The former archbishop of Canterbury, Lord George Carey, who maintained that it is “profoundly Christian” to prevent arbitrary suffering for anyone, has called on the British government to set aside time for debate on the law governing assisted dying in response to the church’s official stance being contested.
Lord Carey noted that the statements “life is sacred” or “thou shalt not kill” as used in opposition by the Church of England against assisted dying were “too broad as principles to be very relevant to the issue,” The Telegraph reported Monday. He maintained instead that it is an “act of great generosity, kindness, and human love” to help dying people end their lives.
The former Bishop’s view deviates from the Anglican Church’s stance on the chances of the law pressurizing the annually abused half-million elderly people into ending their lives before time.
The Church of England has also cautioned countries that have implemented assisted dying. They noted that these countries have a “slippery slope,” adding that the process will become easier with time.
Carey was the Archbishop of Canterbury between 1991 and 2002. He has long been in support of assisted dying. In 2014, he supported a bill introduced in the House of Lords by Labour’s Lord Falconer. The attempt however was not successful.
In Carey’s submission to the inquiry, he wrote:
“It is profoundly Christian to do all we can to ensure nobody suffers against their wishes. Some people believe they will find meaning in thown suffering in their final months and weeks of life. I respect that, but it cannot be justified to expect others to share that belief.”
“Assisted dying is only for those who show a clear-minded and persistent resolution to seek it; that it is within the capabilities of medical science to end intolerable suffering peacefully and that it is an act of great generosity, kindness, and human love to help those when it is the will of the only person that matters – the sufferer himself.”
Paul Huxley, Christian Concern Communications Manager opposed Carey’s stance. He wrote
“It would be a very dangerous thing to do. … Assisted suicide changes the way doctors think about how they care for people. They think, ‘Oh well, we can offer you euthanasia’ rather than thinking about how can we look after this person. I think it’s a very concerning message that we are sending to people,” Huxley wrote.
He went on to note that “the most dominant symbol of Christianity is the cross – a man dying.”