I didn’t share my theology of suicide in Preventing Suicide because what is important to me is to encourage clergy to reflect for themselves on their theology of suicide. Different Christian clergy will have a different answer to your question. Chapter 3 of Preventing Suicide goes into great detail about the importance of a theology of suicide as well as describing the spectrum of Christian views on suicide and sin and the reasons Christians use to argue that suicide is or is not a sin, that it’s a forgivable or an unforgivable sin. In the chapter, you can read the views of Luther, Calvin, Bonhoeffer and the current view in the Catholic Church.
Clergy have told us that they would rather have thought this through before a person comes to their office to ask if suicide damns a person to hell. Because of the importance of this question and the complexity of the possible answers, I’d refer you to Preventing Suicide. But I can say that in my research I’ve found that most people, whatever their theology, object to suicide.
What’s the one thing you would like to say to a Christian who is contemplating suicide?
I would like to ask if they are receiving mental-health treatment. Suicidal thinking often comes in the context of a mental-health problem, which needs treatment. If I could ask another question, I’d like to ask if the person would feel free to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1.800.273.TALK (8255) (www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org) if he or she has suicidal thoughts.
Reprinted with permission from Theologues. Arni Zachariassen studied theology and religion at the universities of Aberdeen and Manchester. He now lives in his home country of the Faroe Islands where he enjoys the company of his wife and two kids. He’s quite a boring fellow, especially according to the teenagers he hangs out with in his daily capacity as a youth worker, indulging the simple pleasures of reading, listening to heavy metal and cooking.
