1. Establishing
Christian A
World View

2. Final Sermon: Genetic Research
One of the greatest areas of ethical concern in our modern era comes from genetic research and questions about how it’s done.
Of special concern is two interrelated disciplines: embryonic stem cell research and cloning research.

3. Defining The Scope
Most ethical concerns with stem cell research center around the use of human embryonic stem cells (hES). These stems cells are originally obtained through the destruction of a human embryo. Most of those are obtained initially from aborted babies. Others are cloned after that initial destruction. This research began to gain attention in 1998.
Bone marrow stem cell research has been going on for decades with little ethical concern.

4. Why Type Of Stem Cell?
Since 2006, stem cell research has taken a new turn. Now researchers have discovered they can harvest pluripotent stem cells (able to become any type of cell in the body) from adults. These cells are know as iPS, or induced pluripotent stem cells. Again, there are few ethical concerns with this line of research at present. Also, stem cells can be harvest from umbilical cords after birth, a more ethically acceptable alternative.
hES cells pose an additional problem of likelihood of rejection by the patient.

5. However – Researchers Want Both
Genetic research continues with both iPS and hES stem cells, so the ethical concerns are not entirely alleviated.
Primary question becomes: Does the end justify the means?
Does the potential for finding cures for certain diseases outweigh the destruction of a human embryo in hES research?

6. Complicating the issue
Some cloning research concentrates on copying an entire organism. Dolly the sheep was the first notable mammal example of this.
Cloned human embryos have been produced – with many ethical concerns present.

7. Ethical Concerns such as?
How will these cloned human embryos be used?
No matter what, the initial embryo was born in the normal way – to be denied the right to develop into a human child so that it can be cloned and replicated.
To date (2013 report) no cloned human embryos have been implanted into a woman to be born. For now they are used for “therapeutic cloning” which means for research – denying development into a child.

8. Issues with cloning to birth
At present cloning results in genetic damage to the clone.
Presents health risks to the mother.
Very low success rate, resulting in destruction of many cloned embryos.
Psychological uncertainties.
Commercialization (commodification) of human life.

9. Proposed benefits disease eradication
potential to regrow entire organs for transplant.
Question: Do medical advances justify the destruction of a human life via embryonic harvesting through abortion or cloning?

10. At the political level
Ethical concerns caused President George W. Bush in 2001 to impose a ban on government funding, limiting embryonic stem cell research to 71 already existing lines of embryos. Only 21 ended up being useful.
In 2009, President Barack Obama lifted the ban by executive order.
Both, however, left in place a congressional law known as the Dickey- Wicker amendment which prevents researchers from creating or harming embryos.

11. What Does The Bible Contribute?
Genesis 1: Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Every human being is unique, created by God in His own image.

12. Psalm 139:13-16
“For you formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made….My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret….Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.”

13. Isaiah 49:1-2
Listen to Me, O islands, and pay attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called Me from the womb; from the body of My mother He named Me.”
God is the author of life.
God has sovereign control over life.
Science is not the final authority.

14. Does The End Justify The Means?
Not if the means are immoral, illegal, unjust, or otherwise ungodly.
1 Peter 1:15-16 – “…but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”

15. So, obviously…. Maintaining a Christian world view is challenging.
Especially true when one must stand against “progress”.
Especially true when one must stand against popular decision of the majority.
Especially so when one places greater value on life on this earth than eternal life.

16. Final Thought
What makes many of these issues difficult is not that they’re really difficult – it’s that they are popular. It’s never easy to swim against the tide.
Matthew 7:13-14 – “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”