African Methodist Episcopal: Organ and tissue donation is viewed as an act of neighborly love and charity by these denominations. They encourage all members to support donation as a way of helping others.
Amish: Approved if there is a definite indication that the health of the recipient would improve, but reluctant if the outcome is questionable.
Assembly of God: Organ and tissue donation is highly supported by the denomination. The Church has no official policy regarding donation and leaves the decision to donate up to the individual.
Baptist: Organ and tissue donation is supported as an act of charity. The Baptist Church leaves the decision up to the individual. The nation’s largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, adopted a resolution in 1988 encouraging physicians to request organ donation in appropriate circumstances and to "...encourage voluntarism regarding organ donations in the spirit of stewardship, compassion for the needs of others and alleviating suffering."
Brethren: The Church of the Brethren's Annual Conference in 1993 wrote a resolution on organ and tissue donation in support and encouragement of donation. They wrote that "We have the opportunity to help others out of lof for Christ, through the donation of organs and tissues."
Buddhism: Donation is a matter of individual conscience.
Catholicism: Transplants are acceptable to the Vatican and donation is encouraged as an act of charity.
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ): The Christian Church does not prohibit organ and tissue donation. They feel that it is a personal decision to be made in conjunction with family and medical personnel.
Christian Science: No official position. The decision is left to the individual.
Episcopal: The Episcopal Church passed a resolution in 1982 that recognizes the life-giving benefits of organ, blood, and tissue donation. All Christians are encouraged to become organ, blood and tissue donors "...as part of their ministry to others in the name of Christ, who gave His life that we may have life in its fullness."
Greek Orthodox: No objection to procedures that contribute to restoration of health, but donation of the entire body for experimentation or research is not consistent with tradition.
Independent Conservative Evangelical: Generally, Evangelicals have no opposition to organ and tissue donation. Each church is autonomous and leaves the decision to donate up to the individual.
Islam: The religion of Islam strongly believes in the principle of saving human lives. Moslems approve of donation provided the donor consents in writing in advance and the organs are transplanted immediately.
Jehovah's Witnesses: Donation is a matter of individual conscience with provision that all organs and tissues be completely drained of blood.
Judaism: Jews believe that if it is possible to donate an organ to save a life, it is obligatory to do so. Since restoring sight is considered life saving, this includes cornea donation.
Lutheran: Lutherans passed a resolution in 1984 stating that donation contributes to the well-being of humanity and can be "an expression of sacrificial love for a neighbor in need." They call on "members to consider donating...and to make any necessary family and legal arrangements, including the use of a signed donor card."
Mennonite: Mennonites have no formal position on donation, but are not opposed to it. They believe the decision to donate is up to the individual and/or his or her family.
Moravian: the Moravian church has made no statement addressing organ and tissue donation or transplantation. Robert E. Sawyer, President, Provincial Elders Conference, Moravian Church of America, Southern province, states, "There is nothing in our doctrine or policy that would prevent a Moravian pastor from assisting a family in making a decision to donate or not to donate an organ." It is, therefore, a matter of individual choice.
Mormon: Donation and transplantation is an individual decision
Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints): The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints believes that the decision to donate is an individual one made in conjunction with family, medical personnel, and prayer. They do not oppose donation.
Pentecostal: Pentecostals believe that the decision to donate should be left up to the individual.
Presbyterian: Presbyterians encourage and support donation. They respect a person’s right to make decisions regarding his or her own body.
Protestantism: Encourage and endorse organ donation.
Quaker: Donation and transplantation is an individual decision.
Seventh-Day Adventist: Donatin and transplantation are strongly encouraged. They have many transplant hospitals, including Loma Linda in California, which specializes in pediatric heart transplants.
Shinto: In Shinto, the dead body is considered to be impure and dangerous, and thus quite powerful. "In folk belief context, injuring a dead body is a serious crime...," according to E. Namihira in his article Shinto Concept Concerning the Dead Human Body. "To this day it is difficult to obtain consent from bereaved families for organ donation or dissection for medical education or pathological anatomy...the Japanese regard them all in the sense of injuring a dead body." Families are often concerned that they not injure the itai, the relationship between the dead person and the bereaved people.
Society of Friends (Quakers): Organ and tissue donation is believed to be an individual decision. The society of friends does not have an official position on donation.
Unitarian Universalist: Organ/tissue donation is widely supported by Unitarian Universalists. They view it as an act of love and selfless giving.
United Church of Christ: Reverend Jay Lintner, Director, Washington Office of the United Church of Christ Office for Church in Society, states," United Church of Christ people, churches and agencies are extremely and overwhelmingly supportive of organ sharing. The General Synod has never spoken to this issue because, in general, the Synod speaks on more controversial issues, and there is no controversy about organ sharing, just as there is no controversy about blood donation in the denomination. Any organized effort to get the General Synod delegates or individual churches to sign organ donation cards would meet with generally positive responses."
United Methodist: The United Methodist Church issued a policy statement regarding organ and tissue donation. In it, they state that, "The United Methodist Church recognizes the life-giving benefits of organ and tissue donation, and thereby encourages all Christians to become organ and tissue donors by signing and carrying cards or driver’s licenses, attesting to their commitment of such organs upon their death, to those in need, as a part of their ministry to others in the name of Christ, who gave His life that we might have life in its fullness." A 1992 resolution states, "Donation is to be encouraged, assuming appropriate safeguards against hastening death and determination of death by reliable criteria." The resolution further states, "Pastoral-care persons should be willing to explore these options as a normal part of conversation with patients and their families."
More information on this subject is available in the publication "Medical School Curriculum" from the United Network for Organ Sharing. www.unos.org
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Understanding Donation 
