Anglican group condemns Parliament’s ‘culture of death’

Christians have continued to react with serious concern to last week’s decisions by the House of Commons to vote in favour of assisted suicide and unrestricted abortion.

The Anglican Network in Europe (ANiE) has issued a press release saying that Parliament had removed “restrictions which have for a long time and even centuries protected essentially the most vulnerable in society: the unborn and the very infirm”.

“These votes show that while we live in a democracy and respect it, a lot of those elected to positions of the very best power can now not be trusted to perform their responsibilities with wisdom,” it said. 

The network also criticised the leadership of the Church of England for failing to make use of their influence in government. They were accused of being “for essentially the most part been reticent to talk God’s word”.

The statement warned against these decisions as purely secular matters that haven’t any bearing on Christian life, as an alternative calling for repentance.

ANiE called on Christians to “lament” Parliament’s actions. 

“May we repent of sin personally and corporately as churches, plead with the Lord to have mercy on the nations that are affected by this and similar rulings, and re-commit to the urgent proclamation of the life-affirming and saving gospel of Jesus within the face of the culture of death,” it said. 

Their thoughts were echoed by Robert Clarke, Director of Advocacy on the Christian legal group, ADF International, who said the vote to allow assisted suicide was a “grave and chilling development for the United Kingdom”.

He added, “Parliament has fundamentally didn’t protect the country from a descent right into a culture of death.

“As the bill moves forward, we urge the House of Lords to take heed to the voices of doctors, disability advocates, and families who know that real compassion means care, not killing.

“A society that values life should have the courage to say no to assisted suicide.”