Bioethicist Ray Campbell reaches to the heart of the Church’s position on altruistic surrogacy when he says that “we don’t want to treat children like commodities”.
The supporters of altruistic surrogacy would not see the issue in that light, but that is the point the Church reaches when arguing on the basis of the sanctity of life and all humans being equal in the sight of God.
Those wanting to change the law would argue that they are seeking a more compassionate approach for people who feel driven to surrogacy as a way of fulfilling their desire to have a child.
The Church has compassion for people in that position, but, as Mr Campbell says, it also would argue in the interests of the child.
That’s apart from what surrogacy says about the dignity of women and motherhood.
