At the Edge of the Abyss: Euthanasia and the Fight For Human Dignity.

In the Image and Likeness of God.Those of us who hold to a Catholic understanding of the human person — seeing each life as sacred because it is made in the image of God — have, for decades now, found ourselves resisting a growing secular pressure to legalise euthanasia.The ArgumentsThe arguments are by now familiar. On the one hand, we hear appeals to autonomy, freedom of choice, and the understandable desire to avoid suffering. On the other, there remains a deep moral conviction that life and death are not ours to dispose of at will — and that once the boundary is crossed, the consequences are neither contained nor benign.Experience bears this out. In Canada, there are now documented cases of disabled individuals being offered euthanasia because it is cheaper than providing basic support such as accessible housing. In the Netherlands, even teenagers suffering from depression have been granted euthanasia. What were once presented as tightly safeguarded exceptions have, in practice, expanded in ways that place the most vulnerable at risk.The argument, therefore, is no longer theoretical. It is grounded in real examples of systems in which safeguards have failed, and where the logic of euthanasia has begun to erode the dignity it was supposed to protect.Professor David Jones - In this conversation, I speak with Professor David Jones, Professor of Bioethics at St Mary’s University, London, and one of the central figures in the campaign against euthanasia in the United Kingdom. Together we explore what has just taken place in the Scottish Parliament, why the proposed legislation was defeated, and what this may mean for the future of similar efforts at Westminster — where time is running short and the outcome remains finely balanced, both procedurally and in the court of public opinion.Who is Prof David Jones?Professor David Jones is Professor of Bioethics at St Mary’s University, London, and one of the United Kingdom’s leading voices in medical ethics. He has written extensively on the moral, legal, and clinical implications of euthanasia and assisted dying.He has been closely involved in public and parliamentary debates on end-of-life care, and has played a significant role in shaping the ethical case against euthanasia in Britain.Professor Jones brings together philosophical clarity, clinical awareness, and a deep concern for the dignity of the human person.Please press the link below for the Interview:- This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drgavinashenden.substack.com/subscribe