Death and DyingDeath and Dying

Christian Perspectives on the End of Christian Perspectives on the End of LifeLife

Death and Death and DyingDying

What comes to mind when What comes to mind when you hear the words “death” you hear the words “death” and “dying”?and “dying”?

What is our normal approach What is our normal approach to death?to death? Why?Why?

Denying Suffering (Socrates) Denying Suffering (Socrates) or Anxiously Accepting or Anxiously Accepting Suffering (Jesus)?Suffering (Jesus)?

There are many Good Fridays There are many Good Fridays still in this worldstill in this world What do I mean?What do I mean?

DeathDeath

Is a normal process of lifeIs a normal process of life However difficult that is to acceptHowever difficult that is to accept

What is the appropriate role of medical What is the appropriate role of medical care in society?care in society? Caring vs. CuringCaring vs. Curing

Ethical Issues around Ethical Issues around DeathDeath

Care for elderlyCare for elderly Care for those nearing death (in Care for those nearing death (in

hospitals, long term care facilities, etc.)hospitals, long term care facilities, etc.) What are issues people in these situations What are issues people in these situations

experience?experience?

Is life something completely in our Is life something completely in our control or is it a gift to cherish?control or is it a gift to cherish?

Ordinary vs. Ordinary vs. ExtraordinaryExtraordinary

Ordinary = Ethically ObligatoryOrdinary = Ethically Obligatory Extraordinary = Ethically OptionalExtraordinary = Ethically Optional

Optional for what reasons?Optional for what reasons? Too expensiveToo expensive Unlikely to workUnlikely to work Associated with great sufferingAssociated with great suffering Might save the patient’s life at too great a Might save the patient’s life at too great a

psychological, spiritual or interpersonal cost. psychological, spiritual or interpersonal cost.

Types of “Life Support”Types of “Life Support”

VentilatorsVentilators Feeding TubesFeeding Tubes

Different TypesDifferent Types

““Prolonging Life” vs. “Delaying Death”Prolonging Life” vs. “Delaying Death”

Ethical DirectivesEthical Directives

Nutrition and HydrationNutrition and Hydration ““There should be a presumption in favor of There should be a presumption in favor of

providing nutrition and hydration to all providing nutrition and hydration to all patients, including patients who require patients, including patients who require medically assisted nutrition and hydration, medically assisted nutrition and hydration, as long as this is of sufficient benefit to as long as this is of sufficient benefit to outweigh the burdens involved to the outweigh the burdens involved to the patient” (#58). patient” (#58).

““Discontinuing medical procedures that are Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of ‘overzealous’ be legitimate; it is the refusal of ‘overzealous’ treatment. Here one does not will to cause treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one’s inability to impede it is merely death; one’s inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decisions should be made by accepted. The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected” (#2278). interests must always be respected” (#2278).

““Advance Directives”Advance Directives”

““Living Will” or “Durable Power of Living Will” or “Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care”Attorney for Health Care”

The Patient as PersonThe Patient as Person A shift from Doctor to Patient (or Patient’s A shift from Doctor to Patient (or Patient’s

Proxy) to make decisions about health care Proxy) to make decisions about health care

Why are they so important?Why are they so important? The Schiavo CaseThe Schiavo Case

EuthanasiaEuthanasia Literally “a good death”Literally “a good death” ““in the in the strict sense, strict sense, an action or omission which an action or omission which

of itself and by intention causes death, with the of itself and by intention causes death, with the purpose of eliminating all suffering”purpose of eliminating all suffering”

Voluntary vs. InvoluntaryVoluntary vs. Involuntary What’s the difference?What’s the difference?

Distinctions in Distinctions in EuthanasiaEuthanasia

Two methodsTwo methods Active/direct (taking deliberate steps to end life)Active/direct (taking deliberate steps to end life) Indirect (withholding minor treatments that will lead Indirect (withholding minor treatments that will lead

to death)to death)

Both are ethically problematicBoth are ethically problematic

Allowing death vs. delaying death vs. Allowing death vs. delaying death vs. euthanasiaeuthanasia PVS (Persistent Vegetative State)PVS (Persistent Vegetative State)

Terri SchiavoTerri Schiavo

What are the issues What are the issues involved?involved?

Medical IssuesMedical Issues Legal IssuesLegal Issues Ethical IssuesEthical Issues

Burke vs. SchiavoBurke vs. Schiavo

How is Leslie Burke’s situation similar How is Leslie Burke’s situation similar and different from Terri Schiavo’s?and different from Terri Schiavo’s?

What are the ethical values at stake in What are the ethical values at stake in the Burke situation?the Burke situation?

Leslie Burke vs. Terri SchiavoLeslie Burke vs. Terri Schiavo

DifferencesDifferences Schiavo couldn’t speak for herselfSchiavo couldn’t speak for herself Schiavo’s PVS was not terminal whereas Schiavo’s PVS was not terminal whereas

Burke’s disease is neurodegenerativeBurke’s disease is neurodegenerative Burke hadn’t had a feeding tube yet insertedBurke hadn’t had a feeding tube yet inserted The feeling of pain/sufferingThe feeling of pain/suffering

SimilaritiesSimilarities Both are/will be dependent on artificial Both are/will be dependent on artificial

hydrationhydration

Values at Stake?Values at Stake?

Speeding up vs. Slowing Down Death Speeding up vs. Slowing Down Death ProcessProcess

Putting the Price on the Human PersonPutting the Price on the Human Person The cost of medical care at the end of lifeThe cost of medical care at the end of life Doctors’ Opinions vs. Patient OpinionDoctors’ Opinions vs. Patient Opinion

Whose perspective should be favored?Whose perspective should be favored?

Ending LifeEnding Life

Ought we be able to determine when life Ought we be able to determine when life ought to end?ought to end?