Millions of people suffer from diseases and injuries that could be treated if we have adequate research to develop new therapies. Human embryonic stem cell research has enormous potential for finding life-saving treatments for Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, brain injury, stroke, heart disease, burns, and spinal cord injuries.

Embryonic stem cells are derived from excess embryos, which were created for infertility treatments and will be discarded once treatment is discontinued. Stem cells have the ability to divide indefinitely in culture and can develop into most of the specialized cells and tissues of the body such as muscle cells, nerve cells, liver cells and blood cells. Using stem cells could reduce the dependency on organ donation and transplantation.

As people of faith, we have deep respect for human life. We believe, as do most authorities and commissions that have addressed the issue, that human embryos have the potential of personhood and, as such, they deserve respect. But excess embryos slated for destruction must not be placed above persons whose pain and suffering might be alleviated due to the knowledge gained from studying embryonic cells. Placing obstacles in the way of life-saving research with embryonic stem cells that are already created and will be destroyed is misguided. In the case of existing embryos that will be destroyed, providing adequate federal funding for research is, in our view, fully consistent with respect for human life.

Religious Groups Supporting Embryonic Stem Cell Research
United Church of Christ
Presbyterian Church (USA)
United Methodist Church
Episcopal Church
Society for Humanistic Judaism
Union for Reform Judaism
Conservative Judaism
Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America
Unitarian Universalist Association

RCRC Board Position, Adopted August 24, 2000
INTRODUCTION
Contemporary medical research and technologies have presented humankind with complex ethical and moral realities never before envisioned. These realities bear careful review and consideration as new therapies are developed to cure diseases and illness. We understand that as people of faith, we are called to be partners with God in healing and in the alleviation of human pain and suffering.

Human pluripotent stem cells, more commonly known as “stem cells,” are derived through two different methods. One method uses early stage embryos in excess of clinical need and donated by women undergoing in vitro fertilization. The other method isolates stem cells from aborted fetuses.

Stem cells have the ability to divide for an indefinite period in culture and can develop into most of the specialized cells and tissues of the body such as muscle cells, nerve cells, liver cells and blood cells. The use of stem cells has far-reaching possibilities including “cell therapies.” Stem cells stimulated to develop into specialized cells could be used to treat diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, spinal cord injuries, stroke, burns, heart disease and diabetes. Using stem cells could reduce the dependency on organ donation and transplantation.

The moral issues raised by stem cell research differ, depending on whether the cells come from aborted fetuses or embryos resulting from in vitro fertilization that are no longer needed for infertility treatment.

SECTION I. RESEARCH ON TISSUE RESULTING FROM ABORTION
The ethical acceptability of deriving stem cells from the tissue of aborted fetuses is closely connected to the morality of abortion. Those who oppose using stem cells derived from aborted fetuses argue that the fetus is a person from the moment of conception and therefore, abortion for any reason is wrong. Those who hold such beliefs also fear that the possibility of donating the fetus for stem cell research will encourage women to have more abortions or justify the abortions that otherwise could not be justified. They believe that the researchers would be complicit in an immoral act. In addition, they would claim that a woman seeking an abortion should not have the right to give consent to the use of the tissue because she has forfeited her maternal trusteeship by aborting the fetus.

We, the Board of the Directors of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, support women’s right to choose an abortion based on conscience and religious beliefs. We believe that a woman’s right to evaluate her life situation and the impact of her pregnancy on her own health and on her obligations to other family members, is an essential element of her personhood and her status as a moral being. We view abortion as not only protected under U.S. law but as morally justifiable.

We believe in the morality of the use of tissue derived from fetuses when the procurement of that tissue is carefully regulated. Regulation of donations needs to assure that the decision to have an abortion is separated from the decision to donate fetal tissue. We also believe that fetal tissue donation is moral when the decision to use the tissue is made separately from the decision to abort. Women who have made informed decisions to donate fetal tissue for research deserve the respect and gratitude of society.

SECTION II. RESEARCH WITH STEM CELLS DERIVED FROM EMBRYOS
Research with stem cells obtained from human embryos poses moral difficulties that do not exist in the case of fetal tissue. The life of the fetus has already been terminated when the researcher receives the tissue while the life of embryonic tissue resulting from infertility treatment must be terminated. The morality of ending the life of embryos rests on how one views the moral status of the embryos. We believe, as do most authorities and commissions that have addressed the issue, that human embryos do have the potential of personhood and as such, they deserve respect. That respect must be shown by requiring that the interests or goals to be accomplished by using human embryos be compelling and unreachable by other means. Indications are that human embryonic stem cell research has the potential to lead to life-saving breakthroughs in major diseases. Currently, this knowledge cannot readily be obtained from cells derived from other sources such as adult stem cells and cadaveric fetal tissue. Prohibition of the derivation of stem cells from embryos would elevate the showing of respect to human embryos above that of helping persons whose pain and suffering might be alleviated due to the knowledge gained from studying embryonic cells. The embryos, resulting from infertility treatment, that will be used for such research would be only those which would not have a chance of growing into personhood because the woman has decided to discontinue further treatments.

POSITION
We, the members of the Board of Directors of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, an organization comprising members of over forty faiths groups, affirm the use of fetal tissue and embryonic tissue for vital research. We honor the faiths of our members and the faiths of those in our society. Although we differ in our faith affirmations, we agree the human life deserves deep respect. Our respect for life includes respect for the embryo and fetus. Decisions made about embryos and fetuses need to be made with responsibility. Therefore, we believe that it is the responsibility of our faith groups to educate their members in making ethical decisions. With careful regulation, we affirm the use of human stem cell tissue for research that may result in the restoring of health to those suffering from such illnesses as Parkinson’s Disease, diabetes, brain injury, stroke, and heart disease. We affirm our support for stem cell research, recognizing that this research moves toward a new and challenging frontier.

In our diversity of faiths, we share a commitment to the creation of a just society. Therefore, we recognize the need for continuing, informed public dialogue and equitable sharing of information of the results of stem cell research. It is only with such public dialogue and information sharing that our diverse society can build a foundation for responsible movement toward this frontier that offers enormous hope and challenge.