Religious viewpoints

[Source: Council of Europe 2000: Working Party on Xenotransplantation, Strasbourg, July 2000.   Reprinted with permission.]

The Council of Europe recently documented the following religious viewpoints on xenotransplantation:

Baha’i
Xenotransplantation is acceptable, although unnecessary suffering to the animals should be avoided. Reasons: human beings are different and of higher order than animals.

Buddhism
Xenotransplantation is unacceptable, although some individual Buddhists may avail themselves of xenotransplantation dependent upon their “stage of perfection.”
Reasons: Proper ethical conduct reduces hurt and suffering in both animals and humans since both feel pain in their consciousness.

Christianity
A variety of responses toward xenotransplantation, however, generally accepting. Would want to minimise suffering of animals.
Reasons: human beings have been given authority to rule over creation and over animals. Arguments against include: interfering with creation - playing God.

Hinduism
Hindus do not believe in transplantation - either allotransplantation or xenotransplantation, although exceptions might be made to accept an organ. It is an individual choice.
Reason: the body must remain whole to pass into the next life. The cow is sacred to Hindus; however, pig and sheep would be acceptable.

Islam
A diversity of opinion, but generally xenotransplantation is acceptable. Like the Jewish tradition there is an emphasis on the preservation of life. Also, concerns were raised over the suffering of animals and that should be minimized.

Judaism
Xenotransplantation is acceptable because the over-riding value in Judaism is to save life. This over-rides other considerations such as the prohibition on the consumption of pig flesh. Concerns were raised over safety, the suffering of the animals, and over interfering with the order of Nature.

Native American
Traditional leaders regard any form of transplantation as an unacceptable violation of the integrity of the human body, however the decision whether to accept xenotransplantation is regarded as an individual one.

Sikhism
The consensus is that xenotransplantation would be acceptable.
Again, like other religious traditions, the minimization of animal suffering is a priority.