With the formal end of 2024-2026 UK Parliamentary Session taking place today the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) has welcomed the formal demise of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
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Fall of Westminster's Assisted Suicide Bill: There is a better way - PCI
Having run out of time in the House of Lords on Friday, the Church said that it would continue to advocate for a better way which affirms life. It also renewed its call for ‘the mainstreaming, investing in, and strengthening of palliative care services across these islands that support those who are nearing the end of their lives.’
In a joint statement, PCI’s Moderator, Right Rev Dr Richard Murray and the all-Ireland denomination’s convenor of its Council for Public Affairs, Rev Daniel Kane said, “We give thanks to God that this Bill has fallen and will not now become law in England and Wales. Over the years we have consistently affirmed and reaffirmed the importance and innate dignity of every human life from conception to death as a precious gift from God.
“Following the completion of the initial stages of the Bill in the House of Commons last June, we said that it was ‘a profoundly dark turning point for the UK’. We are very thankful and relieved that the point of no return was not crossed, a development that would have also placed unnecessary pressure on a haemorrhaging NHS, which works so hard to heal and preserve life.”
“Notwithstanding the disappointment felt by many people at the fall of this Bill, we believe that a society that does not preserve and protect the dignity of each human life, especially the most vulnerable, loses something very precious and becomes a much lesser place for it.
The Moderator and Convener
The Moderator and Convener continued, “At the same time, no number of legal safeguards could have ensured the safety of those with a terminal diagnosis. As a Church we believe that there is a better way and we call again for the mainstreaming, investing in, and strengthening of palliative care services across these islands that support those who are nearing the end of their lives.
“As a Church we also believe that well-resourced palliative care is the safest, most dignified and compassionate way forward, not just physically, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually. This is the true hallmark of a mature, caring and compassionate society, not the state’s ability to assist in the suicide of its citizens.”
“Where personal autonomy and individual choice have often driven this debate, we need to remember that in our humanity we are also spiritual beings, created for dependence, not self-sufficiency. Our comfort and confidence are found in the assurance of everlasting life, by God’s Grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.”
In a special series of PCI's Graciously Confident Podcast, journalist Will Leitch sat down with a number of guests in this four-part series to discuss assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Graciously Confident Podcast: The state of debate
This is the first episode in a four-part series in which Will Leitch discusses the issue of assisted suicide and euthanasia with different guests. In this episode, Prof Max Watson, a leading palliative care specialist, and Rev Daniel Kane, Convenor of the Council for Public Affairs, explore one of the most sensitive and significant ethical issues of our time — assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Graciously Confident Podcast: A better way
What if there’s a better way to approach the end of life than assisted suicide or euthanasia? In this second episode, Will Leitch is joined by Professor Max Watson and Dr Matthew Dore who talk about the real power of palliative care.
Graciously Confident Podcast: Stories that speak
In this third exploration of the issue, which is one of the podcast's most personal episodes yet, Will Leitch sits down with Rev Ian Harbinson and Dr Olwyn Mark to explore assisted suicide and euthanasia through the lens of lived experience.
Graciously Confident Podcast: Be the difference
After exploring the ethics, experiences, and realities around assisted suicide and euthanasia, the big question remains: what can we do now?
In this final episode of the Graciously Confident Podcast, Will Leitch is joined by Rev Linda Keys, a volunteer with Hospice NI, and Dr Bex Stevenson, PCI's Public Affairs Officer, to talk about practical next steps.