SAVES is not affiliated with Exit International / Dr Philip Nitschke and opposes the public availability of a 'peaceful pill'.

This was the title of a talk given at the Kent Town Wesley Uniting Church on October 31st by Rev Dr Francis Macnab, Executive Director of the Cairnmiller Institute and Uniting Church Minister in Melbourne. SAVES president, Frances Coombe chaired the afternoon and welcomed Dr Macnab, thanking him for giving his time most generously. Frances also welcomed the Hon Sandra Kanck MLC, ‘our tower of strength’, and thanked the Uniting Church’s Rev Mac Macdonald and Rev Nairn Kerr (in absentia) for facilitating arrangements for the joint venture. She described the occasion as a ‘milestone’ in bringing together the Uniting Church and SAVES to promote the principles of compassion and social justice. SAVES members and members of Uniting and other churches were among the audience.

When agreeing to host the visit, Rev Kerr had stated ‘this is the church that deals with the big issues’, and Frances spoke of other positive associations with the Uniting Church. For instance the Rev Andrew Dutney, Associate Professor of Theology at Flinders University and Principal of Parkin Wesley College, had earlier agreed to SAVES using a paper published in the Monash Bioethics Review (1) as a basis for the pamphlet ‘Christian Support for Voluntary Euthanasia’. Frances told the audience that Christian support for voluntary euthanasia has always been high, as many see it to be consistent with a God of love and compassion. She said that it is unfortunate and disturbing to see the rise of fundamentalism and the increasing influence of absolutist religious dogma in the political realm. It is a worrying trend as it seeks to undermine social reforms relating to personal decision-making at the edges of life.

Dr Macnab began his talk on voluntary euthanasia by stating ‘When it comes to establishing general principles and a legal structure...the specific and personal position becomes scrambled in legal, theological and psychological obfuscations.’ His own professional life involves him in the daily in-depth work of psychoanalytic practice and teaching, as well as developing a ‘new theological idiom that can be practically sustained.’ His talk specifically addressed the psychological and theological concerns around voluntary euthanasia.

Among psychological issues are those such as the fear that drives us to seek security and take no risks, thereby ‘holding us in our various immaturities’. People also run into the impasse of their own perceptions and beliefs, guilt and shame. We may have "a conscience (which is) under the subtle but strong domination of a parent, or a self-scrutinising inner object or power that tells you that you ‘did not see it through to the end’." People also hold psychological concerns over what is considered an appropriate death, and:

‘For some the decision to bring life to an end requires a sense of inner resolution and sense of self determination, yet others are not up to active decision making and succumb to the overwhelming pain.’ However both of these decisions involve ‘surrendering life’s attachments, and a time of mourning.’

In discussing a range of theological concerns Dr Macnab reminded the audience that behind much of human behaviour there is an historical theological influence:

‘It may be overtly articulated and argued. It may be dormant and diffuse. It may be a fall-back influence or a regression to some residual packet of beliefs. There are the theologians and the clergy who can be highly dangerous because we do not know by what authority they speak. Some quote the scriptures and theological argument. Some take up positions on a range of moral questions such as homosexuality, gambling, abortion, euthanasia...and become self-attributed consciences of the community. They have no more right to that attribution than anyone else in the community.’

Dr Macnab maintains that theologically speaking, there are six groups ranging from fundamentalists and scriptural literalists through to ‘those who select and emphasise the major overwhelmingly positive themes of the scriptures, and encourage adherence to them’. He gave an interesting discussion and critique of the bases of these six positions and ended his talk by arguing:

Psychologically, we are constantly engaged in helping people find their own feet, their own resources, their own decision-making capacities....So long as people can be entrapped in primitive authoritarian religion and its residues, they will be subject to continuing fear and control. But the more they are affected by a liberating humanitarian theology, and a growth and liberating psychology, they will be more ready to be mature decision-makers on matters of their own dying and death.

Frances expressed appreciation for Dr Macnab’s inspiring address which so eloquently illustrated the common sense and compassion of the argument for assisted dying legislation. Many positive comments were received from the audience. Dr Macnab’s views were given prime print and photographic coverage in The Advertiser’s Articles of Faith section on Monday 1st November under the heading ‘ Stop the pain, says minister’.

(1)Dutney, A ‘Christian Support for voluntary euthanasia’, Monash Bioethics Review, Vol 16 No 2 April 1997