Religious Views on Organ and Tissue Donation

Most major religions support donation. It is generally held that donation for the benefit of others is a demonstration of faith and love for one’s fellow man. Any one with questions about their faith’s position on donation should consult with their clergy or spiritual adviser.

AME and 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 consent to donation if they know it is for the health and welfare of the transplant recipient.  They may be reluctant to consent if the transplant outcome is known to be questionable.

Assembly of God:
The Church has no official policy regarding organ and tissue donation, but the decision to donate is left up to the individual.  Donation is highly supported by the denomination.

Baptist:
Donation is supported as an act of charity and the church leaves the decision to donate up to the individual.

Brethren:
The Church of the Brethren’s Annual Conference in 1993 developed a resolution on organ and tissue donation supporting and encouraging donation.  They wrote that, “We have the opportunity to help others out of love for Christ, through the donation of organs and tissues.”

Buddhism:
Buddhists believe that organ/tissue donation is a matter of individual conscience and place high value on acts of compassion.  Reverend Gyomay Masao, President and Founder of the Buddhist Temple of Chicago, says, “We honor those people who donate their bodies and organs to the advancement of medical science and to saving lives.” 

Catholicism:
Roman Catholics view donation as an act of charity, fraternal love and self-sacrifice.  Transplants are ethically and morally acceptable to the Vatican.

Christian Science:
The Church of Christ Scientist does not have a specific position regarding organ and tissue donation.  According to the First Church of Christ Scientist in Boston, Christian Scientists normally rely on spiritual means of healing instead of medical.  They are free, however, to choose whatever form of medical treatment they desire, including a transplant.  The question of organ/tissue donation is an individual decision.

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 we may have life in its fullness.”

Greek Orthodox:
According to Reverend Dr. Milton Efthimiou, Director of the Department of Church and Society for the Greek Orthodox Church of North and South America, “The Greek Orthodox Church is not opposed to organ donation as long as the organs and tissue in question are used to better human life, i.e., for transplantation or for research that will lead to improvements in the treatment and prevention of disease.”

Hinduism:
According to the Hindu Temple Society of North America religious law does not prohibit Hindus from donating their organs; this act is an individual’s decision.  H.L. Trivedi, in Transplantation Proceedings, stated that, “Hindu mythology has stories in which the parts of human body are used for the benefit of other human other humans and society.”

Independent Conservative Evangelical:
Generally, Evangelicals have no opposition to organ and tissue donation.  Each church is autonomous and leaves the decision to donate up to the individual.

Islam: 
In 1983, the Moslem Religious Council initially rejected organ donation by followers of Islam, but it has revised its position, provided donors consent in writing before their death. 

Jehovah’s Witnesses:
According to their National Headquarters, the Watch Tower Society, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe donation is a matter of individual decision.  Jehovah’s Witnesses are often assumed to be opposed to donation because of their belief against blood transfusion.  However, this merely means that all blood must be removed from the organs and tissues before being transplanted.

Judaism:
All four branches of Judaism (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist) support and encourage donation.  According to Rabbi Moses Tendler, PhD, Professor of biology, Yeshiva University, New York, and an expert on medical ethics, “If one is in the position to donate an organ to save another’s life, it’s obligatory to do so, even if the donor never knows who the beneficiary will be. 

Lutheran:
In 1984, the Lutheran Church in America (Missouri-Synod) passed a resolution stating that donation contributes to the well-being of humanity and can be “an expression of sacrificial love for a neighbor in need.”  They call on “members to consider donating organs and to make any necessary family and legal arrangements, including the use of a signed donor card.”

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 their family.

Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints):
The donation of organs and tissues is a selfless act that often results in great benefit to individuals with medical conditions.  The decision to will or donate one's own body organs or tissue for medical purposes, or the decision to authorize the transplant of organs or tissue from a deceased family member, is made by the individual or the deceased member's family.  The decision to receive a donated organ should be made after receiving competent medical counsel and confirmation through prayer.  The LDS Church recently changed its statement on organ donation from one of neutrality to calling the giving of organs and tissues a "selfless act that often results in great benefit to individuals with medical conditions."  Scott Parker, who represents the LDS Church on the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable, cautioned that the decision is still an individual one; 4/2007.

Moravian:
The Moravian Church does not have an official policy addressing organ/tissue donation or transplantation.  Robert E. Sawyer, 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.

Pentecostal:
Pentecostals believe that the decision to donate should be left up to the individual.

Presbyterian:
Presbyterians encourage and support donation.  They respect a person’s right to make decisions regarding their own body.  During their General Assembly in 1995, they wrote a strong support of donation and commented that they “encourage its members and friends to sign and carry Universal Donor Cards…”

Seventh-Day Adventist:
Donation and transplantation are strongly encouraged by Seventh-Day Adventists.  They have many transplant hospitals, including Loma Linda in California.  Loma Linda specializes in pediatric heart transplantation.

Society of Friends (Quaker):
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:
Unitarian Universalists affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person and respect the interdependent web of all existence.  They affirm the value of organ and tissue donation, but leave the decision to each individual.

United Church of Christ:
Reverend Jay Litner, Director, Washington Office of the United Church of Christ Office for Church in Society, states that, “United Church of Christ people, churches and agencies are extremely and overwhelmingly supportive of organ sharing. 

United Methodist:
The United Methodist Church issued a policy statement in 1984 regarding organ and tissue donation.  In it, they state that “The United Methodist Church recognizes the life-giving benefits of organ and tissue donation, and thereby encourages all Christians to become organ and tissue donors by signing and carrying cards or driver’s licenses, attesting to their commitment of such organs upon their death…”  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 that, “Pastoral care persons should be willing to explore these options as a normal part of conversation with patients and their families.”  

Wesleyan Church:
The Wesleyan Church supports donation as a way of helping others.  They believe that God’s “ability to resurrect us is not dependent on whether or not all our parts were connected at death.”  In 1989 the Wesleyan Church noted in a task force on public morals and social concerns that “one of the ways that Christian can do good is to request that their body be donated to a medical school for use in teaching.”

Source, United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS)