Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide

The following links are intended to provide Salvationists and friends information on the topic of euthanasia.

Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide Talk Sheet

Read the Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide talk sheet (PDF, 619KB)

Read the End of Life Choice (EOLC) Bill 2019 - A Simple Guide to Advocacy for this Bill (PDF, 429KB)

Euthanasia Resources

• Link to the Care Alliance website - The Salvation Army is a member of the Care Alliance, a diverse alliance of organisations and individuals who want to nurture better conversations about dying in Aotearoa New Zealand.
• The Salvation Army’s International Positional Statement on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. 

Material relating to the MP David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill (2017):

• No to Assisted Suicide website: find out more about the Bill and get involved by taking action.

​Material relating to the 2016 Health Select Committee investigation in response to the petition of Maryann Street and 8974 others:

• 16,000 Voices website, publishing some of the diverse opposition to euthanasia and assisted suicide as presented to the 2016 Health Select Committee's investigation in response to the petition of Maryann Street and 8974 others. Note: Includes shareable video content.

• Every Life Research Unit’s analysis of submissions made to the 2016 Health Select Committee's investigation. 

• Care Alliance analysis of submissions to the 2016 Health Select Committee investigation.

• September 2016 news article on The Salvation Army's presentation to the 2016 Health Select Committee's investigation.

Other resources:

• Information from Euthanasia-Free NZ, a nationwide network of individuals from diverse professional and social backgrounds, with diverse philosophical and political beliefs.
• 2015 article by Salvation Army officer Ross Wardle on 'The Bible, the Church and Dignity'.
• 2014 Report: 'Killing Me Softly: Should Euthanasia Be Legalised?' by Professor Rex Ahdar of Otago University's Faculty of Law.
• Download the Summary of the Key Arguments against the legalisation of Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide (PDF, 63KB)
• Watch the Short Cuts Video Series dealing with the reality of assisted dying:

SHORT CUTS 01 // A change for all
SHORT CUTS 02 // Being 'a burden'
SHORT CUTS 03 // The compassionate 
SHORT CUTS 04 // What's important

• Exit this way? A War Cry article from 16 June 2012 by Salvation Army officer Christina Tyson.
• A Salvation Army Media Statement released on 25 March 2012 May responding to MP Maryan Street's announcement that she would seek to introduce a Private Members “end of life choice” Bill to legalise voluntary euthanasia and/or physician-assisted suicide. 
• A discussion document from the Interchurch Bioethics Council, representing Anglican, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches of Aotearoa, New Zealand. www.interchurchbioethics.org.nz/wp-content/euthanasia_1_.pdf 
• Resources from the Nathaniel Centre (the NZ Catholic Bioethics Centre): www.nathaniel.org.nz/bioethical-issues/bioethics-at-the-end-of-life?view=fjrelated 
• Dr. Frank Brennan is an Australian palliative care doctor. He is not only an excellent physician but also a gifted storyteller. This is a paper he presented at a one-day Euthanasia Forum held in Wellington in 2011: http://nathaniel.org.nz/component/content/article/2-uncategorised/242-the-role-of-palliative-care 
• Presentations given at the Museum of City and Sea’s public forum on ‘Voluntary Euthanasia: Murder or Mercy?’, 10 May 2012:

  Part 1: Dr. Grant Morris (School of Law, Victoria University)
  www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNRRrbVQt4I&feature=related

  Part 2: Paul Russell (HOPE: Preventing Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide)
  www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJPQtVE1Y1A&feature=related

  Part 3: Janet Marsland (Voluntary Euthanasia Society of NZ)
  www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_8DpZXk3tQ&feature=related

  Part 4: Anne MacLennan (Palliative Care, Capital & Coast District Health Board)
  www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWqioriD73g&feature=related

  Part 5: Questions from the audience
  www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTNZ6DMSQU4&feature=related

• An audio file of the St John’s Public Issues Forum on Voluntary Euthanasia from 2011 that explores the ethical, medical, legal, social and spiritual issues at the heart of the debate over the legalisation of voluntary euthanasia:
  www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5fb8Y5v3xE

  Speakers:
  The Very Rev. John Murray is a member of the National Committee of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society of New Zealand.
  John Kleinsman is Director of The Nathaniel Centre (the NZ Catholic Bioethics Centre).
  Dr. Don Mathieson QC has been a Professor of Law at Victoria University of Wellington.
  Dr. Anne MacLennan is a specialist in palliative medicine.
  Geoff Annals is the Chief Executive of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation. 

• The University of New South Wales Debating Society in association with Dying with Dignity NSW held a public debate on the motion: ‘That this house would legalise voluntary euthanasia’:

  Speaking for the motion: Dr. Sarah Edelman, Dying with Dignity NSW and Dr. Philip Nitschke, Exit International
  Speaking against the motion: Paul Russell, HOPE and Lyle Shelton, Australian Christian Lobby

  UNSW Debate Part 1 -  Dr Sarah Edelman (11:08)
  www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhoIU6HGLRw&feature=related

  UNSW Debate Part 2  - Lyle Shelton (10:47)
  www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ2Ik7i489U&feature=related

  UNSW Debate Part 3  - Dr Philip Nitschke (15)
  www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFalhSCeh6M&feature=related

  UNSW Debate Part 4  - Paul Russell (11:14)
  www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD9E3ziZXIc&feature=related

  UNSW debate Part 5  - Audience Feedback
  www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWASmMTiCWg&feature=related 

• A piece from the ‘New Law Journal’ responding to the Falconer Report in the UK, which endorsed legalising euthanasia in the UK: www.newlawjournal.co.uk/nlj/content/not-my-name-0 
• A link to a series of clips from a Christian current affairs programme in Canada, featuring Dr. Margaret Somerville: www.contextwithlornadueck.com/episodes/ethanasia-debate 
• HOPE: Preventing Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide - a coalition of groups and individuals who oppose the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide: www.noeuthanasia.org.au 
• Care not Killing is a UK-based alliance of individuals and organisations that brings together disability and human rights groups, healthcare providers, and faith-based bodies: www.carenotkilling.org.uk
• The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition is a broad-based network opposing euthanasia and assisted suicide: www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca 
• REALdignitytas is a forum for eminent Tasmanians to share their professional opinions on the harms and risks to individuals and society associated with removal of the legal prohibition on euthanasia and assisted suicide in the Australian state of Tasmania: www.realdignitytas.com  

• Material relating to the MP David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill (2017) - Salvation Army Response to the bill