Book review: How Should We Then Die? (Ewan C. Goligher, M.D)
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In October 2024, Kim Leadbeater introduced her bill to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults to the House of Commons. The bill received its Second Reading on 29 November 2024 and a majority of MPs voted in favour of the Bill to progress to the Committee Stage.
The issue of assisted dying is often an emotionally charge subject. The arguments for and against can lead to dividing lines being drawn, and confusion on how to approach the matter with clear, logical thinking.
On top of that, this is a topic that we, as Christians, MUST weigh against the will of God. Has God spoken about this and what has He said? How should a Christian respond and contribute to discussions on this matter that is at the forefront of public debate and will soon be brought back to Parliament for a decision on whether to vote it into law or not? Does it even matter?
In an obvious nod to Francis Schaeffer’s classic, “How Should We Then Live?” which dealt with society’s shift away from Biblical principles in thought and culture, Ewan Goligher’s “How Should We Then Die?” is a timely book which seeks to provide clear arguments against assisted dying. As a Christian and as a Medical Doctor, Goligher tackles the subject on the twin foundations of logic and faith.
One of the main arguments for assisted dying is dignity at the end of life. Goligher spends much of the book tackling what is meant by human dignity and where we, as humans, get our value from.
In an engaging and tender manner, this short book of 6 chapters, covers a lot of ground.
At the beginning of the book, Goligher explains that, while teaching on the question of euthanasia at the University of Toronto, he was challenged by a student, “If that’s what they want, why not?” With his personal experience as an emergency doctor, he shares stories of immense suffering of his patients and seeks to answer the challenge of his student (and of society), with both a Christian’s and a doctor’s compassionate perspective.
What I appreciated about the book is that Goligher doesn’t leave us clinging to a Christian worldview that could so easily be argued away with the rebuttal, “But I don’t believe what you believe so your view doesn’t apply to me.” Whilst he unashamedly packs in a significant portion of Christian truth, he also tackles the question from a philosophical and logical perspective.
This book will give you, an honest, and at times raw, insight of a doctor who has dealt with the suffering of those at the end of their lives.
This book will give you a clear and concise process for breaking down the illogical argument for assisted dying.
This book will provide you with certainty on where and how we should stand as image bearers of God and as followers of Christ.
This is a topic Christians cannot afford to be uniformed on. We must arm ourselves with knowledge and logic. This book helps us do both.
I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Gary Taberner (March 2025)