Many faith communities have participated in raising awareness about HIV/AIDS, offering free treatment, as well as promoting HIV/AIDS testing and preventative measures.
[1][2][3] Christian denominations, such as Lutheranism and Methodism, have advocated for the observance of World AIDS Day to educate their congregations about the disease.
[5] Lutherans must confront stigmatization by approaching theological and scriptural interpretations with deep grace and a constant frame centered on people, not issues.
[6] The United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India runs voluntary blood testing camps and counselling centers to help those affected by HIV/AIDS.
[2] These outlets also "provide training for nurses and paramedical staff, distribute information to the villagers, host AIDS' awareness rallies, educational puppet shows and video documentaries about the disease.
[10] The question of Islam and AIDS has arisen in recent years as the HIV/AIDS epidemic has grown stronger, with awareness and efforts to prevent the spread of the disease.
Immanuel Jakobovits, Baron Jakobovits, former Chief Rabbi of England, a prominent figure in 20th-century Jewish medical ethics[12] maintains in his article "Halachic Perspectives on AIDS" that "... from my reading of Jewish sources, it would appear that under no circumstances would we be justified in branding the incidence of the disease (...) as punishment ... we have not the vision, that would enable us to link, as an assertion of certainty, any form of human travail, grief, bereavement or suffering in general with shortcomings of a moral nature...
[14] Conservative and Reform Judaism emphasize the importance of bikur cholim, the responsibility to care for the sick: The Catholic Church opposes condom use between heterosexual couples because it is an artificial form of contraception that does not rely on the functions of the body (and thus also God's will) to determine whether a conception will occur or not, and the Church believes it also serves to implicitly and inexcusably encourage premarital and extramarital sexuality (and recourse to abortion if the condom fails).
[citation needed] Pope John Paul II strongly opposed the use of artificial birth control, and rejected the use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV.
It is merely a statement that in homosexual relations, where unnatural contraception is not the main concern, condoms can be seen as moral responsibility in preventing HIV infections.
[24] The United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India runs voluntary blood testing camps and counselling centers to diagnose and aid individuals that could have HIV/AIDS.
[1][31] According to the African Health Policy Network, the Synagogue Church Of All Nations led by televangelist Temitope Balogun Joshua, has encouraged individuals to cease taking HIV medication and solely rely on faith healing to cure the disease; the Hackney-based Centre for the Study of Sexual Health and HIV reports that several people have stopped taking their medication leading to a number of deaths.
[32] The Synagogue Church Of All Nations advertise an "anointing water" to promote God's healing, although the group deny advising people to stop taking medication.