Moral Questions About In Vitro Fertilization. Can There Be a Pastoral Approach?

Abstract

For Christian communities, medically assisted procreation is an active challenge. Whether we are talking about techniques that use in vivo fertilization, or whether we are talking about techniques that use in vitro fertilization, the reservations from the perspective of Christian morality are obvious. However, in the last 25 years, the Orthodox Church (at least the one in Greece and the one in Russia) has felt the need to compose documents that evaluate these techniques and that provide pastoral guidance to those who cannot assume life without children or adoption. This study outlines the steps that the Church recommends before using in vitro fertilization techniques and invites to reflect on embryo adoption.