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Why Some Christians Are Against IVF
An issue seeped in philosophy, bioethics, and theology
Recently, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), one of the largest protestant denominations in the world, came out against the use of in vitro fertilization (IVF). The new policy comes at a time when the United States is still reeling from the tossing of Roe v Wade at the Supreme Court. Reproductive rights are at the forefront of many people’s minds, especially considering the fact that 2024 is an election year. This vote thrusts the church into the middle of a new political issue at a time when a new political issue is the last thing that anyone wants.
The statement from the SBC reads in part:
[Members should] advocate for the government to restrain actions inconsistent with the dignity and value of every human being, which necessarily includes frozen embryonic human beings.
According to Yale Medicine, over 10 million babies have been born thanks to the efforts of IVF, and roughly 500,000 babies are born each year thanks to the technology. IVF has exploded in popularity in recent years as fertility issues have risen and costs have fallen. There is no evidence to suggest that babies born via IVF are any different from babies born “naturally.”
