Organ Donations

Following on from the two articles in recent issues regarding artificial life support, we have received two further questions relating to organ donation.

One reader asks: "I would be interested to know your views on blood transfusion (as the Bible has plenty to say about blood) and organ donation.  If our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost, should we donate bits of them to other people?  I believe scientists have even taken things a bit further than this by successfully transferring parts of animals into human.  This may enable us to save lives, but is it right to do so?"

The other writes, "Perhaps another question you could deal with is whether there are any spiritual and biblical issues raised by organ donation and transplantation.  Are there any fundamental objections?"  He goes on to mention the fact that in some countries dead bodies belong to the state, so that the state "can help itself to whatever organs it needs, irrespective of the convictions of the deceased or the wishes of the family."  He mentions, too, the trend toward using organs from living donors, rather than "cadaver donors" and after speaking of the risk of life in some cases to the donor, asks: "The giving of a kidney for one's child or spouse may be an act of selfless, sacrificial love, but does it not constitute abuse of our bodies, which for a believer is the temple of God (I Cor. 6)?"

These are exceedingly difficult and complex questions to answer.  For example, the position that blood transfusions are wrong (as held by the Jehovah's Witnesses) can involve one in legal difficulties when the life of a child is at stake and the parents refuse blood transfusions that could save the life of the child.

Generally speaking, we would not forbid either transfusions or organ donations, since we are reluctant to lay down rules of conduct where Scripture does not, even though we have quite strong opinions on these matters for ourselves.  One reason we are reluctant to lay down rules is that it forces us into the position of the Jehovah's Witnesses.  It seems clear, to us at least, that there is no essential difference between blood transfusions and organ donations, so that if organ donations are wrong then so are blood transfusions.

This, however, is not an answer from principle and does not settle the question.  The important thing is that Scripture does not directly forbid such things.  Even then, however, there are certain important principles that every Christian should keep in mind when facing decisions on these matters.

These principles are (1) we, with our bodies, are uniquely created by God (Gen. 1:27; 2:7); (2) as a result, they belong to God and not to us; (3) this is especially true for the Christian who also belongs to God, both body and soul, by purchase, through the blood of Jesus (I Cor. 6:20); (4) closely related to this, our bodies in particular are the temples of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 6:19); and (5) we expect that our bodies will also be raised in the last day, though they will be changed and made like Christ's body (I Cor. 15:35-38).

While not willing to make rules about organ transplants, especially for others, or to judge others in these matters, it is difficult for us, in light of these principles, to see that we have the right to dispose of parts of our bodies, either dead or living, as we see fit and as though they belong to us.  At very least, decisions about such matters as these ought not be made by us without remembering and taking account of these principles.