 AME & AME ZION (African Methodist Episcopal) Organ and tissue donation is viewed as an act of neighborly love and charity by these denominations. They encourage all members to support donation as a way of helping others. AMISH The Amish will consent to transplantation if they know that it is for the health and welfare of the recipient. They would be reluctant to donate their organs if the outcome was known to be questionable; however, nothing in the Amish understanding of the Bible forbids them from using modern medical services including surgery, hospitalization, dental work, anesthesia, blood transfusions, or immunization. BAPTIST Organ transplants are generally approved when they do not seriously endanger the donor and when they offer real medical hope for the recipient. A transplant as an end in itself is not approved. It must offer the possibility of physical improvement and extension of human life. They "...encourage voluntarism regarding organ donations in the spirit of stewardship, compassion for the needs of others, and alleviating suffering." BRETHREN While no official position has been taken by the Brethren denominations, according to Pastor Mike Smith, there is a consensus among the National Fellowship of Grace Brethren that organ and tissue donation is a charitable act so long as it does not impede the life or hasten the death of the donor or does not come from an unborn child. BUDDHISM The Buddhists believe that organ donation is a matter of individual conscience and place high value on acts of compassion. The importance of letting loved ones know your wishes is stressed. CATHOLICISM Catholics view organ donation as an act of charity, fraternal love, and self sacrifice. Transplants are ethically and morally acceptable to the Vatican. CHRISTIAN CHURCH (Disciples of Christ) The Christian Church encourages organ and tissue donation, stating that we were created for God's glory and for sharing God's love. A 1985 resolution, adopted by the General Assembly encourages "...members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to enroll as organ donors and prayerfully support those who have received an organ transplant." CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS The Church of Christ Scientists takes no specific position on transplants or organ donation as distinct from other medical or surgical procedures. Members are free to choose whatever form of medical treatment they desire, including a transplant. Organ donation is the individual decision of each member. CHURCH OF CHRIST (Independent) Organ transplants should not be a religious problem. CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE The Church of the Nazarene encourages its members who do not object personally to support donor/recipient anatomical organs through living wills and trusts. Further, we appeal for a morally and ethically fair distribution of organs to those qualified to receive them. (2001). EPISCOPAL The Episcopal Church passed a resolution in 1982 that recognizes the life-giving benefits of organ, blood, and tissue donation. All Christians are encouraged to become organ, blood, and tissue donors "...as part of their ministry to others in the name of Christ, who gave His life that others may have life in its fullness." GREEK ORTHODOX Organ transplants, such as skin grafting and blood transfusion from one human to another, have always been acceptable. This is extended to include kidney transplants, heart transplants, etc. The life of the donor however, is of equal importance. GYPSIES Although there is no formal resolution, gypsies are, on the whole, against organ donation. They believe that the body must be intact after death because for one year the soul retraces its steps. HINDUISM Hindus are not prohibited by religious law from donating. It is considered an individual decision. INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICAL Generally, Evangelicals have had no opposition to organ and tissue donation. Each church is autonomous and leaves the decision to donate up to the individual. ISLAM The religion of Islam believes in the principle of saving human lives. The majority of the Muslim scholars belonging to various schools of Islamic law have invoked the principle of priority of saving human life and have permitted the organ transplant as a necessity to procure the noble end. JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES Jehovah's Witnesses do not encourage organ donation but believe it is a matter for individual conscience according to the Watch Tower Society, the legal corporation for the religion. The group does not oppose donating or receiving organs; however, all organs and tissues must be completely drained of blood before transplantation. JUDAISM All four branches of Judaism (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist) support and encourage donation. Judaism teaches that saving a human life takes precedence over maintaining the sanctity of the human body. According to Moses Tendler, Ph.D., Orthodox Rabbi of Yeshiva University in New York City, "If one is in the position to donate an organ to save another's life, it is obligatory to do so, even if the donor never knows who the beneficiary will be. This includes donation of corneas, since eyesight restoration is considered a life-saving operation." NATION OF ISLAM The May 10, 1995 issue of The Final Call describes Minister Louis Farrakhan's "budding partnership with Black organ donor professionals." The Minister is in favor of organ and tissue donation but agreed that we should place "the greater emphasis on preventing diseases that lead to organ failure and health problems." ORTHODOX JUDAISM (Traditional) The sanctity of the human body covers each of its members and organs. So where any part of the body is separated from the corpus, it, too requires burial. However, where an organ is to be transplanted to save the life of a patient or improve his health, then it is permitted. In 1991, The Rabbinical Council of America (Orthodox) approved organ donations as permissible, and even required, from brain-dead patients. REFORM JUDAISM The authorized removal of the eyes of a deceased person in order to restore the sight of a survivor is acceptable. This applies to any proper and scientifically effectual transplant of any organ from a deceased person to a living person. LUTHERAN The ability to transplant organs from a deceased to a living person is considered a genuine medical advance. However, "Only for strong and compelling reasons does a human being, as the trustee of his own body, organs, and faculties have the right voluntarily to transfer to his neighbor those vital resources of his own person which may jeopardize his own ability to maintain the relationship of life." MENNONITE Mennonites have no formal position on donation, but are not opposed to it. They believe the decision to donate is up to the individual and/or his or her family. MORAVIAN The Moravian Church has made no statement addressing organ and tissue donation or transplantation. Robert E. Sawyer, President, Provincial Elders Conference, Moravian Church of America, Southern Province, states, "There is nothing in our doctrine or policy that would prevent a Moravian pastor from assisting a family in making a decision to donate or not to donate an organ." It is therefore, a matter of individual choice. MORMON (CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS) The question of whether one should will his or her bodily organs to be used as transplants or for research after death must be answered from deep within the conscience of the individual involved. Those who seek counsel from the Church on the subject are encouraged to review the advantage and disadvantages of doing so, to implore the Lord for inspiration and guidance, and then to take the course of action which would give them a feeling of peace and comfort. PENTECOSTAL Pentecostals believe that the decision to donate should be left up to the individual. PRESBYTERIAN Presbyterians encourage and endorse organ donation. They respect individual conscience and a person's right to make decisions regarding his own body. SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST The individual and the family have the right to receive or to donate those organs which will restore any of the senses or will prolong the life profitably. SHINTO In Shinto, the dead body is considered to be impure and dangerous, and thus quite powerful. "In folk belief context, injuring a dead body is a serious crime...," according to e. Namihira in his article, Shinto Concept Concerning the Dead Human Body. "To this day it is difficult to obtain consent from bereaved families for organ donation or dissection for medical education or pathological anatomy... the Japanese regard them all in the sense of injuring a dead body." Families are often concerned that they not injure the itai, the relationship between the dead person and the bereaved people. SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (QUAKERS) Organ and tissue donation is believed to be an individual decision. The Society of Friends does not have an official position on donation. UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST Organ and tissue donation is widely supported by Unitarian Universalists. They view it as an act of love and selfless giving. UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST When advocated by medical practitioners to improve or preserve human life, this procedure is encouraged provided that donor and recipient consent is secured. UNITED METHODIST The United Methodist Church encourages "men of ethical concern in various relevant fields together to engage in the study and direction of these developments," recognizing that they offer great potentialities for enhancing health while at the same time raising serious issues for traditional views of human nature and values. A 1992 resolution states, "Donation is to be encouraged, assuming appropriate safeguards against hastening death and determination of death by reliable criteria." The resolution further states, "Pastoral-care persons should be willing to explore these options as a normal part of conversation with patients and their families." Information taken from handout by the NATIONAL KIDNEY FOUNDATION of Eastern Missouri & Metro East, Inc. and the Organ and Tissue Donation: A Reference Guide for Clergy - South-Eastern Organ Procurement Foundation, United Network for Organ Sharing. |
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