Title: BBC - Religions - Christianity: Euthanasia
Headings: Euthanasia and assisted dying
Euthanasia and assisted dying
General Christian view
Life is a gift from God
Human beings are valuable because they are made in God's image
The process of dying is spiritually important, and should not be disrupted
All human lives are equally valuable
Exceptions and omissions
End of life care
The Roman Catholic view
The value of life
The right to die
Refusing aggressive medical treatment
Assisting suicide
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Content: Some churches also emphasise the importance of not interfering with the natural process of death. Life is a gift from God
all life is God-given
birth and death are part of the life processes which God has created, so we should respect them
therefore no human being has the authority to take the life of any innocent person, even if that person wants to die
Human beings are valuable because they are made in God's image
human life possesses an intrinsic dignity and value because it is created by God in his own image for the distinctive destiny of sharing in God's own life
saying that God created humankind in his own image doesn't mean that people actually look like God, but that people have a unique capacity for rational existence that enables them to see what is good and to want what is good
as people develop these abilities they live a life that is as close as possible to God's life of love
this is a good thing, and life should be preserved so that people can go on doing this
to propose euthanasia for an individual is to judge that the current life of that individual is not worthwhile
such a judgement is incompatible with recognising the worth and dignity of the person to be killed
therefore arguements based on the quality of life are completely irrelevant
nor should anyone ask for euthanasia for themselves because no-one has the right to value anyone, even themselves, as worthless
The process of dying is spiritually important, and should not be disrupted
Many churches believe that the period just before death is a profoundly spiritual time
They think it is wrong to interfere with the process of dying, as this would interrupt the process of the spirit moving towards God
All human lives are equally valuable
Christians believe that the intrinsic dignity and value of human lives means that the value of each human life is identical. They don't think that human dignity and value are measured by mobility, intelligence, or any achievements in life. Valuing human beings as equal just because they are human beings has clear implications for thinking about euthanasia: patients in a persistent vegetative state, although seriously damaged, remain living human beings, and so their intrinsic value remains the same as anyone else's
so it would be wrong to treat their lives as worthless and to conclude that they 'would be better off dead'
patients who are old or sick, and who are near the end of earthly life have the same value as any other human being
people who have mental or physical handicaps have the same value as any other human being
Exceptions and omissions
Some features of Christianity suggest that there are some obligations that go against the general view that euthanasia is a bad thing: Christianity requires us to respect every human being
If we respect a person we should respect their decisions about the end of their life
We should accept their rational decisions to refuse burdensome and futile treatment
Perhaps we should accept their rational decision to refuse excessively burdensome treatment even if it may provide several weeks more of life
End of life care
The Christian faith leads those who follow it to some clear-cut views about the way terminally ill patients should be treated: the community should care for people who are dying, and for those who are close to them
the community should provide the best possible palliative care
the community should face death and dying with honesty and support
the community should recognise that when people suffer death on earth they entrust their future to the risen Christ
religious people, both lay and professional, should help the terminally ill to prepare for death
they should be open to their hopes and fears
they should be open to discussion
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The Roman Catholic view
Euthanasia is a grave violation of the law of God, since it is the deliberate and morally unacceptable killing of a human person. Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae, 1995
The Roman Catholic church regards euthanasia as morally wrong. It has always taught the absolute and unchanging value of the commandment "You shall not kill". The church has said that: