Finnish Legislation on Assisted Reproductive Technologies: A Comparison of Church Statements

Abstract

In this essay, Eriksson compares how religious arguments are used in statements on assisted reproductive technologies and surrogacy by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and the Orthodox Church of Finland. The study is a discourse analysis of the role of religious beliefs, religious norms, ethics and human rights discourse in statements by the two Churches. In Finland, the Finnish Evangelical Church has been strongly involved in matters regarding assisted reproduction and surrogacy, and has had great impact on the political discussions in these questions. The Finnish Orthodox approach to reproductive technologies seems quite pragmatic, and the Church does not take a position on how the state should legislate.