Society has historically viewed suicide with hostility and fear. For centuries this hostility was reflected in the English civil law, which condemned suicide as homicide, and in the Church's position towards suicide victims, which historically considered suicide to be a mortal sin. Under the current canon law, set out in Canon B 38, it is the duty of the minister to bury all parishioners, those who die in the parish, or those entered on the electoral roll of the parish according to the rites of the Church of England, except for (among others) those who ‘being of sound mind have laid violent hands upon themselves’. This canon has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years as society's attitudes towards suicide have become more tolerant. As a result, General Synod recently voted that this canon should be amended. This article explores the development of the law relating to suicide victims in order to understand the Church's current position. It then considers the shortcomings of the current canon law and reviews the position adopted by the Roman Catholic and Methodist churches. Finally, it examines the proposals for changing Canon B 38.

中文翻译：

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与自杀受害者有关的英国教会法

社会历来对自杀怀有敌意和恐惧。几个世纪以来，这种敌意反映在将自杀定为杀人罪的英国民法中，以及教会对自杀受害者的立场中，历史上认为自杀是一种致命的罪过。根据现行教会法，在佳能 B 38 中规定，牧师有责任埋葬所有教区居民、死在教区的人，或根据教会仪式进入教区选民名册的人。英格兰，除了（除其他外）那些“心智健全的人对自己施以暴力”。近年来，随着社会对自杀的态度变得更加宽容，这一经典受到了越来越多的审查。结果，总会大会最近投票决定应该修改这个经典。本文探讨与自杀受害者有关的法律的发展，以了解教会目前的立场。然后，它考虑了当前教会法的缺点，并审查了罗马天主教和卫理公会所采取的立场。最后，它检查了更改佳能 B 38 的建议。