By Rollin Grams, Bible and Mission.
In our day, care for the elderly is an ethical issue that looms large for families and for the church. The ‘marvels of modern medicine’ are keeping people alive considerably longer. Elderly diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, are rising as well because people die later. At the same time, in many countries, families are more disjointed than ever due to the significantly higher number of divorces. Most countries have seen a steady decline in natural population due to birth rates dropping. Also, contemporary society is ‘on the move,’ and families are often split up because children move far away or parents retire in far-away places. In the West, the culture of individualism leads many parents to value not being a burden to their families in their old age. Some countries have debated assisted suicide for the elderly.
Medical care and elderly care have, over the years, increasingly become the responsibility of the state. Consequently, the state also has an interested in the subject of euthanasia. This is clearly the case in more socialist countries, but it is also true in capitalist countries where the costs for care are immense. Elderly care homes are often run as businesses for profit rather than by religious orders. Families and churches assume that people have taken out insurance and retirement plans and are prepared to face the challenges of age through their independent planning and the state’s provisions. In America, a couple’s life savings can easily be wiped out in a year or two paying medical bills and the cost of care, and they become dependent upon the state. Yet the strain on the health care system, the rising costs of health insurance, and the desperate situation of many elderly are significant problems in society. Given the burden placed on families and the poor quality of life, no wonder that the highest suicide rate in the population is among those 85 and older in the USA.
For our purposes, I will look at some texts in antiquity to appreciate the context and then turn to Scripture. Not all pertain to suicide, but they bear on the issue.