Biblical and church teaching relevant to reproductive technologies
What does Christianity teach about fertility treatments?
Most Christians recognise that being unable to have children can cause great sadness. They show compassion to people in this situation and support them.
Christians may encourage people to adopt a child. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that infertile Catholics can give expression to their generosity by adopting abandoned children (Roman Catholic Catechism 2379).
However, Christians recognise that infertile couples in this situation may feel that this is not the same as having a biological child and that they may want to turn to medical treatments for infertility. There are many different perspectives held by Christians on which, if any, of the treatments available today are compatible with Christian teaching.
Bible teaching
Fertility treatment is the result of modern medical science. However, this does not mean that there is nothing relevant in the Bible to guide Christians in their thinking.
Bible teachings that place emphasis on the sanctity of lifeThe belief that life is precious or sacred, because humans are made âin Godâs imageâ. For many religious believers, only human life holds this special status. and the unique value of every child are very relevant. There are also references to childless couples and their approach to this situation.
Do not commit murder.
For many Christians, this commandment teaches that the taking of all human life is wrong. If life begins at conception, then the destruction of âspare embryoAn organism in the early stages of development.â can be seen, to them, as murder.
You created every part of me; you put me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because you are to be feared; all you do is strange and wonderful. I know it with all my heart. When my bones were being formed, carefully put together in my mother's womb, when I was growing there in secret, you knew that I was there - you saw me before I was born.
In these verses the author of PsalmsA book in the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) containing songs of praise and worship. is praising God for His marvellous creation of human life. Every human being is carefully put together by God in the womb and is known to God. This unique creation does not start to exist as a person at birth, but when growing in secret in the womb. Therefore this life should be respected and not destroyed.
I chose you before I gave you life, and before you were born I selected you to be a prophet to the nations.
God spoke to JeramiahOne of the major prophets of the Old Testament and the author of the Book of Jeremiah. and told him that he had been chosen from before he was born. This shows how God knows each person and has plans for them from before they were born. This verse is also teaching that human life comes from God and must be treated with respect.
In the following passage, a woman called Hannah is desperate to have a child and prays:
Lord Almighty, look at me, your servant! See my trouble and remember me! Don't forget me! If you give me a son, I promise that I will dedicate him to you for his whole life.
Hannahâs prayer was answered and she gave birth to a son. This incident can teach Christians that God is in control and that the response to a distressing situation should be prayer. God hears peopleâs prayers and answers them in the way He thinks is best. Many Christians feel this should be the response to the situation of being childless, rather than fertility treatment.
More guides on this topic
- Personal and family issues: Sexual relationships - CCEA
- Personal and family issues: Marriage and divorce - CCEA
- Personal and family issues: Different types of family - CCEA
- Matters of life and death: Crime, punishment and justice - CCEA
- Matters of life and death: Abortion and euthanasia - CCEA
- Contemporary issues in Christianity - CCEA
- Modern warfare - CCEA