Swiss Elder-Care Advocate Calls on Churches to Defend the Value of Life

The Church must help build a society where vulnerable people know they are still loved and valued — Markus Müller

As Switzerland’s Zurich canton considers a referendum on assisted dying, elder-care advocate Dr. Markus Müller is urging Christians to confront the issue, warning against a society where old age, illness, suffering or dependence could cause vulnerable people to feel that their lives are no longer worth living. Having spent 12 years caring for elderly and dying people, Müller argues that the debate is ultimately about how society values human life when people become frail or dependent.

Writing for the Swiss Evangelical Alliance, Müller cautioned that increasing emphasis on health, personal autonomy and individual well-being could unintentionally diminish the value placed on vulnerable lives. He also warned that elderly people may feel pressured to consider assisted dying because they fear becoming a burden on their families or society.

Müller is calling on churches to break their silence and provide an alternative message—that every human life has value, even in suffering and weakness. He urged churches to create spaces where people can openly discuss aging, death and suffering while offering compassion, dignity, practical care and hope.

For Müller, the Church must do more than debate assisted dying politically; it must help build a society where vulnerable people know they are still loved, valued and worth caring for.