TO SEEK a change in society’s default position on the sanctity of life “would be a disaster”, the Arch­bishop of Canterbury told the General Synod on Monday.

In a speech in support of a private member’s motion on assisted dying, proposed by Sarah Finch, Dr Williams said that a law that went beyond protecting the vulnerable “exceeds its proper function”. “We are committed to the belief that every life in every imaginable situ­ation is infinitely precious in the sight of God.” He warned that changes in the law became “changes in the default position that society adopts”, and gave the example of abortion.

In proposing her motion, Mrs Finch criticised the Falconer Com­mission on Assisted Dying, which published its recommendations last month News, Comment, Leader 6 Janu­ary). It suggested that a dying person — defined as someone likely to die within 12 months — should be able to ask a doctor to prescribe a dose of fatal medication.

Several organisations declined to participate in the consultations informing the report, and nine of the 11 members had already made public their desire to change the law before the Commission was formed.

The report has been heavily criti­cised since its publication, prompt­ing another member of the Synod, Anirban Roy, to question why the Synod was devoting its time to discussing the “outrageous things” said by a group of private indi­viduals.

Mrs Finch’s motion, however, which Dr Williams described as “timely and necessary”, won over­whelming support. It expressed concern that the Commission was “insufficiently independent”, and, following an amendment by Philip Fletcher of the Archbishops’ Coun­cil, expressed support for the current law on assisted suicide and for the hospice and palliative-care move­ments.

Members delivered emotional speeches of support, sharing their stories of caring for members of their families and parishioners who were nearing the end of their lives. “The end-of-life experience is not about defeat, but surely a supreme opportunity to help patients in many ways,” the Revd Andrew How­ard said. “Yes, nature can be pretty cruel, but we have been given gifts to care for the suffering, and we should use those responsibly.”

The Bishop of Carlisle, the Rt Revd James Newcome, said that life was not a disposable commodity, to be thrown away when it went wrong. “A truly compassionate soci­ety will invest in high-quality care rather than high doses of poison.”

Canon Rosie Harper, however, told the Synod to be careful not to attack the motives of those who supported assisted dying, before describing the experience of her uncle who died in Switzerland at a time of his choosing. Although she supported the motion, she said that she did not “take the view that all assisted dying under all cir­cum­stances is wrong”.

The motion was carried by 284 votes, with none against, and four recorded absentions.