Religious perspectives stem cell

As mentioned before, determination of the moment at which human life begins is pivotal in stem cell debates. Ensoulment is defined as the time when the entity  becomes a human being, based on many religions' perspectives, although the moment when the soul arrives is long disputed.
Judaism  considers  the  extracorporeal  embryo  in  the  preimplantation  stage  as  genetic
material,  so  stem  cell  research  is  permissible  according  to  most  branches  of  Judaism
(Hinman,  2009;  Childress,  2004;  Ohara,  2003;  Bioethics  Advisory  commission,  2000).  A human embryo is not considered as sacred until the fourth month of pregnancy, according to most Jewish scholars (Pompe et al, 2005). Owing to this fact, research on stem cell and human embryos is allowed in this period.
In Christianity, while the current dominant belief is that ensoulment occurs at the moment

of  conception, the  Roman  Catholic  theologian,  Thomas  Aquinas,  believed  that  the  soul arrives  around  the  third  month  of  pregnancy (quickening).  St.  Augustine  believed  that personhood  begins  with  ensoulment  at  forty  days   of   gestation,  in  accordance  with Aristotle's and Talmudic scholars' views (Balint, 2001). Although this opinion was accepted by Popes innocent III (1211 AD) and Gregory XIII (1550 AD), increased use of abortion in the
18th century led to a change in the Church's thinking. As a result, Pope Pius IX decreed that ensoulment occurs at fertilization, and his viewpoint was followed by the Orthodox Church (Balint, 2001).
Currently, the Catholic Church believes personhood begins at conception (Daar et al., 2004). Despite strong opposition of Catholics to stem cell research, Protestants have a wider range of  views  (Childress,  2004;  Ohara,  2003;  Bioethics   Advisory   commission,  2000).  Less conservative   Protestant   Christians   support   stem   cell   research   at   least   before   the development of the primitive streak at 14 days after fertilization (Fadel, 2007).
Most Muslim thinkers accept embryonic stem cell research (Childress, 2004;  Ohara, 2003; Bioethics Advisory commission, 2000), although there are obstacles to the research in some Islamic countries (Ilkilic & Ertin, 2010). According to  Islamic teachings, decisions on stem cell  research  and  cloning  research   should  be  based  on  advantages  and  limitations. Considering  inevitable  consequences  of  reproductive  cloning,  it  is  prohibited  by  many Muslim  religious authorities; however, stem cell research and cloning for therapeutic purposes  is  sometimes  permissible  with  precautions  in  pre-ensoulment  stages  of  fetus development (Larijani & Zahedi, 2004). Most branches of Islam consider ensoulment as the moment  when  the  entity  would  have  a  full  value  of  human  beings,  though  the  moral singularity of humans occurs at implantation.
Holy Quran depicts the different stages of human development in the womb in verses 12-
14 of the chapter (Sura) of Al-Mumenoon (the Believers). Based on these verses and some other Islamic resources, it is accepted by Muslim scholars that ensoulment takes place at
120  days  after  conception  (Aksoy,  2005;  Morrison  and  Khademhosseini,  2011).  It  is noteworthy that in Islam human embryonic life is entitled to  respect at any stages even before the breathing of spirit into the fetus (Fadel,  2007); however, the respect grows as the weeks pass until ensoulment when the child deserves the full respect of human being. As Ilkilic and Ertin (2010) state “…the ensoulment gives the embryo an exceptional moral status, which is  decisive for the ethical assessment of any medical intervention affecting the embryo.” So, experimental activities and therapeutic uses of stem cells are permissible before ensoulment with necessary precautions when they are justifiable based on Islamic principles such as the public interest. Looking for scientific advancements and  seeking new  treatments  for  human  disorders  may  also  apply  to  justify   the   use  of  human embryonic stem cells (Fadel, 2007).
The source of stem cells has been considered by Islamic scholars in issuing fatwa (religious decree) on permissibility of stem cell research. For instance, the scholars in the confereence of the Muslim World League’s Islamic Jurisprudence Council held in Mecca in 2003 issued that the use of stem cells for therapy or scientific research is permitted as long as the cells’ sources  are  permissible.  Adults  who  consent,  placenta  or  umbilical  cord  blood,  excess fertilized eggs produced during the course of IVF and spontaneously aborted embryos are some acceptable resources, and intentionally aborted fetuses are forbidden to be used as a source for stem cells (Fadel, 2007, citation of Muslim Word League, 2003).