Christians have continued to react with serious concern to last week’s decisions by the House of Commons to vote in favour of assisted suicide and unrestricted abortion.
The Anglican Network in Europe (ANiE) has issued a statement saying that Parliament had removed “restrictions which have for decades and even centuries protected the most vulnerable in society: the unborn and the very infirm”.
“These votes show that while we live in a democracy and respect it, many of those elected to positions of the highest power can no longer be trusted to carry out their responsibilities with wisdom," it said.
The network also criticised the leadership of the Church of England for failing to use their influence in government. They were accused of being “for the most part been reticent to speak God’s word”.
The statement warned against looking at these decisions as purely secular matters that have no bearing on Christian life, instead calling for repentance.
ANiE called on Christians to "lament" Parliament's actions.
"May we repent of sin personally and corporately as churches, plead with the Lord to have mercy on the nations which are affected by this and similar rulings, and re-commit to the urgent proclamation of the life-affirming and saving gospel of Jesus in the face of the culture of death," it said.
Their thoughts were echoed by Robert Clarke, Director of Advocacy at the Christian legal group, ADF International, who said the vote to permit assisted suicide was a “grave and chilling development for the United Kingdom”.
He added, “Parliament has fundamentally failed to protect the country from a descent into a culture of death.
"As the bill moves forward, we urge the House of Lords to listen to the voices of doctors, disability advocates, and families who know that real compassion means care, not killing.
"A society that values life must have the courage to say no to assisted suicide.”
