Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide

Sometimes people feel like giving up on life. We can endure terrible suffering in this life and sometimes see little hope for the future.

Healthy people have no need for legal options to end their life. But what about people whose suffering feels intolerable? Some people in Western societies have begun advocating for the legal taking of life in these circumstances through euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide. This may also be referred to as medical assistance in dying (MAiD). ¹

Christians are called to show mercy and compassion to those who are suffering. However, true mercy and compassion means suffering alongside someone in their greatest hour of need, loving and serving them in every practical way and assuring them that life is still worth living, even when all seems lost. Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan provides us with a beautiful example of this mercy. True mercy costs us something (Luke 10: 25-37).

The LCA official statement on euthanasia and mercy killing says: ‘The Church rejects the practice of mercy killing or euthanasia in all its forms, because such killing is contrary to the Word and law of God’. For Christians, our life is never our own. We are creatures owing our very existence to our Creator, and so the taking of our own life is no less grave than that of another.

It's also important to note that the Church's opposition to euthanasia does not mean that Christians are obligated to unnecessarily prolong life by taking on burdensome treatments. But any act with the intent of killing or hastening someone's death must be rejected.

What the Church’s opposition to euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide does mean is that its members have a special obligation to love and care for people who are suffering. This includes advocating for the best possible pain relief and palliative care.