assisted suicide
I have also recently led national campaigns to promote Christian ethics and the church’s teaching on assisted suicide and the decriminalisation of abortion up to birth.
I believe in the sanctity of human life and reject any form of euthanasia or assisted suicide.
We have been admirably strong in opposing assisted suicide, but should also be confident in explaining the Christian reasons for our position.
• not killing people (both abortion and assisted suicide are high on my agenda)
Despite its compassionate motivations, doctor-assisted suicide would have unavoidable unintended consequences in undermining how we value and care for those who are suffering or can no longer take care of themselves: this is witnessed in countries around the world where it has been introduced.
In the last 5 years at the General Synod, I have had opportunities to speak on various issues including matters concerning human sexuality, to attend the committee on the new Clergy Conduct Measure, to organise a number of fringe events on issues such as assisted suicide, and to ask many formal questions.
Things like the social media ban for young people, gender identity, assisted suicide, conversion therapy, illegal immigration, and the right to home educate.
The latest effort to introduce Assisted Suicide is a huge sadness and the decriminalisation of abortion up to birth under the Crime and Policing Act is a tragedy.
For almost 10 years I was chair of the All Party Parliamentary Pro- Life Group, and had the privilege of leading in Parliament the successful campaign opposing the 2015 Assisted Suicide Bill.
I've asked 30 questions on matters from safeguarding to racial justice, finance, governance and ministry. I've offered 14 speeches in debates on: assisted suicide, codes of conduct for lay officers, disability, funding priorities, governance, LLF, national care service, neurodiversity, poverty, racial justice, representation, safeguarding, and the value of work. I was elected by Synod to the Committee for Ministry of and among Deaf & Disabled People (CMDDP), a sub-group of the Archbishops' Council.
I’m an experienced media speaker on complex bioethical issues eg assisted suicide.
The Church of England has in my opinion rightly been clear in its opposition to assisted suicide, and I uphold this position.
Although motivated by a form of compassion for the terminally ill, doctor-assisted suicide would (as seen in other countries where it has been introduced) start to undermine the culture of the sanctity of life, and lead to many vulnerable elderly people choosing death in order to avoid ‘being a burden’ on their families.
• end of life care, speaking against the government’s proposed Assisted Suicide Bill
put forward a successful Private Member’s Motion against assisted suicide SARAH FINCH - an active lay member of General Synod, committed to seeing the word of God, the Bible, guide our decisions.