Welcome to the PCI resource hub dealing with the subject of assisted suicide and euthanasia.
The debate and discussions around assisted suicide and euthanasia have become extremely prominent in public debate and political discussion. The Council for Public Affairs shares the resources below to help those in PCI to be better informed and equipped to engage in these debates.
It is our prayer that society will continue to recognise that we are all made in the image of God and we are therefore precious in his sight. As Christians we believe all life is a gift from God, and we recognise the reality of pain and suffering, however, we believe in Christ our hope in life and death.
As compassionate followers of Jesus, we seek to engage sensitively and positively with these topics including addressing the calls for changes in the laws of our lands. These resources are to help equip and inform you to do that. These will be added to as more become available.
Health Committee Inquiry
Access to Palliative Care
The Northern Ireland Assembly's Committee for Health has undertaken an inquiry into accessing palliative care services in Northern Ireland. As part of the inquiry, committee members gathered the views of those with lived experience of accessing palliative care across Northern Ireland, both patients and their families, along with organisations and health professionals.
The findings of this inquiry will be published in December 2025.
Audio - Living and Dying Well
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland and Union Theological College held their third joint conference under the theme ‘Church in the Public Square’ on Thursday, 22nd January 2015.
The aim of the conference was to bring together a number of leading thinkers in the UK to consider the role that Christians and the Church can play in wider community life. The theme for the event was 'Living and Dying Well', addressing the ethical, pastoral and legal issues surrounding attempts to legislate in favour of assisted suicide.
Speakers
Robert Preston, Director of the think-tank, Living and Dying Well, which works to examine the objective evidence surrounding the controversial end-of-life debate and publishes research to help inform Parliament and the public, spoke on 'The Assisted Dying Debate: An Overview' where he gave an overview of the subject, linking the various strands together to show how they interact with each other.
Baroness Ilora Finlay, who was chairwoman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dying Well, a professor of palliative medicine at Cardiff University and President of the BMA, spoke on 'End of Life or Ending Life', focusing in some depth on the medical aspects of end of life care; explaining what palliative care is, how it has developed and how it differs from what is called 'palliative care' in other jurisdictions. She also discussed the implications of a change in the law for end of life care.
Professor John Wyatt, who was Professor of Ethics and Perinatology at University College, London, lectures widely on issues in ethics from a Christian perspective and his most prominent book is Matters of life and death: Today's healthcare dilemmas in the light of Christian Faith. He addressed the pastoral and medical challenges from a Christian perspective.
News and Comment
Over the past number of years, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland has demonstrated its opposition to assisted suicide and euthanasia through various public statements. The Church has also sought to facilitate discussion and debate around the issue, from a Christian perspective, with a highly successful conference in 2015, and, in 2023, by giving evidence to a Joint Oireachtas committee. In order of their release - most recent to the oldest - you will find PCI's public comments on assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Church in Society, Public Affairs
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) has expressed its ‘deep disappointment, sadness and regret’ at today’s vote in the House of Commons on the Terminally Ill Adults …
Church in Society, Public Affairs
With the publication of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which has its second reading in the House of Commons on 29 November, the Presbyterian Church in Irel…
Church in Society, Public Affairs
Responding to yesterday's vote in the Dáil on the final report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) has said that…
Church in Society, Public Affairs, General Assembly
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) has expressed its ‘dismay’ and warned of the ‘danger’ of moves to introduce Assisted Suicide and Euthanas…
Church in Society, Public Affairs
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying published its report yesterday. Three members of the committee, including its chair, published their own ‘minority report…
Public Affairs, Church in Society, Resource
As the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) continues to speak into the public square on ‘a range of issues that matter to people and the Church, impact society and day-t…
