Seeing Through False Arguments For
Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Adapted from a lecture delivered to The Bradley Institute at Belmont Abbey College, March 25, 2009.
I address this issue from a Christian point of view and in a reasoned way that both Christians and non-Christians can understand. This lecture:
Explains the basics of stem cell science
Argues against embryo-destructive stem cell research
Suggests how people might consider this issue rationally and theologically
Part 1: Basics Of Stem Cell Research And Policy
On March 9, 2009, President Barack Obama brought stem cell research back into the news. He signed an executive order expanding government support for embryonic stem cell research (ESCR).
A little history shows that stem cell research has become a part of our social fabric by the same steps that other scientific research has: Discovery is followed by dreams of social benefits, and if subsequent ethical deliberation and debate lead to social acceptance, the government provides financial support.
Part 2: The Embryonic Stem Cell Debate Is About Destroying Embryonic Human Lives
The main moral issues surrounding embryonic stem cell research (ESCR) are relatively easy to understand: Should embryos be used in research practices that destroy them? Should our society cooperate in this practice through government funding? Some say “yes,” that the great benefits of ESCR justify the destruction of human embryos. Others say “no,” that no menu of benefits justifies killing human lives, especially the billions that would be sacrificed both to perfect the research and then to produce regenerative therapies and tissues.
Part 3: A Response of Christian Faith and Human Reason
In teaching theology, I have noticed that people do not make moral judgments based on facts and moral arguments alone. This tendency is not always a bad thing. Issues such as ESCR lead to questions of ultimate importance. Why do we have to die? Why accept suffering? What happens after death? The way we answer these questions in turn shapes our judgments about social issues. Let me now consider how Christian faith and human reason might respond to the issue of ESCR.