Canon Hilary Barber: For Christians life is a gift from God

Canon Hilary Barber, vicar of Halifax Minster, writes:

If I’ve understood correctly, the Prime Minster has agreed to allow parliament time to debate the subject once again, supported by that great champion of social causes Dame Esther Rantzen.

Lots of voices on either side of the subject have begun to comment, including Dame Tanni Grey Thompson the great Paralympian, and Cardinal Vincent Nichols.

This is such an emotive subject, and one that I suspect is determined by our life experiences? The vast majority of people have what we might term a ‘good death’ dying in old age, having seen their children grow up, get married, and have their own children, maybe if you’re really lucky even great grandchildren?

But for a very few others, death can be long and painful, with grieving relatives left powerless, and the victim wanting to take things into their own hands.

Medical intervention and medical ethics continues to be something of wonder and amazement. The skill of scientists, the medical profession, and the pharmaceutical companies, have enabled new born children to survive when they would otherwise have died, soon after birth; often adults who develop life threatening diseases or a sudden accident, are kept alive; even many cancer patients are now often cured, or their life extended for many years as a result of scientific advancement.

Palliative care – end of life – whether in hospital, hospice, or at home, has progressed significantly, managing pain control for the vast majority, and supporting grieving families and patients, at a very emotional and turbulent time in their lives.

One of the cruellest diseases is motor neurone disease. This is one of the diseases scientists are working particularly hard to bring some relief to those who suffer.

It’s not surprising therefore that certain people want to end the suffering of themselves or a loved one. None of us takes any joy at watching suffering. I suspect it’s much easier for people of no faith to want to allow assisted dying as a means of preventing the suffering of loved ones – I might be wrong?

I also suspect for people of many different faiths, their views on life and the timing of death will be different?

For Christians life is a gift from God, and it is from God we come and to God we shall return. It is not for humanity to take that control away from God – to almost want to play at being God?

I’ve been particularly struck by the story of Rob Burrows, that great Yorkshire rugby player who died recently of motor neurone disease. Here was a larger than life character, brutally struck down by this cruel and punishing disease, but never once did I hear either him or his wife and children ever complain, or demand assisted dying? They loved Rob with all their heart for every minute of his life and his physical presence with them.

This is a really important subject, and I hope we can all have a mature public conversation about coming to a good solution for the vast majority of the citizens on our country.