Euthanasia is deliberately ending a person's life to relieve suffering. The word comes from the Greek for “good death”.

What is the difference between active and passive euthanasia?

Active euthanasia is deliberately acting to end a life, such as by lethal injection. Passive euthanasia is allowing death by withdrawing or withholding treatment.

What does the Catechism (2276–2277) teach about euthanasia?

The Catechism says sick and disabled people deserve special respect and help to live as normally as possible. Direct euthanasia is morally unacceptable, whatever the motive.

What does the Catechism (2278) teach about stopping medical treatment?

Stopping burdensome or extraordinary treatment that only prolongs dying can be right. The aim is to accept death, not to cause it.

Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B 1RB0

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Catholic Christianity: Matters of Life and Death

Catholic teaching on euthanasia and hospice care

3 things to know
Paper 1

Overview

Voluntary, non-voluntary, active and passive euthanasia, assisted suicide in English law, Catechism 2276 to 2279 on treatment and painkillers, hospice care, and Humanist, Christian and situation ethics arguments.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Numbers

What is assisted suicide, and what is its legal position in England and Wales?

Key term

What is euthanasia?

Key term

What is the difference between voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What is euthanasia?
Model answer
Euthanasia is deliberately ending a person's life to relieve suffering. The word comes from the Greek for “good death”.
2
What is the difference between voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia?
Model answer
Voluntary euthanasia is ending a life at the person's own request. Non-voluntary euthanasia is ending the life of someone unable to ask, such as a person in a coma.
3
What is the difference between active and passive euthanasia?
Model answer
Active euthanasia is deliberately acting to end a life, such as by lethal injection. Passive euthanasia is allowing death by withdrawing or withholding treatment.
4
What is assisted suicide, and what is its legal position in England and Wales?
Model answer
Assisted suicide is helping someone to end their own life, and it is a crime in England and Wales under the Suicide Act 1961. MPs backed a bill to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults in June 2025, but it ran out of time in the House of Lords, and when it was brought back MPs voted it down in September 2026.
5
What does the Catechism (2276–2277) teach about euthanasia?
Model answer
The Catechism says sick and disabled people deserve special respect and help to live as normally as possible. Direct euthanasia is morally unacceptable, whatever the motive.
6
What does the Catechism (2278) teach about stopping medical treatment?
Model answer
Stopping burdensome or extraordinary treatment that only prolongs dying can be right. The aim is to accept death, not to cause it.

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