As an ACT parliamentary inquiry into the end-of-life choices available to Canberrans continues, a survey of 1004 people has revealed how nearly half (48 per cent) of people with religious beliefs supported assisted dying laws.

This is despite a hardline stance from some religious orders against legalising the practice.

One of the report's authors, Anthony Hogan - who is an adjunct research professor with the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture  -  said the findings supported the idea that some formal theological positions do not reflect the "views of the pews".

"As an academic, I was intrigued by the seeming disconnect in the stance of the Christian churches with regards to same-sex marriage, and the way the population voted. However, this plebiscite data could not be analysed, especially by religion," he said.

While only 1 per cent of respondents were from the ACT, Professor Hogan said the findings brought into question the extent church leaders could speak on behalf of their communities on public policy.

"Recently we saw church advocates, such as Archbishop Prowse, assert the formal church stance, opposing end-of-life, assisted dying.  Simple maths suggested that at least some, if not a lot of the people in the pews, don’t support the ‘sandstone’ view that the churches formally hold with regards to for end-of-life, assisted dying," he said.

Overall, around two-thirds (65 per cent) of people surveyed believed euthanasia should be legalised while about a quarter (24 per cent) remained uncertain.

Twenty-nine per cent identified as religious, 28 per cent as spiritual, 15 per cent agnostic, 21 per cent atheist and 7 per cent as other.

When asked if euthanasia should be legalised, 64 per cent of Uniting Church members surveyed agreed, as did 50 per cent of Roman Catholics, 60 per cent of Anglicans, 25 per cent of other Christians and 36 per cent of other religious respondents.

Sixty-eight per cent of Uniting Church members and Roman Catholics agreed euthanasia was an acceptable solution for terminal or extreme physical illnesses, as did 63 per cent of Anglicans, 44 per cent of other Christians and 59 per cent of other religious respondents.

Sixty-six per cent of Uniting Church respondents agreed euthanasia let people die with dignity, as did 63 per cent of Roman Catholics,  65 per cent of Anglicans, 36 per cent of other Christians and 55 per cent of other religions.

Asked if everyone has a right to decide when they wanted to end their life, 63 per cent of Uniting Church members surveyed agreed, as did 57 per cent of Roman Catholics, 54 per cent of Anglicans, 30 per cent of other Christians and 50 per cent of other religions.

However  when asked if euthanasia should be legalised for anyone who wants to end their life, only 28 per cent of Uniting Church members agreed. Forty-one per cent of Roman Catholics also agreed, as did 38 per cent of Anglicans, 8 per cent of other Christians and 41 per cent of other religious respondents.

Of the denominations named in the study, only Catholic organisations - including the Catholic Archbishops conference, the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, Catholic Health Australia and Australian Catholic Disability Council - made submissions to the inquiry.

Canberra's Catholic archbishop Christopher Prowse told the committee assisted dying was an "ill-considered and dehumanising" practice, while Little Company of Mary Health Care - which runs Calvary hospital and Clare Holland House - said it will not offer the service.

The Anglican Church told a Victorian inquiry on euthanasia in 2015 physician-assisted suicide should remain illegal.

The Canberra synod of the Uniting Church has not made public its position on assisted dying, but the Victorian and Tasmanian synod last year released a discussion paper asking its rank-and-file for their views, noting the belief that Christians "were united and unambiguous in their opposition to voluntary euthanasia is false".

The Tibetan Buddhist Society of Canberra said it was not opposed to euthanasia, but wanted the committee to look at death holistically.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church said it was against the practice, as it did not fit in with their views of a "good death".