A recent survey by Lifeway Research reveals a growing tension in the United States around the morality and legality of physician-assisted suicide; a tension that many Catholic faithful will recognize as central to much public debate. The study, “American Views on Assisted Suicide,” conducted in mid-August 2024, asked 1,200 adult Americans about their beliefs regarding terminal illness and end-of-life decisions.
What the Survey Found
- 51% of respondents believe “it is morally acceptable for a person facing a painful terminal disease to ask for a physician’s aid in taking his or her life.”
- Of those, 21% “strongly agree”; 30% “somewhat agree.”
- Meanwhile 34% oppose this, and the remainder are undecided.
- On the question of whether “physicians should be allowed to assist terminally ill patients in ending their life,” support is similar: the majority lean toward approving such legal allowance.
- Support is not uniform. Several demographic and belief-based differences stand out:
- Religious belief plays a strong role: those without evangelical beliefs are much more likely to approve than those with evangelical beliefs (55% vs. 40%). (Lifeway Research)
- Catholics and those religiously unaffiliated are more likely to support physician-assisted suicide than Protestants or those of “Other Religions.” Catholics: ~59% approve; unaffiliated: ~63%. Protestants: ~42%; Other Religions: ~42%.
- Region matters: people in the West show higher agreement (58%), while the South shows lower, but still substantial, support (around 49%).
- Education also correlates: individuals with a bachelor’s degree more often say it is morally acceptable than those with only some college or less.
Trends Over Time
According to reporting by Catholic News Agency, this level of support marks a drop from earlier surveys. In 2016, 67% of those surveyed by Lifeway said the practice was morally acceptable, compared to 51% in 2024.
Some advocacy groups argue as more people learn about the risks and policies associated with legal assisted suicide, opposition increases.
Where This Stands in Light of Catholic Teaching
The Catholic Church holds a firm teaching that physician-assisted suicide and any form of euthanasia are morally illicit. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
“Intentional euthanasia, whatever its forms or motives, is murder.”
“Any action or lack of action which … causes death in order to eliminate suffering … constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person …”
At the same time, Catholic teaching recognizes that one is not bound to “use every means possible to prolong life,” especially when such means are “extraordinary or disproportionate.” If medical interventions no longer offer benefit or impose excessive burden, foregoing them is not euthanasia.
Implications for the Faithful
- Clarity and Charity in Dialogue
With roughly half of Americans now stating that physician-assisted suicide is morally acceptable in certain cases, there is a need for Catholics to engage clearly—both in understanding Church teaching and in compassionately explaining it. Many who agree may do so from fear of suffering, desire for autonomy, or misconceptions about palliative care. - Pastoral Care and Education
The Church can emphasize care that upholds dignity without hastening death. Palliative care, hospice, pain management, spiritual accompaniment are essential. Faithful outreach can help people facing terminal disease to know they are not alone, and there are morally permissible supports for suffering. - Policy Engagement
As more states consider or pass laws to legalize assisted suicide, Catholics have an opportunity – and duty – to make their voices known in public policy. This does not mean coercion of conscience, but participation in the civic process, advocating for protections of the vulnerable and ensuring that laws do not erode the respect due to human life from conception to its natural end.
A Call to Remember
The tension between prevailing public opinion and Catholic moral teaching is not new. What’s striking, however, is how public consensus has shifted, and how many Catholics and non-Catholics alike are wrestling with moral ambiguity. The Church’s message, however, remains consistent:
The dignity of the human person is inviolable, from natural beginning to natural end.
As Lifeway’s survey shows, many are uncertain, and many more are deciding based on what they believe is compassionate or fair. The Christian community must respond with a witness that is both firm in its convictions and tender in its care.
The Lifeway Research survey underscores that over half of Americans now consider physician-assisted suicide morally acceptable under certain circumstances. Yet, this acceptance is weak in many, heavily mediated by region, belief, education, and religious practice. For Catholics, these findings are a summons: to better understand Church teaching, to strengthen pastoral support to those suffering, and to contribute to a society that cherishes every life… even at its frailest.
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