from quality.

So the two work to together.

Diane is a humanist, and she has also been asked about her views on the quality of life.

She says, "I believe that the value of life is closely tied to an individual's ability to experience freedom, happiness, and fulfilment.

The quality of life is essential, and it's about creating an environment where people can pursue their own happiness, make meaningful choices, and live according to their own values.

We should focus on ensuring everyone has the freedom and opportunities to live a fulfilling life." So for Diane, what really matters is the fact that someone can live a fulfilling life, and that's what she would be working towards.

Zoe is an atheist and a sentientist.

She has been asked about her views on the quality of life.

She says, "I believe that the value of life is tied to the experiences of sentient beings, the ability to feel pleasure, pain, happiness, and suffering.

The quality of life matters most, and it's about ensuring that beings can live fulfilling lives where they can experience the good and avoid unnecessary suffering.

A life full of pain or hardship has less value in my view, so we should strive to enhance life's quality wherever possible." So like everyone else, she believes it's important to give someone the opportunity to live a fulfilling life and to feel well.

But she would also emphasise quality of life over and above anything about the intrinsic value of life itself.

So quality of life matters most.

We're gonna check our understanding now.

Who is most likely to argue that sanctity of life is always more important than quality of life? A, a Roman Catholic Christian, B, an Anglican Christian, C, a Quaker, or D, a sentientist.

Take a moment to decide on your answer.

Pause the video if you need to, and then come back to check when you're ready.

So well done if you put a Roman Catholic Christian.

They are interested in people's dignity and well-being, but sanctity of life will always outweigh quality of life.

So for task B1, I'd like you to decide whether the arguments below support the quality of life or argue for a different point of view.

Complete the table by explaining how.

One, we must respect life no matter the circumstances.

Two, Jesus taught to love your neighbour as yourself.

Three, life has intrinsic value regardless of its quality.

Four, we are made in the image of God.

Five, we should respect every life.

And six, we should reduce suffering.

So take your time, work out whether it's support for the quality of life or not, and give me an explanation for each of them.

Pause the video and come back when you're ready to check.

You could have said for number one that this supports sanctity rather than quality of life.

So it does not support quality of life because it's saying life is valuable in all situations.

For number two, this is support for quality of life because the focus is on what you would want for yourself.

For number three, it does not support quality of life.

It's more about sanctity of life because life has value no matter what the situation.

For number four, being made in the image of God, this again does not support quality of life so much as sanctity of life.

So every life reflects God's likeness, which gives it value.

Number five, we should respect every life.

This one supports sanctity rather than quality, because it is saying that every life should be respected.

And number six, reducing suffering definitely supports quality of life because it's talking about making that quality the characteristics of life better.

So well done if you've got those the right way round and you've worked out which ones support quality of life.

For task B 2, Alex and Aisha are considering the statement, quality of life should matter to Christians.

Alex argues in support of the statement, while Aisha for a different point of view.

I would like you to complete their paragraphs by filling in the gaps.

Alex says, "Biblical teachings like, show that quality of life matters.

Jesus taught Christians to, so they should focus on." Aisha says, "Christians emphasise the sanctity of life over quality of life because the Bible teaches that everyone.

This means life.

It's not about how good someone's life is, but.

." so using those sentence starters as prompts, I'd like you to write up their two paragraphs.

Take the time that you need, pause the video, and come back when you're ready to see what you might have written.

So you could have said for Alex, Bible teachings like Love your neighbour as yourself show that quality of life matters.

Jesus taught Christians to care for others and show kindness.

So they should focus on improving people's lives and making sure they are happy and healthy.

For Aisha Christians emphasise the sanctity of life over the quality of life because the Bible teaches that everyone is made in God's image.

This means life has value no matter what the quality of life is.

It's not about how good someone's life is, but that they are a person created by God.

So well done if you manage to include some of those references to teachings in the Bible.

And if you showed how, for some Christians, quality of life might be really important.

But for others, and this might be for Roman Catholics, for example, sanctity of life would always win out over quality.

In today's lesson on quality of life, we have learned that quality of life is the standard of health, comfort, and happiness experienced by an individual or group.

That factors like health, relationships, and freedom influence it.

That biblical teachings highlight the importance of compassion and supporting others to improve their quality of life.

The Anglicans acknowledge both the sanctity and the quality of life, Catholics emphasise human dignity and well-being, and Quakers belief that personal well-being is a social responsibility.

That humanism views quality of life as centred around freedom and happiness, and sentientism holds that quality of life depends on the ability to feel pleasure and suffering.

Thank you for working with me today.

Well done.