Experiences and Views of Dutch Protestant Pastors with Palliative Sedation in Their Pastoral Care at the End of Life

Abstract

There is a growing public support for medical interventions at the End of Life (EoL), such as euthanasia and physician assisted suicide (EPAS) and palliative sedation (PS). This paper explores pastors’ views and their pastoral care on the place of EPAS and PS and uses a 2.556 pastors’ survey. Whereas only 38% were in favour of EPAS, more than 90% could justify PS. This paper analyses the differences in pastors’ attitudes regarding EPAS versus PS.

Keywords

Euthanasia physician-assisted suicide EPAS palliative sedation protestant church in the Netherlands pastoral care end of life

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