Organ donation a Christian duty

The Church of England has told the House of Lords that giving oneself and one’s possessions voluntarily for the well being of others and without compulsion is a Christian duty - and that organ donation is a striking example of this. The Church’s Mission and Public Affairs Division was responding to the Lords’ EU Social Policy and Consumer Affairs sub-committee’s inquiry into the EU Commission’s Communication on organ donation and transplantation: policy actions at EU level.

The response repeats the Church’s opposition to selling organs for commercial gain, while accepting organs being freely given by living donors, with no commercial gain. However, whether organ donation should be arranged through an "opt-in" or an "opt out" system is not a question on which Christians hold a single set of views, the C of E response explains.