The bioethical concept of life for life in Judaism, Catholicism, and Islam: abortion when mother's life is in danger
Dublin Core
Title
The bioethical concept of life for life in Judaism, Catholicism, and Islam: abortion when mother's life is in danger
Author
Khorfan, Rhami
Padela, Aasim I.
Padela, Aasim I.
Language
English
Publication Date
20100000
Abstract
Modern secular bioethics has focused on developing a set of universal principles to guide clinical decision making. However, this ignores the important role of religion in resolving bioethical questions. It is imperative that healthcare providers understand these belief systems in order to traverse value conflicts and provide the highest quality care to a diverse population. This paper focuses on the process of bioethical deliberation in Judaism, Catholicism, and Islam. Abortion is normatively prohibited in each faith and through examining how each ethical code allows for abortion when the mother’s life is in peril due to the fetus, we highlight the value of unborn life in each faith. Orthodox Judaism uses the concept of rodef, or pursuer, to permit abortion in this scenario, Catholicism uses the moral concept of 'double effect,' while Islamic law cites the maqasid, higher objectives of the law, to permit abortion in this scenario.
Primary Classification
2.1
Secondary Classification
2.1; 12.3; 9.5.5
Primary keywords
abortion [pri]; Islamic ethics; Jewish ethics [pri]; maternal health [pri]; Roman Catholic ethics; therapeutic abortion [pri]
Secondary keywords
beginning of life; bioethics; comparative studies; double effect; ethical analysis; religious ethics; schools of Islamic law; sharia; theology; value of life
Subject
Orthodox Judaism
Journal Article
Journal of the Islamic Medical Association of North America 2010; 42(3): 99-105
Link for Internet access
Note
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License
Primary Document Type
j
Bibliography
23 refs.
ISSN
08998299 print); 21609829 (online)
Collection
Citation
“The bioethical concept of life for life in Judaism, Catholicism, and Islam: abortion when mother's life is in danger,” Islamic Medical & Scientific Ethics, accessed September 7, 2024, http://imse.ibp.georgetown.domains/items/show/34600.