END OF LIFE ASSIGNMENT
Essay for ODM
Should Christians support 'helping people to die' ?
You will cover material for this in the Death & Bereavement ISW.
Introductory Readings:
- IVP Dictionary
- "Ethics of Medical Care" (pp93-9);
- "Euthanasia" (pp357-9);
- "Quality of Life" (pp715-6).
- SCM Dictionary
- "Euthanasia" (pp210-2);
- "Life, Sacredness of" (pp353-4).
- For general discussion of issues read at least one of::
- Goddard, Andrew, Pocket Guide to Ethical Issues, ch 13, pp 207-20.
- Wyatt, John - Matters of Life and Death, Ch 9&10 (also ch8)
- Meilaender, Gilbert - Bioethics, Chs 6 & 7
Traditional discussions:
- Gill, Robin A Textbook of Christian Ethics (New Revised Edn, Green book), pp466-78 (Augustine on suicide)
- Aquinas on 'whether it is lawful to kill oneself',Summa II/II, q65 a5.
Contemporary Discussions:
- The best study is Nigel Biggar, Aiming to Kill
- Meilaender, Gilbert, "The Distinction between Killing and Allowing to Die" in Boulton, Wayne G. et al, From Christ to the World, pp404-6.
- Studies in Christian Ethics Vol 11 No 1. Theme issue on Euthanasia. Especially focus on Badham (a Christian argument for euthansia) and the responses to his article.
- Pope John Paul II – Evangelium Vitae [esp paras 46-47;64-7].
- Best introduction to Roman Catholic teaching is May, William Catholic Bioethics & Gift of Human Life, chpt 7 on euthanasia.
- Always to Care, Never to Kill – an excellent short summary of classic Christian thinking
- Assisted Suicide and Voluntary Euthanasia – A Briefing Paper from the Mission and Public Affairs Council, June 2005. See especially the joint submission with Roman Catholic Bishops in Appendix I.
- Gill, Robin A Textbook of Christian Ethics (New Revised Edn, Green book),
- pp 455-60,
- pp 515-21 (Fletcher of "Situation Ethics" fame, defending some forms of euthanasia).
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