The Roman Catholic Church
- Totally against euthanasia. Any act which deliberately brings about death is the same as murder.
- Does accept using pain killing drugs which are meant to relieve pain, but may shorten someone’s life.
- “Ordinary” treatments, e.g. feeding a patient must always continue,
but “Extraordinary” treatments
such as a complicated operation that is unlikely to succeed need not be given.
Euthanasia is always wrong, but it is also wrong to keep a patient alive at any cost. People should be allowed to die, but only when nature, or God, decides.
‘Euthanasia is a grave violation of the law of God’
Pope John Paul II, 1995
Surprisingly, Thomas More wrote about euthanasia in 1516 his book Utopia. More was a famously devout and courageous Roman Catholic saint, who was beheaded because he wouldn't give up his absolutist belief in marriage when confronted by Henry VIII. In his fictional book, he describes a perfect society, which included voluntary euthanasia supported by priests:
I have already related to you with what care they look after their sick, so that nothing is left undone which may contribute either to their health or ease. And as for those who are afflicted with incurable disorders, they use all possible means of cherishing them, and of making their lives as comfortable as possible; they visit them often, and take great pains to make their time pass easily. But if any have torturing, lingering pain, without hope of recovery or ease, the priests and magistrates repair to them and exhort them, since they are unable to proceed with the business of life, are become a burden to themselves and all about them, and have in reality outlived themselves, they should no longer cherish a rooted disease, but choose to die since they cannot live but in great misery; being persuaded, if they thus deliver themselves from torture, or allow others to do it, they shall be happy after death. Since they forfeit none of the pleasures, but only the troubles of life by this, they think they not only act reasonably, but consistently with religion; for they follow the advice of their priests, the expounders of God's will.
Those who are wrought upon by these persuasions, either starve themselves or take laudanum. But no one is compelled to end his life thus; and if they cannot be persuaded to it, the former care and attendance on them is continued.
The Church of England
The Church of England has been involved in discussions about euthanasia for 30 years, and has reported:
- Sanctity of Life is very important, but doctors should not have to keep people alive for the sake of it, regardless of the quality of life.
- Making the old and the ill feel wanted and valuable is more important.
- Church should do all it can to make the elderly
feel important members of society.
God himself has given to humankind the gift of life. As such, it is to be revered and cherished. Those who become vulnerable through illness or disability deserve special care and protection. We do not accept that the right to personal autonomy requires any change in the law in order to allow euthanasia.
Church of England 1999
However, the Anglican Church in America (the Episcopal Church) has more liberal views, In 2006, the US Supreme Court said that legislation in Oregon allowing doctors to help people to die was constitutional, which means that physician assisted suicide is inline with the basic rights on which America was founded. A retired bishop from the Episcopal Church, John Shelby Spong, said:
"The right to a good death is a basic human freedom. The Supreme Court's decision to uphold aid in dying allows us to view and act on death as a dignified moral and godly choice for those suffering with terminal illnesses."
The Baptist Church
The Baptist Church is generally against euthanasia. All human life is sacred and worth preserving. Euthanasia is similar to abortion, and raises the same issues – whether people have the right to take away human life.
Baptists agree that when a person is brain dead and experts agree there is no chance of recovery, then it is acceptable to stop treatment and allow the patient to die naturally.
Baptists do not agree with actions that make death come more quickly, e.g. a lethal dose of drugs.
The Methodist Church
“ We need to provide better care for the dying rather than kill them off ‘early.”
Methodist Conference 1974
"I sincerely believe that those who come after us will wonder why on earth we kept a human being alive against his will, when all the dignity, beauty and meaning of life had vanished; when any gain to anyone was clearly impossible and when we should have been punished by the state if we had kept an animal in similar conditions."
Dr. Leslie Weatherhead (leader of the Methodist church)
