CEO of the Evangelical Alliance, Gavin Calver, has told Premier that interfaith campaigning is critical in opposing the issue of assisted dying.
It comes as justice secretary Shabana Mahmood has come under fire for how her Muslim faith has led her to oppose the Terminally Ill Adults Bill.
A letter to her constituents of Birmingham and Ladywood revealed her concerns about assisted dying: “It cannot be overstated what a profound shift in our culture assisted suicide will herald.
“In my view,” she stated, “the greatest risk of all is the pressure the elderly, vulnerable, sick or disabled may place upon themselves. Faced with expensive or insufficient care… they would not be choosing death because that is what they want for themselves, but because they think that others might want it for them.”
Her fellow Labour politician, Lord Falconer, told Sky News: “I think she’s motivated – and I respect this – by her religious beliefs. They shouldn’t be imposed on everybody else.”
The comments drew backlash online – with some pointing out that Christian MPs such as Health Secretary Wes Streeting, have not faced criticism for opposing the bill due to their relgigion.
It does not look good that @ShabanaMahmood is being criticised for voting according to her conscience as a Muslim while Christian MPs who are also against do not face such an outcry. @miqdaad
— Michael C Hilton (@MichaelCHilton) November 25, 2024
At the weekend, Gavin Calver joined with Muslim, Jewish and fellow Christian faith leaders to co-sign an open letter opposing the bill.
He tells Premier that joining with Muslim voices is not a sign of Christian influence declining in the UK, but exemplifies the shared issues of different faiths.
“There are moments where across the faith groups, we can stand together and draw attention from the government and MPs and people,” he said.
“[Joining with other faiths] is not something we do often. It's not something I would be looking to do all the time, but on this issue, it's important enough.”
He appealed to Christians across the UK to pray for MPs debating assisted dying this Friday, saying: “This is a very important week for our nation.”
MPs will vote on assisted dying for the first time on 29th November.