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October 26, 2003 Q & A

In vitro fertilization and artificial insemination

Question:

Does the OPC have any stated position on in vitro fertilization? Also on artificial insemination?

Answer:

No, the OPC does not have a stated position on either procedure. My reason for saying this is that it has never been officially brought before any General Assembly, as far as I know. As a church, we don't produce position papers on subjects such as this.

Years ago the General Assembly took a strong position against abortion (click here and here). We still stand on that decision. And I do not doubt that, if we were required to study these new techniques of human reproduction, we would not consider it insignificant. And we would deal with it in the light of the commandments, such as "You shall not murder" and/or "You shall not commit adultery."

But we'd have to hear from Christian medical scholars who make it their aim not to break these changeless commandments. For me as a man not versed in medicine, I would not want to make a pronouncement. I wish I might be more specific, but I cannot at this point.

 

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