ELCA NEWS SERVICE
November 6, 2007
ELCA Task Force on Genetics Considers Scientific, Theological Input
07-186-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) Task Force on Genetics received scientific and theological
input to advance its discussions on genetics when it met here
Oct. 19-21. The task force is charged with developing a social
statement on genetics for the church.
"Members of the task force met for the second time to
continue to collect facts from experts regarding human genetics,
biotechnology and genetic modification," said Janet Williams,
genetic counselor, Clinical Genetics Institute, Intermountain
Healthcare, Salt Lake City, Utah, in an interview. Williams
co-chairs the task force with Dr. Per Anderson, professor of
religion, Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn.
"We discussed the papers presented at the August meeting of
the Association of Teaching Theologians regarding ethical and
theological frameworks for thinking about genetics information,"
said Williams. "We grappled with acknowledging what is known
within science and intertwining, weaving that with what we
believe as Lutherans. We continued to review the existing ELCA
social statements to inform our approach and provide theological
consistency in our deliberations. Finally, we outlined other
topics about which we need more information to understand current
use and future potential of genetics information," she said.
The 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly called for a statement
that speaks to "significant theological, ethical, public and
pastoral challenges arising from developments in genetics." A
task force was appointed in spring 2007 to develop the social
statement, and it met for the first time here June 1-3. A
proposed social statement is slated for presentation at the 2011
ELCA Churchwide Assembly.
Williams said genetics is an important topic for church and
society because "genetics information is accumulating in research
involving all aspects of God's creation. Some of this research
has led to application of the information in very diverse ways.
From increasing crop yield to developing specific drug therapies
for cancer, genetic information and technologies are already a
part of lives. Many suggest that there is great promise in the
potential use of genetics and genomics in the future."
"We're now in the age of biological manipulation," said the
Rev. Roger A. Willer, director of studies, ELCA Church in
Society, in an interview. For the past 10,000 years or more,
humans have been breeding plants and animals, but it hasn't been
until the past 25 to 30 years that "we're able to get inside the
genetic code, the blueprint, and fiddle around with things," he
said. "This changes the ethical condition for decisions. The
field of human manipulation of life forms puts us now on a whole
new playing field."
"Science follows its curiosity, while technology tries to
determine things that are beneficial. But there are questions
about how we make decisions based on our unprecedented power over
biological life. How do we think about the technological
imperative -- the belief that if we can do it, we should --
theologically and morally? This is the kind of discernment that
social statements are all about," said Willer.
"Genetics is a window on every aspect of human life. It
includes public policy, prenatal implantation, genes, food
supply, economic development, care of creation and more," said
Willer.
Based on small group discussions and reading materials, the
task force articulated some initial "common ideas" for how it
will approach a study guide on the topic of genetics for the
4.8 million-member ELCA.
One idea was to consider the questions "What does it mean to
be human and how do humans act in the world, exercise their power
-- their human agency?" Another idea was to identify "middle-
level principles" to guide decision-making -- middle-level
principles like "sufficiency" for assessing economic activities
or "solidarity" for determining practices to protect and enhance
the capacity of natural and social systems. The idea is to
determine theologically the principles to best guide human
relationships with nature under God.
Other ideas included observing how Lutherans use the Bible
to get at genetics; the proper sphere of human creativity in
response to God's agency; and the Lutheran moral vision -- what
is going on in the world and what is God up to.
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Information about the ELCA Task Force on Genetics is at
http://www.ELCA.org/socialstatements/genetics on the ELCA Web
site.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
