Do now! Which key concepts/key teachings do these pictures represent?
Christian attitudes to genetic engineering. To explain the different Christian arguments surrounding genetic engineering To form a personal opinion on genetic engineering Starter What do you think a Christians attitude to genetic engineering might be? State one teaching that would support genetic engineering and one teaching that would be against genetic engineering
Genetic Engineering & Cloning Genetic Engineering: The deliberate alteration of a person by manipulating its genetic framework in order to cure or prevent diseases and disabilities in human beings. Cloning: A clone is an exact copy of something. Reproductive cloning is a technology that is used to create an animal or plant with an identical genetic make up- where a foetus is created from one person’s or mammal’s cells rather than two. Stem Cell Research is the most recent form of genetic research. Stem cells are the ‘ building blocks of life’ and can be used to create (clone) new organs or cells to replace diseased ones.
What did we look at last lesson? Can you give me 2 reasons, 1 for genetic engineering, 1 against.
Use pages 24-25 to summarise the Christian attitudes to genetic engineering For Against Jesus was a healer who showed that Christians should do all they can to cure disease. As far as using embryos for genetic research is concerned, embryos cannot be regarded as potential human life until they are fourteen days old. Creating people by science rather than sex would be wrong because it would be taking over God’s role in the creation of life, but creating cells is working with God. Discovering the genetic make-up of humans and using those discoveries to improve human life is part of what God wants humans to do as stewards of his creation. Some people believe that genetic engineering is ‘playing God,’ and that is a great sin. Killing an embryo is killing human life, which is banned by the Bible and the Church. Some people believe that God has created the genetic make up of each human being at the moment of conception and people have no right to interfere with God’s will. Some believe that it is wrong to try to make the earth perfect, as only heaven is perfect. This life is a preparation for heaven and should not be used to try to make heaven on earth.
Plenary B) Do you think cloning for medical research is against God’s will? (4 marks) C) Explain why some Christians allow genetic engineering, but some do not. (8 marks) Peer Assess