Evangelical Lutheranism, euthanasia and assisted suicideAs a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, I consider it important to express in this essay the church's position on the issue of euthanasia and assisted suicide. Our church has strong biblical and traditional reasons to categorically oppose these new approaches to the end of life. More and more people know from personal experience some painful dilemmas involving suffering elderly or handicapped individuals. While the breakthroughs of modern medicine have been used to prolong and improve the lives of many, they have also helped create an often feared context for death. Expensive technology can keep people alive, but often these people are cut off from meaningful relationships with others and exist with little or no hope of recovery. Many fearfully imagine a situation at the end of their lives in which they or those they trust will have no say in decisions about their treatment. In this context, a new emphasis is placed on patients' rights. Recent federal legislation, for example, requires all healthcare facilities that receive Medicare or Medicaid funds to inform patients of their right to make decisions about their medical care. This includes the right to specify “advance directives” [1] that set out what patients want done if they are no longer able to communicate adequately. We consider the legislation to be consistent with the principle that "respect for that person [who is capable of participating] requires that he or she be recognized as the primary decision-maker" in treatment. [2] The patient is a person in relationship, not an isolated individual. Your decisions should take others into account and be made in consultation with your family, close friends, pastor, and healthcare providers. Christians approach end-of-life decisions in all their ambiguity, knowing that we are ultimately accountable to God, whose grace comforts, forgives, and releases us from our dilemmas. Which death decisions are morally acceptable to concerned Christians, and which are beyond morally acceptable limits? Which medical practices and public policies allow for more humane treatment for those who are dying, and which open the door to abuse and violation of human dignity? Proposals in various states to legalize medically assisted dying [3] indicate a renewed interest in these old issues. ELCA members, congregations, and institutions must address these questions through prayer and careful reflection.