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One of the great issues of our time is that of euthanasia
(so-called "mercy killing") and whether or not doctors
should be allowed to assist in the suicides of persons who are
terminally ill or who simply believe that their "quality
of life" is such that they no longer wish to live.
Holy Scripture teaches that we are "fearfully
and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139). The Bible also tells us
we are made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). We
there fore believe that every person is special and unique, "a
peculiar treasure" to the Lord. Therefore, as Christians,
we believe the taking of human life by act of suicide, whether
with or without the assistance of a physician, to be morally and
ethically wrong.
We consider with alarm the past examples of so/called
euthanasia in Nazi Germany, and the present program of physician
assisted in the Netherlands as being equally evil and as having
the very nature of sin. We believe that abuses are inevitable
in any program in which the weak, the old, the infirm or the ill
are put to death.
We recognize that many individuals endure great pain
and suffering in terminal illness, and we strongly encourage the
use of all reasonable medical means of alleviating such pain.
We recognize as a fundamental right, the informed decision to
with hold extraordinary or super human means of prolonging life,
but only in accordance with the wishes of the patient. We also
recognize the fundamental right of every adult patient to refuse
artificial means of life support. We see no conflict between the
exercise of this right on the one hand and our opposition to medically
induced death on the other. We believe that doctors who commit
such sinful acts have violated God's sovereign will and Commandments
as well as various criminal laws imposed by the secular civil
authority. We urge prosecution to the full extent of existing
laws and the adoption of more stringent laws where necessary.
We urge all concerned Christians to pray for an end
to doctor assisted suicide, and we urge that the teaching of the
Church on this matter be proclaimed in every parish of the Reformed
Episcopal Church.
We further urge that the following Resolution condemning
euthanasia and doctor assisted suicide be adopted and entered
into the official minutes of this council and forwarded to the
next General Council for its consideration:
"Be it resolved that we, the Clergy and people of the Diocese of Mid-America of the Reformed Episcopal Church, in council assembled, while having compassion for those who are in pain and who are suffering from serious illness or injury, do hereby condemn physician assisted suicide and all other forms of so called euthanasia as being wholly incompatible with Holy Scripture, and to be in violation of the doctrines and teachings of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. While patients have a right to refuse treatment, or to refuse the use of extraordinary or superhuman efforts at prolonging life, we do not believe that this right extends to the active administration of drugs or other means to bring about the death of the patient. We believe that all life is a gift from God, and that all suicide has the very nature of sin. We further believe that physician assisted suicide is murder, and violates the sanctity of human life and is counter to the norms of any civilized society. We therefore commit ourselves to peaceably work and pray for the maintenance and strengthening of existing legal sanctions against all forms of euthanasia in order to halt this evil perversion of the healing gifts of God. We urge all like minded Christians to join us in this task".