Aug 18, 2025
New Zealand’s Ministry of Health has reported a sharp rise in euthanasia and assisted suicides, with deaths increasing 37% in just one year. Between April 2024 and March 2025, 472 people died under the End of Life Choice Act—making up 1.25% of all deaths nationwide. Critics point to troubling gaps in oversight, noting that only a small fraction of applicants underwent psychiatric evaluation, and many patients with disabilities were not under palliative care at the time of their deaths. Meanwhile, the number of doctors willing to participate in assisted dying continues to decline.
Christian leaders and pro-life advocates are warning that the trend reflects a dangerous shift in how society views suffering and compassion. A joint statement by New Zealand church leaders emphasized that true compassion means supporting the sick rather than hastening death. Right To Life UK echoed the alarm, noting that other nations with legalized euthanasia show the same steep increases year after year. With the UK recently legalizing assisted dying, Christian medical groups are urging believers to respond in prayer, with steadfast love and a bold witness of God’s unchanging compassion in the midst of cultural change.
Stay Awake. Keep Watch.
SOURCE: Decision Magazine