Euthanasia and the sanctity of life
Robert Pankratz

It has been said that nothing shows the moral bankruptcy of a society more than a disregard for the sanctity of life. Canadian society is showing moral decay in the current debate over the legitimacy of euthanasia. This issue is an incredible opportunity for Christians to offer a compassionate alternative for those who seem to be crying out for death.

This task is made more difficult by the fact that this issue is complex. After all, don't doctors already hasten death by stopping life support and using high doses of morphine in cancer patients? And confusing concepts such as "quality of life" and the "right to die" seem at least superficially reasonable. This article will look at the issue of euthanasia from a Christian and biblical perspective.

Terminology

In a war of ideologies, the first casualty is often the definition of terms. Euphemisms abound as people resort to deceit in order to convince others. A lethal injection for an ill person is called "aid in dying" or "shortening the dying process". Denying someone legal permission to undergo assisted suicide becomes "cruelly prolonging the suffering of a dying person".

I will use the term euthanasia to mean mercy killing, the deliberate ending of a person's life with the intent of reducing that person's suffering. The more common term is the "right to die", which is really the right to be killed. In order for such a "right" to actually exist, our society would need to agree to a "duty" to provide the service. The other common term, "death with dignity", is a euphemism for avoiding dependence by opting out before your time.

However it is phrased, proponents of euthanasia are seeking to redefine what is now a form of homicide, calling it an acceptable (and ultimately standard) medical practice.

Current medical practice

Natural death, which results from illness or degenerative processes, is the opposite of euthanasia. Even when someone requests that life not be prolonged, death results from the underlying illness, not the withdrawal of care itself. Withholding medical treatment is ethical as long as the treatment is disproportionately burdensome (that is, the treatment is harder on the person than the disease), as well as relatively ineffective.

Just as natural death should not be confused with euthanasia, neither should we equate euthanasia with palliative care. Palliative care is the active relief of suffering in a terminally ill individual. Although there are occasions when treatment may possibly shorten life (as with any medical treatment), this is not the intended or anticipated result. It is simply an unpredicted adverse effect or complication of treatment and is therefore ethically permissible. Generally, narcotic doses required to relieve pain do not shorten life.

The Christian worldview

The source of the "sanctity of life" concept is in the law given to Noah: "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man" (Genesis 9:6). This Scripture is more than a prohibition on the taking of innocent life; it reveals the reason that killing is wrong. Created by God (for His purpose), we are stewards, not owners, of the lives that God has given. Life is God's gift, and its end is to be determined by His sovereignty: "There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life" (Deuteronomy 32:39).

This means that the Christian is obligated to use ordinary medical means to promote health. That is, Christians have a moral duty to accept medical treatment if it is available and effective and it is not a burden out of proportion to the anticipated benefit. For example, refusing tube feeding because of a spinal cord injury would be tantamount to suicide and a rejection of the responsibility we have to be stewards of our lives. Conversely, refusing a risky, difficult-to-endure cancer treatment that has a limited chance of working is a moral option. Perhaps the most frequent application of this option is the "do not resuscitate" order: It is morally permissible to refuse (in advance) attempts to "restart" your heart when you are in the final stage of a terminal illness.

Key here is that we are the image or likeness of God (Genesis 1:26,27, I Corinthians 11:7). The value of life is therefore intrinsic and God-given. To raise a hand (or even a word--James 3:9) against a human being is an assault on God Himself.

This inherent value and dignity is vastly different from the fluctuating self-esteem (based on wealth, abilities etc.) that is mistaken for dignity by non-Christians. Secular humanism claims that every life has a "quality" attached to it. This means that circumstances, abilities (or disabilities), suffering and other factors render a life better or worse (that is, having a greater or lesser degree of contentment or happiness). In fact, some lives are deemed to have such low quality that it is reasonable to prefer death. This is the opposite of the "sanctity of life" ethic, which maintains that everyone, created in the image of God, has an intrinsic, God-given value that is not reduced by circumstances. Paul teaches: "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation" (Philippians 4:12). Our eternal perspective should stand out in stark contrast to a world that confuses the right to pursue happiness with a nonexistent right to attain happiness.

God's sovereignty

The person assured of eternity with Christ knows that to be with Christ "is better by far" (Philippians 1:23). It is ironic that the very people who are vigorously pursuing legalized death should be the most afraid of it. For the believer, the issue is not what they themselves wish (life here or there), for, as Paul so aptly put it, "I am torn between the two" (Philippians 1:23). The issue is, rather, what God wills.

God's dominion includes all of life, which means that suffering is a part of God's providence. Therefore, suffering that cannot be relieved by modern medical means is to be accepted as from the hand of a loving God who knows what He is up to, even when we do not understand. "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons," says Hebrews 12:7. The purpose of suffering for the Christian is sanctification, "to be conformed to the likeness of His Son" (Romans 8:29); "it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace" for those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11); "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" (II Corinthians 4:17).

Death is part of life (there is a time to be born and a time to die--Ecclesiastes 3:2). Life in the body is not always the highest value (to live is Christ but to die is gain--Philippians 1:21). In fact, the Bible praises the love that leads a man to lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). The Christian can even welcome natural death, knowing that "death has been swallowed up in victory" (I Corinthians 15:54). Who doesn't look forward to that day when we will see Jesus "face to face" (I Corinthians 13:12)?

Therefore, in suffering and impending death, the Christian sees God's sovereign hand and purpose. We can look forward to a deepened relationship with God and strengthening from Him in our time of need, for "those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles" (Isaiah 40:31). For those who wish a richer knowledge of God and a closer walk of obedience, "opting out" prematurely runs counter to the deepest desires of their heart.

The Christian also sees in suffering and impending death the opportunity for ministering to the weak and vulnerable, with whom Christ Himself is identified. Feeding, clothing or housing the needy is viewed by Christ as ministering to Him (Matthew 25:40). We must tune our ears for the cry for death (which is in reality a cry for eternal life): "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?" (Psalm 22:1). Isn't a request for death a "test" of the degree to which people care? The response of the world is to offer not love but death, which is surely the mark of a "worthless comforter" (Job 16:2).

The Christian perspective of human life puts God in control. We trust the Author of life to allow only what ultimately benefits us (Romans 8:29). But this does not give us a passive role--we are called to be salt and light. This means to stand for compassionate care of the dying while standing against any form of killing. We are to debate intelligently, but, more importantly, we must seize opportunities to minister God's love to those who are needy and suffering. As we counter the deceit of those who advocate euthanasia, we must also show how love can overcome the pain and fears of dying. It is my vision to have an ambassador of Christ at every deathbed (the greatest opportunity here is as a hospice volunteer). Thus you and I can provide the most eloquent answer of all to the question of euthanasia; a reason to live.

Robert Pankratz is a medical doctor, the assistant director of the Palliative Care Program at MSA Hospital and a member of South Abbotsford MB Church in Abbotsford, B.C.

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