Euthanasia and the Churches: Christian Ethics in Dialogue

Written by Robin Gill (ed.) Reviewed By E. David Cook

Dialogue is better in practice than in theory. Robin Gill has collected three key papers: ‘The Challenge of Euthanasia’ (R. Gill); ‘Should Christians Accept the Validity of Voluntary Euthanasia?’ (Paul Badham); and ‘Euthanasia and the Principle of Justice’ (Alastair Campbell). Various respondents engage with the arguments and Jean Porter provides a concluding essay.

Gill focuses on the movements in law, theology and culture in Amsterdam, Holland and the West in relation to Voluntary Euthanasia. Badham argues in favour of restricted voluntary euthanasia based on his analysis and critique of the principle of the sanctity of life, the nature of suffering, the weakness of the slippery slope argument and the primacy of free choice. Campbell uses two case studies to argue against consequentialism and to reinforce the distinction between killing and letting die. Me argues that the hazards of seeking to allow voluntary euthanasia would lead to injustice.

The papers and the responses vary in quality. The level and practicality of the book are positive. The weaknesses are in the individualistic nature of the arguments, the failure to explore the theological dimension in any real depth and the sense of missing each other’s points in the discussion.

That there is a variety of views among Christians on the nature and permissibility of voluntary euthanasia is not altogether surprising. Such disagreement is in the book, as it should always be, dealt with in a courteous manner. More work on exploring the common ground within the context of the Christian community would have helped a useful contribution have a greater impact.


E. David Cook

Whitefield Institute and Green College, Oxford