What exactly is a “good death”? A Christian perspective on Assisted Dying

Tabby Kibugi draws on recent events in Scotland and Spain to explore what a truly “good death” might look like and how Christians can respond with compassion, care, and wisdom.

Scotland recently rejected the Assisted Dying bill for Terminally Ill Adults, which would have allowed someone to lawfully request and be provided with assistance by health professionals to end their life. Many Christians responded with relief and celebration over the decision.

Ever since the assisted dying debate began, churches and Christian organisations have been among the most vocal opponents of legalisation.

For many of us, this moment felt like a moral victory. But at the same time, another story on the same issue has recently unfolded. Twenty-five-year-old Noelia Castillo Ramos from Spain was approved for voluntary assisted dying after years of severe trauma and chronic pain following a suicide attempt that left her paralysed.