United Church of Christ Religious Beliefs and Healthcare Decisions by Arlene K. Nehring he United Church of Christ (UCC) was born out T of, and continues to shape and be shaped by, the ecumenical movement—the attempt of Christians to unite around matters of agreement rather than to divide over matters of disagreement. In 1957, two denominations merged, the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church, Contents resulting in the United Church of Christ. The Individual and 2 Although the UCC is usually viewed as an heir to the Patient-Caregiver Relationship the Reformed Protestant tradition, the denomination also includes historic Lutheran roots among the tradi- Family, Sexuality, and Procreation 3 tions that inform its faith and practice. The UCC is Genetics 5 sometimes described as a “non-creedal” church Mental Health 6 because no specific confession or set of confessional statements is considered normative for the church’s Death and Dying 8 faith. But UCC beliefs can be gleaned not only from Special Concerns 9 the numerous confessions that the church has actual- ly employed, but also from the traditions reflected in its worship and other practices, such as confirmation. From this perspective, the UCC might better be described as a “multi-creedal, multi-confessional” church. It embraces a rich Protestant heritage in which the primary authority of the Scriptures, justifi- cation by grace through faith, and the continuing guidance of the Holy Spirit are all central tenets. Although the UCC also features enormous theological diversity, two other key principles are embraced by virtually all its members. One is the affirmation of the Part of the “Religious Traditions and “priesthood of all believers,” and the other is an Healthcare Decisions” handbook series adherence to a congregational or covenantal polity. published by the Park Ridge Center Affirming the priesthood of all believers means for the Study of Health, Faith, and Ethics that each person has the authority and responsibility to discern God’s will for his or her life and to UCC the General Synod’s actions are not bind- act in accordance with that will. This affirmation ing on other bodies of the church. The synod extends to circumstances pertaining to health speaks in an advisory way rather than a determi- and medicine and allows for a high degree of native way. Similarly, even though the General moral autonomy—except or until one’s behavior Synod is likely to be heard as the voice of the begins to have significant negative impact on denomination when it speaks to the wider socie- others. ty, in a strict sense the synod speaks only for To say that the UCC observes a congregation- itself. The actions of the General Synod are not al or “covenantal” polity means that, with some necessarily embraced by all of its constituents, “presbyterian” exceptions, the authority for and difference is tolerated—even expected—with- nearly all decision making in the denomination in the UCC. is vested with member congregations, rather Since the actions of the General Synod are than with a pope, bishops, presbyteries, or other the only way that the UCC as a national body elected bodies. Congregations relate to each speaks to its constituents and to the larger socie- other and to other bodies of the church through ty, the synod and its resolutions, pronounce- their membership in associations. Their associa- ments, proposals for action, and priorities are tions, in turn, are members of conferences, and the primary resources to which one turns for conferences are members of the General Synod determining the UCC’s collective view on vari- (the biannual meeting of more than 700 elected ous matters of doctrine and ethics. voting delegates). The General Synod carries out A survey of the General Synod’s actions the denomination’s business, including deliber- reveals an uneven pattern of instruction about ating over and acting on proposed resolutions, illness, medicine, healing, and suffering. The pronouncements, and priorities for the national variety and amount of such information seems bodies; commending those decisions to congre- to have corresponded to the degree of concern gations, associations, and conferences for their to which these issues resonated with UCC mem- adoption and implementation; and sharing those bers. actions with the wider church and the world. The following pages summarize the General During its forty-four year history, the UCC Synod’s statements on health and medical has gained a reputation for taking progressive issues. Each document referred to reflects the stands on matters of social policy. But, unlike recommendations of the UCC General Synod at many other Christian denominations, in the a given point in history. THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE PATIENT-CAREGIVER RELATIONSHIP iven the congregational-style polity of the It should be noted that within the UCC, G UCC and the denomination’s affirmation of laypersons as well as pastors have an important each individual’s ability (through prayer, study, role in supporting one another on their faith and reflection) to discern God’s will for his or journeys. It is not only the pastor but other her life, the pastor’s duty to a patient or a believers to whom one turns in time of crisis. patient’s family is to serve as a companion and General Synod statements on personal and pub- reflective listener and, if requested, to serve as a lic health call for families, local churches, asso- guide in helping the patient and family cope ciations, conferences, and national bodies to with difficult care and treatment decisions. establish study groups to produce health educa- 2 UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST: RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND HEALTH CARE DECISIONS tion resources and to educate constituents, to In terms of the pastoral office, it is expected that form care teams to comfort and support individ- a congregant or counselee can speak in confidence uals struggling with various health issues, and to with a UCC pastor or chaplain. The UCC Book of advocate for health and social policies that lead Worship and Manual on the Ministry affirm the to greater justice and healing for all. importance of confidentiality in the pastoral office. During the ordination service, for example, the candidate is asked to take a vow of confidentiality. FAMILY, SEXUALITY, AND PROCREATION ince the late 1960s, the General Synod has CLINICAL ISSUES AND PROCEDURES S taken significant stands affirming the rights and value of all persons regardless of their sexu- ality and has recognized and affirmed a broad Contraception spectrum of human relationships and family The General Synod has held that FDA-approved types. By contrast, most other Christian groups forms of contraception are appropriate for use in the United States today claim that the most by individuals who are sexually active and who acceptable (or the only acceptable) sexual iden- wish to prevent pregnancy. A 1971 General tity, orientation, and behavior is heterosexual Synod resolution concerning a woman’s right to and that the most acceptable (or the only choose an abortion, for example, called the acceptable) family type is the so-called “tradi- churches to support programs on family life and tional” or nuclear family and its extended blood sex education in the schools and in the wider relations. society, especially those including information An important illustration of the UCC’s affir- about contraception. Some disagreements per- mation of the diversity of family types and sist, however, about whether (or at what age) human sexualities and relationships was contraceptives ought to be available to minors expressed in a 1997 resolution titled “Fidelity without parental consent. and Integrity in All Covenanted Relationships.” This resolution reaffirmed “that the standard for Sterilization sexual and relational behavior for members of The UCC General Synod has yet to make a the United Church of Christ is fidelity and statement about sterilization. integrity in marriage and other covenantal rela- tionships, in singleness, and in all relationships New Reproductive Technologies of life.” This resolution does not assume that The 1989 synod resolution “The Church and some family structures (e.g., the two-parent het- Reproductive Technologies” addressed the the- erosexual family) are morally or sociologically ological and ethical challenges presented by better than others, nor does it assume that faith- new reproductive technologies including artifi- ful persons are sexually active only within the cial insemination, in vitro fertilization, gamete confines of heterosexual marriage. intrafallopian transfer, cryopreservation, and surrogacy. The synod called on the church to employ principles of beneficence, autonomy, and justice in discerning what is right and good with regard THE PARK RIDGE CENTER 3 to the use of these technologies. It underscored sistent stands in favor of a woman’s right to the need for the church to offer compassionate choose a safe and legal abortion. In that year, ministry to persons experiencing infertility and the General Synod adopted a proposal for exploring reproductive technologies. The resolu- action titled “Freedom of Choice Concerning tion affirmed the decision-making rights of indi- Abortion,” which called for the repeal of all viduals and families in choosing and utilizing legal prohibitions of physician-performed abor- reproductive technologies. tions. The resolution also acknowledged that the The General Synod’s pronouncement traced advances of science and technology were good the debate over when “personhood” is estab- but that scientists and the public needed to be lished, acknowledging that many people find it faithful stewards of scientific knowledge and its difficult to consider an embryo in its early stages advances. Thus the synod cautioned about the more than a potential person. Factors such as financial and emotional costs of using reproduc- the health and welfare of the mother, the needs tive technologies and about the legal ambiguities of the family along with the limits of its created by the use of cryopreservation.