The Biblical Concepts of Blood Transfusion: A Religio-Ethical Analysis

Abstract

Blood transfusion is still a contentious topic in some religious communities, particularly when bioethical principles, medical needs, and religious interpretation are all intertwined. By examining the biblical conception of blood and its sacred nature, particularly in the Judeo-Christian tradition, and the implications of that theological understanding on moral reactions to blood transfusions, this article aims to examine blood: holy and unholy. The article offers a fair religious-ethical assessment by analyzing pertinent scriptural texts, theological viewpoints, and bioethical values from a hermeneutical and ethical standpoint. Although the Bible makes it clear that blood is sacred, the paper makes the argument that this does not necessitate a complete prohibition on life-saving medical practices like blood transfusions because of how the core theological ideas of compassion, healing, and life preservation are interpreted.