Title: Religious Perspectives On Euthanasia - Institute of Clinical Bioethics
Headings: Religious Perspectives On Euthanasia
Religious Perspectives On Euthanasia
General Christian View
Position of Protestant Denominations
Episcopal:
Presbyterian Church in America:
Mainline and Liberal Christian denominations:
Position of Judaism
Position of Islam

Content: United Church of Christ: The Church affirms individual freedom and responsibility. It has not asserted that hastened dying is the Christian position, but the right to choose is a legitimate Christian decision. Pro-choice statements have been made by the United Church of Christ, and the Methodist Church on the US West coast. The Episcopalian, Methodist, and Presbyterian are amongst the most liberal, allowing at least individual decision making in cases of active euthanasia. Mainline and Liberal Christian denominations: Position of Judaism
Euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, and all other types of suicide are almost unanimously condemned in Jewish thought, primarily because it is viewed as taking something (a human life) that belongs to God for “only He who gives life may take it away.” For Judaism, human life is, “created in the image of God.” Although life is considered to be God’s creation and good, human life is related to God in a special way: it is sacred.