Faith Seeking Understanding: Medical Assistance in Dying: Reflections by Canadian Anglicans

by J. Eileen Scully, Linda Nicholls (foreword)

Canada is one of few countries in the world where medical assistance in dying (MAiD) is a legal option—and the number of permitted contexts (terminal illness, chronic illness, mental illness) is increasing. This collection of essays (and corresponding questions for reflection) has been made available to help the wider church discuss and increase understanding of the realities of MAiD—for our communities, our role as Christians, vulnerable populations, healthcare, social justice, God's gift of life, and our call to care for those who suffer.

Contents and contributing
Foreword, Archbishop Linda Nicholls
Introduction, J. Eileen Scully
Let Love Speak, June Maffin
Medical Assistance in Dying? What Does Love Require Of Us? Cate McBurney
Pastoral Reflections on Medical Assistance in Dying,Trish McCarthy
A Personal Theological Reflection on the MAiD Protocol, Bruce Wheatcroft
MAiD in Long Term Care in An Evolving Process, Chris Salstrom
MAiD and One Chaplain’s Reflections, Donald Shields
Crossing Too Soon? A Personal Pastoral Reflection, Bertrand Olivier
Living in the Contradictions in Codes of Conduct, Marty Levesque
End of Life A Christian Perspective, Miranda Sutherland
Dying in Grace and Compassion, Sister Kathryn Tulip
What’s a Life Worth, Anyways? Paul H. Friesen
An Invitation to Further Reflection and Conversation Regarding Medical Assistance in Dying, Peter Armstrong
A Life More Human, Maggie Helwig
The Church Alive in the How Centring in the Poor in Christian Communities Changes Everything, Angie Hocking
Position Statement on Medical Assistance in Dying,The Prayer Book Society of Canada
In Sure and Certain Hope of Death? A Declining Church Embraces Canada’s Euthanasia Regime, Chris Dow
Euthanasia and Christian A Critique of ‘MAiD’ , John Berkman
Recovering the Art of On the Church’s Response to MAiD, Ben Crosby
The Normalization of Reflexion on MAiD Technology and the Human Desire for Control, Ian Ritchie
The Challenge of The Rhetoric of and Response to Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada, Jesse Zink
Peering Over the Threshold, Ephraim Radner
In the Midst of Death we are in Life, Lizette Larson-Miller
O Death, Where is Your Sting? The Pendeli Statement on Medically Assisted Dying, Christopher Brittain

358 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2023

Reviews

[Wendell Hennan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 60 pages were history and positioning by the Anglican Church. Twenty five articles by various people, Chaplains, Priests, ranging from supportive to opposed. I have been soundly in support since the days of Sue Rodriguez in the early 1990s. I was amazed to find that several articles opposing MAiD had me considering that position. Too much time spent on the Church not attending or supporting with life ending prayers and not burying suicide (self murdered) which just angers me. So similar to the Anglican Church stance on Gay Marriage, we are in support and will bless but cannot go full measure and offer marriage.

This stopping support at the 11th hour just does not resonate as a Christian approach or how Jesus would have reacted. The arguments against that did capture my support were those that we should be offering greater palliative care on a consistent level across the country. MAiD should not be used to offer escape to those who are financially unable to obtain an acceptable life style and comfort level and should not be used to reduce the strain on health care by the elderly and drug addicted.

Almost all of the submissions were thoughtfully and well done and provided some challenging reading and understanding.