Issues: Infertility

What the Churches Say: Church of England

In 1984, the Anglican Church declared, like the Catholics, that surrogacy is never acceptable. However, the Anglican Church believes that using donations of sperm and eggs are an acceptable way to help a couple fulfil their desire to have a child. The Anglicans did want to add that the children conceived in this manner should have access to information concerning the donor.

The Church of England has a different stance to the Catholics on the status of the embryo. Lord Habgood, a former Anglican Archbishop of York , said concerning embryos:-

'At this earliest stage of their existence, embryos do not have the moral value of persons. They are to be treated with respect, but essentially they are no different from the product of early miscarriages.'

The Anglican Church therefore teaches that it is fine to create spare embryos which are later destroyed or not needed. They also believe that it is acceptable to carry out research on embryos for up to fourteen days.

IVF, AID and AIH are all acceptable methods of creating new life.