Church reverend bans public talk on assisted dying over clash with Christian values

A CHURCH has banned a public talk by a clinical psychologist on assisted dying, saying the controversial subject matter was offensive, could promote self-harm and clashed with Christian beliefs.

A PUBLIC lecture on ­assisted dying was banned by a Sydney church leader yesterday who said the subject matter was offensive and could promote self harm.

President of Dying with Dignity, clinical psychologist Dr Sarah Edelman, was due to give a lecture at the All Saints Church, Woollahra titled Dying with Dignity: Why Choice Matters on Tuesday morning.

But she was told on Monday afternoon the church had cancelled the lecture.

Reverend David West said it was the first lecture the church had banned and admitted the timing was “unfortunate”, saying he only became aware of the content of the talk on Monday.

Had he known six months ago, he would have cancelled it then, he said, as the church was “not a hall you rent down the road that you can do any old thing in.”

“We use church property for all sorts of groups but the content of any group can’t be offensive to the Anglican Church and assisted dying is something the Anglican and mainstream Christian churches object to.”

He said his decision was prompted by a letter from an elderly man whose adult son had committed suicide, who was concerned the group promoted self harm.

“I’m not privy to the content of what the address was going to be but we can’t support groups that promote assisted suicide,” Rev West said.

However, Dr Edelman said Dying with Dignity was purely an advocacy group.

“Dying with dignity is an advocacy group and we are standing up for people who want the right to choice, so, for people who are hopelessly ill and suffering, they have the right to choice at the end of life,” she said.

“It was disrespectful for those planning to attend the program to give such late notice — many we weren’t able to notify in time.”