📄 Assisted Dying Through a Christian Lens: A Call to Uphold Life

Title: Assisted Dying Through a Christian Lens: A Call to Uphold Life
Author: Rita Kurtz
Affiliation: Personal Study inspired by Liberty University PhD program
Course or Department: Department of Psychology
Date: June 27, 2025
Author Note:
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to rita@PreferredTalent.com

Abstract

This paper examines the ethical, theological, and social implications of the United Kingdom's proposed assisted dying legislation through a Christian worldview. While proponents argue for personal autonomy and dignity, this analysis contends that legalizing assisted suicide undermines the sanctity of life and places vulnerable populations including the elderly, disabled, mentally ill, and ethnic minorities, at increased risk. Drawing from biblical principles and empirical research, including a thematic review by Paschke-Winnel et al. (2023), the argument emphasizes that emotional despair is often transient and should not serve as grounds for permanent, state-sanctioned death. Scripture teaches that all human life is sacred, even in suffering, and calls believers to bear one another’s burdens, not to end them (Galatians 6:2, NASB, 2020). The paper critiques the bill’s reliance on fluctuating emotional states to determine eligibility, arguing that such a foundation invites irreversible moral and societal consequences. Ultimately, the paper calls for compassionate alternatives rooted in presence, care, and hope, affirming that even amidst pain, life remains a divine gift worth preserving.

#endoflife #hospice #acallforaction #christianity #assisteddying

Assisted Dying Through a Christian Lens: A Call to Uphold Life

The current “assisted dying” bill in the United Kingdom may soon become law. But what does this legislation mean when viewed through the lens of Christian faith and moral responsibility?

Numerous scientific studies confirm what many people have experienced firsthand: individuals across society are silently enduring deep emotional pain—battling suicidal thoughts, depression, despair, and suffering they believe to be unbearable. In their darkest moments, many genuinely believe that their lives are no longer worth living. Some even come dangerously close to ending their lives.

This is precisely why the increasing campaign to legalize assisted dying is so concerning. To speak plainly, “assisted dying” is a sanitized phrase for what is, in truth, assisted suicide. This proposal is not about dignity—it is about giving up on the very people who most need support, presence, and hope. It suggests that when someone reaches the end of their rope, the best society can offer is an exit.

Most disturbing is the emotional and spiritual disconnection embedded in the legislation. It fundamentally misinterprets the nature of mental and emotional suffering. People in despair do not need help to die—they need help to live. They do not need affirmation of their pain—they need companionship and care. The Bible calls Christians to “Bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2, New American Standard Bible [NASB], 2020), not to eliminate the burden by eliminating the person.

Scripture is unequivocal: life is sacred—even when it is hard, even when it hurts. From beginning to end, life is a gift from God. The psalmist declares, “You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13, NASB, 2020). The commandment, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13, NASB, 2020), does not rest on how useful or independent a person is. It rests on the eternal truth that human life is “God-breathed” (Genesis 2:7, NASB, 2020) and inherently holy.

Legalizing assisted suicide sends a dangerous message: that in moments of weakness, loss, or vulnerability, life becomes negotiable. That if someone feels like a burden, society will sanction their death rather than affirm their worth. But this is not mercy—it is abandonment. True mercy “does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6, NASB, 2020). Mercy leans into suffering; it does not walk away from it.

The passage of such a bill puts society’s most vulnerable at the greatest risk: the elderly, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and those who already struggle to access adequate mental health care. In many ethnic and immigrant communities suffering is compounded by shame, silence, and isolation. If this bill becomes law, individuals who already feel unsupported may experience increased internal or external pressure to view death as their only option, now endorsed by law.

Scripture calls Christians to a radically different response: “Rescue those who are being taken away to death, and those who are staggering to the slaughter, Oh hold them back!” (Proverbs 24:11, NASB, 2020). People of faith are called to stand in the gap, not pave the path toward death. Believers are to trust not in fleeting feelings, but in the steadfastness of God: “Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5, NASB, 2020).

What makes this bill most dangerous is its foundation: emotion. But feelings are changeable. Despair is not permanent. When society legislates based on emotional states, it risks irreversible consequences. Even secular scholarship highlights this danger. Paschke‑Winnel et al. (2023) found that eligibility assessments for assisted dying raise widespread ethical concerns, particularly regarding impaired decision-making capacity and increased risk of suicide in vulnerable populations.

This debate is more than a legal matter—it is a moral and spiritual one. What kind of society do we aspire to be? One that values people only when they are strong and independent? Or one that affirms the dignity of every person, especially the weak, weary, and broken?

To lawmakers and fellow citizens: do not confuse compassion with surrender. True compassion stays. It suffers alongside. It speaks life when others only see death. Jesus Himself did not turn away from pain—He entered into it. He wept with those who mourned (John 11:35, NASB, 2020) and taught, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4, NASB, 2020).

Let us not clothe cruelty in the language of care. Let us not make death more accessible than dignity. Let us walk with people through the valley, not abandon them in it.

Reject this bill—not because we oppose those who suffer, but because we stand for them. Because even in the struggle, life remains a sacred gift.

References

New American Standard Bible. (2020). Zondervan (Original work published 1971)

Paschke-Winnel, M., Munday, M. E., & Shaheed, M. J. (2023). Medical assistance in dying (MAiD) and mental illness: A qualitative thematic review of ethical concerns. Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, 20(3), 431–445. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11673-023-10217-y