ABSTRACT
As people develop a social consensus about assisted suicide and euthanasia, religious voices should be heard, for they share with secular voices an embedded common morality and raise significant questions concerning human finitude at the end of life. To promote and inform public debate, this chapter presents a brief history of Christian thought, particularly that of the Anglican tradition, concerning these practices. It also offers the major arguments for and against assisted suicide and euthanasia along with an intermediate position, and presents significant areas of agreement among Christians that can be brought to public discussion. Anglican moralists, although adopting many traditional Christian moral principles and distinctions, have not set up an authoritative system of teachings to apply to assisted suicide and euthanasia. Christians and others are concerned that it would be difficult indeed impossible to draw stable moral boundaries around assisted suicide and euthanasia were these practices legalized.
