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Religions Have Sound Moral Reasons to Favor Expanded Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research

In the five years since President Bush announced his policy against federal funding of research with embryonic stem cells, major religions have adopted policies to the contrary—supporting federal funding for carefully regulated research. Their common theme is that humanity is better served if excess embryos—created by couples for fertility procedures and no longer needed—are used for medical research rather than discarded.

Religions do not support the creation of embryos for research, or for reproduction. They recognize that excess embryos exist and will continue to exist given the desire of couples for fertility procedures. The question then is: should we throw them away—or keep them frozen indefinitely—or should we put them to good use in helping to overcome diseases for which there is now no cure or remedy.

For example, President Bush’s own denomination, the United Methodist Church, approved a statement—“with an attitude of caution, not license”—at its 2004 General Conference favoring the use of embryos left over from in vitro fertilization that would otherwise be discarded. The statement reads: “Given the reality that most, if not all, of these excess embryos will be discarded, we believe that it is morally tolerable to use existing embryos for stem cell research purposes. This position is a matter of weighing the danger of further eroding the respect due to potential life against the possible, therapeutic benefits that are hoped for from such research. The same judgment of moral tolerability would apply to the use of embryos left from future reproductive efforts if a decision has been made not to introduce them into the womb.”

The religions that support this research—and are willing to tolerate the destruction of human embryos—all have a deep reverence for human life. Their reasoning and faith leads them to conclude that it is far more compassionate, humane, and moral to put these excess embryos to use to help people who are suffering than it is to throw them away.

In addition to the United Methodist Church, the Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), United Church of Christ, and the Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform movements of Judaism have all passed or adopted positions or statements in support of expanded federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, using excess embryos that will be destroyed. The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Board of Directors issued a statement in 2000 explaining that many people of faith feel that they are called to be partners with God in healing and in the alleviation of human pain and suffering and that carefully regulated research with excess human embryos can help find cures for diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, juvenile diabetes, and spinal cord injury.

July 20, 2006