Is It OK to Donate My Remains to Medical Research When I Die?

I am an elderly Christian who occasionally finds himself in discussions about burial plans. When I share that my remains will be donated for medical research, some people react negatively. Please comment.

Thank you for donating your remains. Donated bodies are essential to medical training and research. Medical students gain first-hand knowledge of the human body by studying remains. Like organ donors, you are helping to save lives with your donation.

Reformed tradition agrees with most Christian denominations and organizations: Donating remains or organs is an act of love and charity.

As Christians, we hope for heavenly bodies after the resurrection when Christ returns. This hope is not at all threatened by the condition of our earthly remains. Paul wrote, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39).

Common Christian practices around traditional burial are designed for the comfort and hope of family and friends. Some negative reactions you experience when discussing your plans might come from anxiety that anything nontraditional would diminish that comfort and hope. Yet for those who choose donation, a memorial service can provide much of the same comfort to their family and friends. Churches typically leave these choices up to the individual and/or his or her family. With planning, you and others who donate their remains can provide comfort to loved ones while also helping save the lives of strangers.