The Presbyterian Church in Ireland and Union Theological College held their third joint conference under the theme ‘Church in the Public Square’ on Thursday, 22nd January 2015.

The aim of the conference was to bring together a number of leading thinkers in the UK to consider the role that Christians and the Church can play in wider community life. The theme for the event was 'Living and Dying Well', addressing the ethical, pastoral and legal issues surrounding attempts to legislate in favour of assisted suicide.

Baroness Ilora Finlay, chairwoman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dying Well, a professor of palliative medicine at Cardiff University and the current President of the BMA, spoke on 'End of Life or Ending Life', focusing in some depth on the medical aspects of end of life care; explaining what palliative care is, how it has developed and how it differs from what is called 'palliative care' in other jurisdictions. She also discussed the implications of a change in the law for end of life care.