Each month we will offer a list of action ideas so you can defend, honor, and celebrate Life in your churches and communities on our Take Action page. This month, we are looking at bioethics.
Bioethics, or the ethics of biology or biological experimentation and practices, is not a familiar topic for the Church. The issue of abortion 
drives volunteers to pregnancy centers and advocates to marches and events. The awareness of problems faced by people at the end of life brings about nursing home ministries and acts of service for aging parishioners. But what to do with bioethics? Not only can it seem like a daunting topic for those who are not scientists or doctors, but bioethical issues are usually unseen problems with no possible action. We can see the needs of the elderly and the death and pain caused by abortion, but it is difficult to be passionate about embryonic stem cell research, surrogacy, egg donation, and cloning, as they don’t seem to impact our normal lives.
What we as the Church need to remember is that, as these technologies become more common, they will begin to be part of our lives. Eventually, we will know adults who were artificially conceived. Soon to be parents will go to their priest or pastor to discuss the ethics of genetically engineering their children!
Secondly, we need to remember that, amid all the scientific talk and new technologies, what we are really dealing with is simple—people and their relationship with God. The Church needs to ask if new procedures or technologies spiritually and physically benefit mankind and if they bring glory and honor to God as the creator of Life.
We aren’t required to know everything about bioethics. But the Church needs to be informed so it can be prepared to face these issues in the future and to be guided by scripture-driven wisdom.
Action Ideas
- Share news articles about scientific breakthroughs and their ethical consequences at your church’s information table
- Find a local speaker to talk about problematic aspects of egg donation and surrogacy at an evening church event.
- Provide information to pastors and church leaders to prepare them for counseling people about bioethical questions.
Resources
Written by AFL Administrator Robin Ferguson
