The Church of England’s General Synod could vote to give people who kill themselves the same funeral service as those who die of natural causes.
A Sunday newspaper says the Church’s parliament is poised to approve a change in Canon Law which would allow people who have completed suicide to be given a full Christian funeral.
Currently clergy are forbidden from giving the same service in a bid to show the Church’s disapproval of suicide, but some vicars ignore or do not know about the rule.
The Mail on Sunday claims to have spoken to a senior member of the Synod who said: “The Church has always opposed suicide on the basis of the commandment Thou Shalt Not Kill, and that includes yourself.”
General Synod members will meet next month in London to discuss a possible change.
Under current Canon Law clergy should be modifying the funeral service if a person was of sound mind when they killed themselves.
Canon Michael Parsons from Gloucester is leading calls for reforms and told the newspaper many vicars were unaware of the law and were focused on comforting the family left behind.
He said a change in the Church would help it shed the impression that it is ‘hostile’ to people who take their own lives.
Vocal opponent of assisted suicide, former Government Minister Lord Tebbit, said: “The Church is in danger of getting into a muddle because we can take a merciful view of people who kill themselves while the balance of their mind is disturbed.
“But we are now looking at cases in which people who appear to be quite sane want to take their own lives. The Church should think again.”
Almost six thousand people completed suicide in the UK in 2012 according to The Samaritans.
Source : Premier Christian News