United Methodist Church

Official website: http://www.umc.org

Beginning of Life

Abortion

The UMC allows for abortion in only very particular cases and after much prayer and consideration. Official Statement: See "Abortion: Overview" page on denominational website.

"Our belief in the sanctity of unborn human life makes us reluctant to approve abortion. But we are equally bound to respect the sacredness of the life and well-being of the mother, for whom devastating damage may result from an unacceptable pregnancy. In continuity with past Christian teaching, we recognize tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion, and in such cases we support the legal option of abortion under proper medical procedures. We cannot affirm abortion as an acceptable means of birth control, and we unconditionally reject it as a means of gender selection." (Book of Discipline)

"We oppose the use of late-term abortion known as dilation and extraction (partial-birth abortion) and call for the end of this practice except when the physical life of the mother is in danger and no other medical procedure is available, or in the case of severe fetal anomalies incompatible with life. We call all Christians to a searching and prayerful inquiry into the sorts of conditions that may warrant abortion. We commit our Church to continue to provide nurturing ministries to those who terminate a pregnancy, to those in the midst of a crisis pregnancy, and to those who give birth. We particularly encourage the Church, the government, and social service agencies to support and facilitate the option of adoption. (See ¶ 161.K.)" (Book of Discipline)

"Governmental laws and regulations do not provide all the guidance required by the informed Christian conscience. Therefore, a decision concerning abortion should be made only after thoughtful and prayerful consideration by the parties involved, with medical, pastoral, and other appropriate counsel." (Book of Discipline)

Contraception

Official Statement: The UMC has taken a position on population control that is suggestive for practices of contraception.

"Since the growing worldwide population is increasingly straining the world’s supply of food, minerals, and water and sharpening international tensions, the reduction of the rate of consumption of resources by the affluent and the reduction of current world population growth rates have become imperative.

People have the duty to consider the impact on the total world community of their decisions regarding childbearing and should have access to information and appropriate means to limit their fertility, including voluntary sterilization.

We affirm that programs to achieve a stabilized population should be placed in a context of total economic and social development, including an equitable use and control of resources; improvement in the status of women in all cultures; a human level of economic security, health care, and literacy for all. We oppose any policy of forced abortion or forced sterilization." (Book of Discipline)

Infertility & Reproduction

Reproductive Technology

Official Statement:

Nuclear Transfer and Cloning (for reproduction)

"We oppose the cloning of humans and the genetic manipulation of the gender of an unborn child." (Book of Discipline)

Excess Embryos from IVF

The UMC advocates only producing enough embryos to achieve one pregnancy at a time. (The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church, 2004.)

"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. We articulate this position with an attitude of caution, not license. We reiterate our opposition to the creation of embryos for the sake of research." (Book of Resolutions 2000, p. 254)

Frozen Oocytes

Official Statement:

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Healthcare & Medicine

Access to Healthcare

Official Statement:

"The right to health care includes care for persons with brain diseases, neurological conditions or physical disabilities, who must be afforded the same access to health care as all other persons in our communities. It is unjust to construct or perpetuate barriers to physical or mental wholeness or full participation in community." (Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2004.)

As part of "Access to Healthcare" the UMC affirms access to educational tools and information regarding preventative healthcare as well as information on family planning and AIDS prevention: "We affirm the right of men and women to have access to comprehensive reproductive health/family planning information and services which will serve as a means to prevent unplanned pregnancies, reduce abortions and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS." (Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2004.)

"We support the right of all persons to health care and health-care resources regardless of their genetic or medical conditions. We support equal access to medical resources, including genetic testing and genetic counseling by appropriately educated and trained health-care professionals. We affirm that responsible stewardship of God's gift of human life implies access of all persons to genetic counseling throughout their reproductive life." ("New Developments in Genetic Science" in The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church, 2004.)

Conscience Issues

Official Statement:

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Medical Tourism

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Organ Donation & Transplantation

Official Statement:

The UMC encourages organ donation and transplantation. It considers it a free gift that should be conducted with respect towards all involved.

"We believe that organ transplantation and organ donation are acts of charity, agape love, and self-sacrifice. We recognize the life-giving benefits of organ and other tissue donation and encourage all people of faith to become organ and tissue donors as a part of their love and ministry to others in need. We urge that it be done in an environment of respect for deceased and living donors and for the benefit of the recipients, and following protocols that carefully prevent abuse to donors and their families." (Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2004.)

Privacy of Healthcare Information

Official Statement:

The UMC takes a strong stance on confidentiality of genetic information:

"Genetic data of individuals and their families should be kept secret and held in strict confidence unless confidentiality is waived by the individual or by his or her family, or unless the collection and use of genetic identification data is supported by an appropriate court order." (Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2004.)

"We support the privacy of genetic information. Genetic data of individuals and their families shall be kept secret and held in strict confidence unless confidentiality is waived by the individual or his or her family, or unless the collection and use of genetic identification data are supported by an appropriate court order. We support increased study of the social, moral, and ethical implications of the Human Genome Project. We support wide public access to genetic data that do not identify particular individuals. We oppose the discriminatory or manipulative use of genetic information, such as the limitation, termination, or denial of insurance or employment." ("New Developments in Genetic Science" in The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church, 2004.)

Science & Technology

Biotechnology

Animal-Human Hybrids & Chimeras

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Human Cloning

Official Position:

"We oppose the cloning of humans and the genetic manipulation of the gender of an unborn child." (Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2004.)

"we still believe that human embryos should not be created purely for the sake of research, or created with the advance intention of destroying them, or cloned for harvesting stem cells." (The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church, 2004.)

"We call on all nations to ban human cloning (the intentional production of genetically identical or essentially identical human beings and human embryos), whether such cloning is funded privately or through government research." ("New Developments in Genetic Science" in The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church, 2004.)

Stem Cell Research

Official Position:

"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. We articulate this position with an attitude of caution, not license. We reiterate our opposition to the creation of embryos for the sake of research." (Book of Resolutions 2000, p. 254)

"we still believe that human embryos should not be created purely for the sake of research, or created with the advance intention of destroying them, or cloned for harvesting stem cells." (The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church, 2004.)

Emerging Technologies

Ethical Use of Technology

Official Statement:

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Genetic Ethics

Gender Selection

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Gene Therapy/Genetic Engineering

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Genetic Screening

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Genetic Testing

Official Statement:

"We support the right of all persons to health care and health-care resources regardless of their genetic or medical conditions. We support equal access to medical resources, including genetic testing and genetic counseling by appropriately educated and trained health-care professionals. We affirm that responsible stewardship of God's gift of human life implies access of all persons to genetic counseling throughout their reproductive life." ("New Developments in Genetic Science" in The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church,2004.)

Patenting of Human Tissue/Gene Patenting

Official Statement:

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Human Enhancement

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Cyborgs

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Transhumanism/Posthumanism

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Human Research Ethics

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Experimentation on Human Embryos

Official Statement:

"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. We articulate this position with an attitude of caution, not license. We reiterate our opposition to the creation of embryos for the sake of research." (Book of Resolutions 2000, p. 254)

"we still believe that human embryos should not be created purely for the sake of research, or created with the advance intention of destroying them, or cloned for harvesting stem cells." (The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church, 2004.)

End of Life

Artificial Hydration & Nutrition

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Definition of Death

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Extraordinary Measures

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Physician-Assisted Suicide/Euthanasia

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Withholding & Withdrawing Treatment

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Issues of Human Dignity & Discrimination

Disability Ethics

Official Statement:

"The right to health care includes care for persons with brain diseases, neurological conditions or physical disabilities, who must be afforded the same access to health care as all other persons in our communities. It is unjust to construct or perpetuate barriers to physical or mental wholeness or full participation in community." (Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2004.)

Eugenics

Official Statements:

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