Public Attitudes Toward Xenotransplantation: A Theological Perspective

Abstract

Among the myriad factors contributing to public attitudes toward xenotransplantation, religious belief offers a complex picture. In April 2019, xenotransplantation researchers at the University of Alabama-Birmingham conducted a focus group conversation among 12 area religious leaders. This article offers a theological analysis of the transcript of this conversation. The details of the interactions among the focus group participants sheds light on the manner in which theological belief shapes attitudes toward xenotransplantation. While participants generally recognized and affirmed the potential benefits of xenotransplantation, their support was tempered by an array of concerns emerging from a theological narrative that shaped their moral assessment.