A Legacy of Death: Derek Humphry and the Christian Response to Euthanasia

In a world that seeks to eliminate suffering at any cost, the Christian faith calls us into something deeper…

Assisted suicide and euthanasia have been growing in popularity in America. Over the past two decades, more states have legalized physician-assisted suicide, with Oregon leading the way in 1997 through its Death with Dignity Act. Since then, states like California, Colorado, Washington, Vermont, New Jersey, and Maine have enacted similar laws, reflecting a broader acceptance of the practice. Polls show that public support for assisted suicide has risen, often framed as an issue of personal autonomy and relief from unbearable suffering.

A large part of the growing popularity of the movement has much to do with the late Derek Humphry, a British-American journalist/author who passed recently on January 4th, 2025 at the age of 94 years old. Humphry founded the Hemlock Society in 1980, one of the first organizations in the U.S. dedicated to promoting the right to die for terminally ill patients. His 1991 book, Final Exit, became a controversial bestseller, providing guidance on methods of “self-deliverance” for those seeking to end their lives due to unbearable suffering. Humphry was instrumental in advancing the movement for physician-assisted suicide in the United States, influencing the passage of Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act in 1997 and similar laws in other states.

It is important to understand that euthanasia is significantly different from end-of-life palliative care. Palliative care aims to ease the pain and suffering of terminally ill patients without hastening death. It focuses on symptom management, emotional support, and improving the quality of life for patients and their families. Unlike euthanasia or assisted suicide, the goal is not to cause death, but rather to provide comfort and dignity in a person’s final days. Medical professionals use pain relief methods such as opioids, sedation, and holistic care to minimize distress while allowing the dying process to take its natural course. Euthanasia, on the other hand, is different in both methodology and purpose.

The fundamental difference between the two is intent—assisted suicide and euthanasia seek to intentionally end life prematurely, whereas palliative care seeks to make the natural dying process as peaceful and pain-free as possible.

And while palliative care is an essential medical practice that must be preserved, euthanasia is, in a word, evil.

Euthanasia is, in a word, evil.

Derek Humphry’s Hemlock Society, founded in 1980, took its name from the infamous poison that claimed the life of the ancient philosopher Socrates, drawing a symbolic connection between the right-to-die movement and the idea of a dignified, self-chosen death. Socrates, sentenced to death in 399 BCE, drank a cup of hemlock as a form of state-enforced suicide, facing his fate with calm acceptance rather than resistance. However, while Socrates’ death was a punishment, the modern right-to-die movement frames assisted suicide as an act of personal autonomy and compassion. In naming the society after the poisonous plant, Humphry wasn’t exactly hiding his agenda.

Euthanasia can only be fully justified if the biblical worldview is completely rejected. It contradicts core Christian beliefs about the sanctity of life, divine sovereignty, and human suffering. According to Scripture, life is a sacred gift from God (Genesis 1:27, Psalm 139:13-16), and only He has the authority to determine when it ends (Deuteronomy 32:39). Euthanasia, by contrast, places this decision in human hands, assuming that individuals have the moral right to end life based on suffering or perceived loss of dignity. The Bible also teaches that suffering has purpose—whether for spiritual growth (Romans 5:3-5), deepening faith (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), or demonstrating God’s redemptive power. Rejecting these truths leads to a secular, utilitarian view of life that prioritizes personal autonomy over divine authority. Without a biblical foundation, euthanasia becomes acceptable under human reasoning, which often values comfort over moral absolutes. Suffering, in any form, must be avoided at all costs. However, from a Christian perspective, choosing death as an escape from suffering undermines the hope, endurance, and eternal purpose found in Christ.

Not only does the right-to-die movement reject the inherent value of human life, it also leads to a potentially disastrous slippery slope. Derek Humphry’s Final Exit provides arguments for assisted suicide based on personal autonomy and relief from suffering, but these same arguments could easily be extended to individuals who are not terminally ill, leading to dangerous societal consequences. Humphry’s book frames euthanasia as a compassionate choice for those who feel their quality of life has deteriorated beyond repair. However, if autonomy and personal suffering are the main justifications for assisted suicide, these arguments can be applied to individuals with chronic but non-terminal illnesses, severe mental health conditions, or even those who feel hopeless or depressed due to life circumstances. Countries like Canada and the Netherlands, where euthanasia laws have expanded to include non-terminal patients, show how Humphry’s reasoning dangerously advocates for settings where the right to die eventually becomes an expectation or pressure for vulnerable individuals who feel like a burden towards their loved ones.

It is a revelation of the darkness of our age that euthanasia and the right-to-die movement could ever be seen as normal or appropriate. Human dignity is ultimately grounded in the imago dei; the understanding that we were created for God’s glory and in his image.

Euthanasia is not compassion— it is a tragic rejection of God’s design for life. Our churches must become beacons of light in a world that devalues life. By advocating for biblical truth, offering care for the suffering, and standing against the culture of death, we bear witness to the God who gives life both meaning and purpose.

Suffering is temporary, but eternity is forever. As believers, let us hold fast to that hope and encourage others to do the same.