Religious leaders oppose assisted suicide and euthanasia

Catholic and Orthodox religious leaders are issuing guidance against physician-assisted suicide, emphasizing care and human dignity over assisted death.

In Maryland, Catholic leaders, ethicists, and physicians are urging followers to prioritize palliative and hospice care as lawmakers consider the End-of-Life Option Act. While supporters argue the legislation allows terminally ill patients to die with dignity, opponents express concern that it may put vulnerable populations at risk. Catholic teaching, as noted by Father J. Daniel Mindling, centers on the sanctity of life and the inherent dignity of the person.

Similarly, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America issued a pastoral letter titled “A Christian Ending to Our Life.” The statement, approved under Metropolitan Tikhon, declares that assisted suicide cannot be blessed by the Church. The Synod noted that many individuals seek assisted death due to fears of losing independence or becoming a burden. The Church distinguishes these acts from the use of medicine to relieve pain, which it continues to bless, and describes hospice care as a work of mercy.