Presbyterian General Assembly warn of dangers in euthanasia and hate crime legislation

In a motion passed unanimously at the church’s general assembly in Belfast, the church ministers and elders also warned of “the danger and historical and cultural significance” of other jurisdictions in the British Isles developing euthanasia legislation.

Concern was also expressed about support among MLAs for the introduction of ‘hate crime’ legislation at Stormont, with one minister saying: "We fear there is a grave risk of such future legislation straying into the freedoms we have of proclaiming the uniqueness of Christ and freedom to practice our faith.”

Rev Daniel Kane, Convener of the Council for Public Affairs, brought what he described as a "significant and strategic report” to the general assembly for approval, and said the council wanted to express its deep desire to engage both the whole Christian Church, and all of society, “in affirming the importance and innate dignity of every human life from conception to death as a precious gift from God”.

Rev Kane, the minister at West Church in Ballymena, said the “current situation in other places within these islands helps set the disturbing backdrop to this debate.”

He was referring to recent developments when the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Assisted Dying recommended a change in the law in the Republic of Ireland for both euthanasia and assisted suicide, while the Scottish Parliament is set to debate the McArthur Bill this autumn.

In the Isle of Man, members of its Tynwald legislature have voted in favour of the basic principle, with legislation for both euthanasia and assisted suicide due at a later date.

Another UK Crown Dependency, Jersey, voted in favour last month for legislation to be enacted in 18 months’ time in relation to terminal illness.

Rev Kane continued: “We believe that any change to the law which permits assisted suicide and euthanasia, no matter how minimal in its initial form, raises the most fundamental of questions about the value we place on human life as a society.”

He concluded by saying: “For people of faith, and indeed no faith, human life, its preservation, its dignity, and its protection, are moral and precious values, which we believe society casts off at its peril”.

Commenting on the hate crime legislation proposals, Rev Kane said: "We fear there is a grave risk of such future legislation straying into the freedoms we have of proclaiming the uniqueness of Christ and freedom to practice our faith. The term conversion therapy continues to be a wide, ill-defined, umbrella term, covering all kinds of abusive practices which are largely already illegal.

"As a church, we are on public record expressing our opposition to such practices. But some campaigners, however, want to go much further and criminalise repentence, as well as preaching, prayer, pastoral care and even parenting that fails to endorse the rights of gender self-determination.

"We are clear, that any future legislation shouldn’t criminalise ministers [of religion], church workers and parents as they walk beside those who struggle with their sexuality, pastorly and prayerfully.”