How do we respond to Parliament’s decision to progress a bill to legalise assisted suicide?
Written by Lucy Honeysett
We don’t despair. God has heard our prayers; He is sovereign, and we approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Heb 4:16).
We don’t despair because assisted suicide may not be legalised and we continue to pray to that end.
According to Right to Life UK, at least 36 MPs who supported the Bill made it clear they did so only to allow further debate and that some have concerns that mean they won’t commit to support the Bill at the third reading. With the vote passing by a margin of 55, just 28 MPs switching their stance to oppose the Bill would ensure it is defeated at the third reading.
There is still a long way to go before the Bill is made law – it will not return to Parliament until April 2025. MPs will have the chance to vote on the Bill twice more, including on any new amendments and then also at a third reading, before it proceeds to the House of Lords.
Kim Leadbeater has now chosen the MPs to join her in the committee to examine all the provisions in the Bill. She has included MPs from a range of parties who support and oppose the Bill so we now pray for this committee and especially those who oppose it; that they will be given strength and can influence with wisdom and power.
We don’t despair because this brings us another opportunity to engage with our local MP.
If we know our MP voted against the Bill, we can write to them and thank them for their decision, say we’re praying for them as they continue to work hard in all aspects of their job, but especially as they stand firm against this Bill. If we know our MP voted in favour, we can write to them again and share our concerns in a gracious, loving way.
We don’t despair because we can ask MPs to demand the strongest possible safeguards.
By doing this, it will highlight that no safeguards are enough to guarantee a safe legislation, and it may cause them to reconsider their decision or affirm the decision of those who oppose. We remain deeply concerned about all of the so-called safeguards because it is impossible to guarantee accuracy in the assessment of mental capacity when someone feels suicidal, it’s impossible to give prognostic accuracy, and it’s impossible to assess and exclude the power and influence of complex internal and external coercion.
We don’t despair because much of the debate united MPs with the urgent need to invest and reshape the health and social care service, acknowledging its brokenness and the need for greater investment in palliative and end of life care providers.
We pray for a reshaping of our health and social care service and proper investment in hospices and end of life care providers. We wouldn’t rely on local fundraising to provide hip replacements, asthma care or cataract operations, so why would we rely on charities to fund the provision of holistic end of life care? You have one opportunity to enable someone to die with peace and dignity, symptoms managed, and the total pain of a person soothed by the commitment of skilled people providing care. Let’s get this right by prioritising investment in palliative and end of life care so nobody feels a need to turn to assisted suicide.
We don’t despair because God was at work on Friday 29th November and no member of parliament can unhear the things that were said, nor can society.
There have been strong compelling messages about our worth and our duty and privilege to protect and value the most vulnerable. This message from God’s heart has been shared powerfully and publicly and we pray that people would respond. Whilst some of the debate about equality, diversity and inclusion is uncomfortable, there is an emerging element about faith being more legitimate in debate. It has been present in the assisted suicide debate and some of this has been encouraging and gives God the glory. We pray that God will continue to work in the lives of everyone and convince them of their intrinsic worth in Christ and His rescue plan on offer to all.
We don’t despair because as Christians working in the health and social care sector, this brings us an opportunity to show love in action and commit to providing the best possible end of life care.
One carer put it like this: ‘as carers we have the opportunity to really make a difference, to change the path one may be travelling on. I pray that God will equip us to show His love, in our words and in our touch, and give to those suffering from terminal illness a sense of worth and value, a purpose for living’.
We don’t despair because as Christians and the local church, this brings us an opportunity to reach out and fill the gaps that aren’t covered by the statutory services to improve quality of life, give hope and walk well with those who are suffering, approaching the end of life and shouldn’t have to journey alone.
A carer puts it like this: ‘how the world needs Christian love and Christian care. Christians that are free to give themselves in love to the needy and vulnerable in our society. Churches engaged in care with strong links to local care homes and support of care homes rooted in Christian values so that the hope we have is shared with those most vulnerable and in need of hearing it. We pray that we would see the great need for love in action today, to make a difference in the lives of those who feel like a burden and useless to society. For they are of supreme value; indeed without them, where would love and compassion find a home?’.