Euthanasia in Mental Suffering—Overview and Discussion of the Arguments of the Roman Catholic Church
Euthanasia for mental suffering in a nonterminal situation has been decriminalized only in a few countries, including Belgium, under certain conditions. The aim of this article is to provide an overview and an ethical discussion of the arguments of the Roman Catholic Church concerning euthanasia in...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
MDPI
2022
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| In: |
Religions
Year: 2022, Volume: 13, Issue: 8 |
| Further subjects: | B
good care
B experience of meaning B Roman Catholic Church B Values B mental suffering B inviolability B Euthanasia |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | Euthanasia for mental suffering in a nonterminal situation has been decriminalized only in a few countries, including Belgium, under certain conditions. The aim of this article is to provide an overview and an ethical discussion of the arguments of the Roman Catholic Church concerning euthanasia in mental suffering. In the research material, we include documents from the Vatican’s Magisterium, with particular reference to the recent Letter Samaritanus Bonus, and from the Belgian Bishops’ Conference. We structure the many arguments around three values: the inviolability of life, the good care by the professionals and the patients’ experience of meaning. We discuss the arguments and find that they are strongly normative and do not enter into discussion with scientific positions and other worldviews. As a result, the arguments are not convincing for people with a different view, while the underlying values remain very valid. This is why we nuance and reinterpret certain arguments. Based on Pope Francis’ Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, we make a plea to place less emphasis on the norms and rules, and more on the conscience of those involved and on their ethical discernment of the underlying values. |
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| ISSN: | 2077-1444 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Religions
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.3390/rel13080684 |