“Caring for Souls at - The Other End Of Life” Theological and Practical Aspects of End-of-Life Issues

“The Other End Of Life”“The Other End Of Life” Theological God-given Value of Life Christian View of Death Christian View of Suffering Christian’s Tension

“The Other End Of Life”“The Other End Of Life” Practical Making Decisions Christian Compassion Making Decisions in Advance

Theological Aspects “You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.” (Ps. 8:5) “A fortuitous cosmic after thought, a tiny little twig on the enormously aborescent bush of life.” Stephen Jay Could (Harvard) “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” (Ps. 8:4) The God-given Value of Human Life The God-given Value of Human Life “A curious accident in a backwater.” Bertrand Russell “Just a bit of slime on the planet.” Peter Otkins, Oxford

Theological Aspects The God-given Value of Human Life The God-given Value of Human Life Created Redeemed Called

Theological Aspects The Christian View of Death The Christian View of Death “The death of a man is, however, an infinite and eternal misery and wrath.” “We should be happy to die and desire death. Death is only the narrow gate and the small way to life.”

Theological Aspects The Christian View of Death The Christian View of Death 1. Death as Law “Our death is a more terrible thing than all death not only of other living beings, but also than the troubles and death of other men. What of it when Epicurus dies? He not only does not know that there is a God, but even fails to understand his own misery and recognize the disaster which he is experiencing. Christians, however, and God-fearing men know that their death, together with all the other miseries of this life, is to be equated with God’s wrath.” (Martin Luther LW, 13, 112)

Theological Aspects The Christian View of Death The Christian View of Death 2. Death as Gospel “Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57) “In the midst of life, we are in death. In the midst of death, we are in life.” (Luther LW 13,83)

Theological Aspects The Christian’s View of Suffering The Christian’s View of Suffering “God shows that He is God precisely in the fact that He is mighty in weakness, glorious in lowliness, living and life-giving in death.” (Paul Althaus. Theology of Martin Luther p. 34)

Theological Aspects The Christian’s View of Suffering The Christian’s View of Suffering And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Theological Aspects The Christian’s View of Suffering The Christian’s View of Suffering He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

Paul said – “I rejoice in my _____________” Luther said – “ ___________ is the best book in my library.” C.H. Spurgeon said – “I venture to say that the greatest earthly blessing that God can give to any of us is health, Paul said – “I rejoice in my sufferings.” Luther said – “Affliction is the best book in my library.” C.H. Spurgeon said – “I venture to say that the greatest earthly blessing that God can give to any of us is health, with the exception of sickness.” Theological Aspects The Christian View of Suffering The Christian View of Suffering God not only blesses, He decides what blessings are.

Theological Aspects The Christian’s View of Suffering The Christian’s View of Suffering “The well organized campaign for legalized euthanasia cruelly exploits the fear of suffering and the frustration felt when we cannot restore to health those whom we love. Such fear and frustration is genuine and deeply felt, especially with respect to the aging. But to deal with suffering by eliminating those who suffer is an evasion of moral duty and a great wrong.” (Always to Care, Never to Kill)

Theological Aspects The Christian’s Tension The Christian’s Tension I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; (Philippians 1:23) I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; (Philippians 1:23) but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. (24) better by far more necessary

“The Other End Of Life”“The Other End Of Life” Theological God-given Value of Life Christian View of Death Christian View of Suffering Christian’s Tension

Right to refuse treatment Does not sustain life, but prolongs the dying process Discuss if treatment is a burden “Right to die” – patient is a burden Practical Aspects Making Decisions Making Decisions

“Once we have transgressed and blurred the line between killing and allowing to die, it will be exceedingly difficult— in logic, law, and practice—to limit the license to kill. Once the judgment is not about the worth of specific treatments but about the worth of specific lives, our nursing homes and other institutions will present us with countless candidates for elimination who would ‘be better off dead.’” Always to Care, Never to Kill: A Declaration on Euthanasia by the Ramsey Colloquium as published in First Things February 1992:45-47 Terri Schiavo Practical Aspects Making Decisions Making Decisions

Dr. Gilbert Meilaender – member of the President’s Council on Bioethics and Professor of ethics at Valparaiso University. “If she is a living human being, albeit a severely disabled one, then our responsibility was to ask what we can do to benefit the life she had. It’s not within the scope of our authority to ask whether it’s a benefit to have her life.” “If she is a living human being, albeit a severely disabled one, then our responsibility was to ask what we can do to benefit the life she had. It’s not within the scope of our authority to ask whether it’s a benefit to have her life.” Terri Schiavo was not dying. Removing her feeding tube did not allow her to die. It caused her to die. Practical Aspects Making Decisions Making Decisions

We can and we should allow the dying to die. We must never intend for the death of the living. We can and we should allow the dying to die. We must never intend for the death of the living. Practical Aspects Making Decisions Making Decisions As long as God gives life, He gives life meaning and purpose. As long as God gives life, He gives life meaning and purpose.

Focus on the treatment Is it useless? Is it excessively burdensome? Focus on the person Is he/she useless? Is he/she burdensome? Is he/she dying? Practical Aspects Making Decisions Making Decisions

The Slippery Slope Right to refuse treatment “Right to die” Right to assisted death (physician-assisted suicide) “Duty to die” Euthanasia (“Right to kill”)

A Glimpse of the Future: “The Netherlands has moved from assisted suicide to euthanasia, from euthanasia for people who are terminally ill to euthanasia for those who are chronically ill, from euthanasia for physical illness to euthanasia for psychological distress, and from voluntary euthanasia to involuntary euthanasia (called ‘termination of the patient without explicit request.’) There is no way to stop the slide once a society steps onto the slippery slope by legalizing physician- assisted suicide.” (Dr. Herbert Hendin, 1996 report to Judiciary Committee of House)

Practical Aspects Making Decisions Making Decisions What if we make wrong decisions? What if we make wrong decisions? We live in grace! We live in grace!

Compassion: suffer with Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2) Practical Aspects Christian Compassion Christian Compassion

Compassion: suffer with “I have participated in the intensely human drama that surrounds dying. I’ve witnessed the difficulties, I’ve smelled the odors, I’ve seen the unpleasant liquids which assisted suicide advocates claim make life at the end inherently undignified, horrific, and hence worthy of a death sentence. Yet, such conditions need not diminish the inherent value of human life. Dying people remain people, and when properly treated, they usually transcend the limitations of their physical conditions—especially if they know they are cared for and about.” (Hospice Worker) Practical Aspects Christian Compassion Christian Compassion Martha Gunderson Martha Gunderson

Practical Aspects Making Decisions in Advance Making Decisions in Advance Can Christians do this? Can Christians do this?

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Practical Aspects Making Decisions in Advance Making Decisions in Advance Living Will Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care

Practical Aspects Making Decisions in Advance Making Decisions in Advance The Euthanasia Society of America (1938) hoped to “eventually legalize the putting to death of non-volunteers beyond the help of medical science.”

Practical Aspects Making Decisions in Advance Making Decisions in Advance “If we can get people to accept the removal of all treatment and care, especially the removal of food and fluids, they will see what a painful way this is to die, and then, in the patient’s best interest, they will accept the lethal injection.” (Dr. Helga Kuhse at a world conference of Right to Die Societies)

Living Wills Example 1 “If I should have an incurable or irreversible condition that will cause my death in a relatively short time…” “If I should have an incurable or irreversible condition that will cause my death in a relatively short time…” arthritis mental illness days, weeks, months, or year

Living Wills Example 2 “I direct my attending physician…” “I direct my attending physician…” Removes medical decisions from your family whoever happens to be near…

Living Wills Example 3 “Withhold or withdraw medical treatment that only prolongs the dying process…” “Withhold or withdraw medical treatment that only prolongs the dying process…” food and fluids

Health Care Power of Attorney Designate someone you trust More than one person Share values about the sanctity of life Discuss your wishes Do not be too specific

What if you have a living will? Do you know what it says? They are revocable Start over

Concluding Parable There was an old woman who lived in the woods.

“The Other End Of Life”“The Other End Of Life” Theological God-given Value of Life Christian View of Death Christian View of Suffering Christian’s Tension

“The Other End Of Life”“The Other End Of Life” Practical Making Decisions Christian Compassion Making Decisions in Advance

Recommend Resources Durable Power of Attorney: Christian Version (Christian Life Resources0

Basics on Advance Directives Brochures from LFL

God’s Love in Human Suffering Euthanasia and the Christian A Guide for Christians in Ethical Decision-Making at the End of Life

God’s Love in Human Suffering Euthanasia and the Christian A Guide for Christians in Ethical Decision-Making at the End of Life The Right to Die: Rhetoric, Reality, Response

Before I Die

Death has been swallowed up in victory! (1 Corinthians 15:54)

“The battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15)

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