Christian Perspectives on Death and Dying

Case Study on Death and Dying
Student’s Name
Institution
Course
Professor’s Name
Date
Abstract
This report describes George’s case scenario centered on Christian perspectives. George has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) – a degenerative disease that impacts his nerve cells within the spinal cord and brain. ALS has no cure, and George expects to live between three to four years, although there is a possibility that he could live up to 10 years. However, the illness will make George bedridden and depend on a wheelchair and eventually a ventilator to help his breathing. Given this scenario, George is contemplating euthanasia. This report considers the Christian viewpoint concerning the appropriate decision that George needs to make regarding his illness and future.
Case Study on Death and Dying
Introduction
For many individuals, their religious beliefs influence their end-of-life decisions. The need to make appropriate decisions concerning end-of-life care is of significant value, given the potential for medical technologies to extend one’s life. However, the need to allow natural death to happen by avoiding medical interventions raises ethical questions over the moral basis for such decisions. Regardless of the patient’s decision, healthcare professionals are bound to respect their client’s decision-making authority, coupled with the need to uphold human dignity and human life value. This paper employs the Christian perspectives to evaluate George’s situation centered on allowing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to progress or consider voluntary euthanasia. This report evaluates George’s case scenario by considering how he would view his pain and suffering concerning the Christian faith centered on the world’s fallenness and hope for resurrection, how the Christian worldview would inform his perception concerning the value of his life with ALS as a person, Christian worldview values and considerations that would impact his decision, the options that are morally justifiable within the Christian worldview and the rationale, as well as the conclusion that I would make if I were in George’s situation.
George’s Suffering and Fallenness of the World
George has ALS, a degenerative illness gradually affecting his spinal cord and brain cells' functioning. The disease progresses, implying that it would cause muscle atrophy and motor neuron deterioration to the point of complete loss of ability to control muscles. As a Christian, George would interpret his sickness as a consequence of disobeying the Word of God. After God created the world, He described it as “very good” since it represented His perfect paradise with no sorrow, sickness, or suffering. Adam and Eve had a close relationship with God until they disobeyed God’s Word. This decision led to what is referred to as “the fall” (Harvest Baptist Church, 2020). In that vein, humankind was demoted from a place of pleasure, prosperity, and prominence to a context of fatigue, fear, and frustration.
The fall action is documented in Genesis chapter 3. In Genesis 2:17, God has commanded that “You shall not eat,” only for Adam and Eve to disobey Him later in Genesis 3:6. Through the action of the fall, humankind sinned against God. The consequence was a life characterized by illnesses, death, and decay. In that way, George should view his sickness as rust that is eating away, tarnishing, devaluing, and preventing him from fulfilling his purpose. Therefore, George’s suffering could be understood as anchored on the fact that every man is a sinner, which leads people to fall short of God’s glory. In addition, it is an opportunity for George to seek God’s intervention. In times of our suffering, Jeremiah 30:17 reminds Christians that God can “restore our health” (Harvest Baptist Church, 2020). Whereas sin can contribute to or cause sickness, Christians should not attribute all sicknesses to sin. Sickness could be God’s way to manifest his healing power, as seen in John 9:1-3.
George’s Suffering and Hope for Resurrection
According to Christian perspectives, George should interpret his pain and suffering to attain new life. Suffering could be viewed as a call for George to relate his life to Jesus Christ, who suffered and died to save humanity from the original sin. The belief that the ever-living God becomes humankind, allowing himself to experience suffering, mockery, and horrific death, and ultimately rose from the dead provides a strong faith for George to ensure his sickness and suffering. Resurrection should motivate George to ensure the pain and suffering due to ALS. In addition, resurrection constitutes an invitation for George to see beyond his sorrow, pain, and suffering (Kirby, 2019). It manifests to us the life’s reality that spans way beyond space and time.
Hope for resurrection shows the bigger picture of a human being’s existence. It explains life’s fullness in relation to an eternal existence after death. Accordingly, hope for resurrection provides an avenue for George to re-examine his life and give himself to Christ so that he can be assured of an eternal future in heaven when he dies in faith. Hope for the resurrection would shape and mold George’s life on earth as a believer (Kirby, 2019). Therefore, it is a call to selflessly serve the disadvantaged, welcome strangers, forgive enemies, safeguard the vulnerable, study the word of God, and live a life centered on spiritual discernment and prayer.
Value of George’s Life Despite Living with ALS
In Genesis chapter 1, verses 26 to 27, the Holy Bible emphasizes that an individual’s life is sacred since they are made in God’s image. George could be tempted to views his life as devoid of purpose and val...