Embryo Research
Some Christian perspectives A Summary by Dr Claire Summers from a Church of England discussion paper: The human embryo is formed when a sperm penetrates an egg fertilising it and giving the unique genetic make-up for the potential of a new human life. The Catholic Church believes that life begins from fertilisation. It takes 14-days for the new embryo to travel down the fallopian tube and implant in the womb. During this time the embryo grows into two distinct parts. The outer layer becomes the placenta and other supporting tissue and the inner layer becomes the cells capable of producing a new human life (the stem cells). Up to this 14 -day stage there is potential for division to grow into identical twins or occasionally triplets. Normally 70% of fertilised eggs do not reach the implantation stage. Is heaven then predominantly filled with fertilised eggs that did not implant? At 14-days the very primitive nervous system develops (primitive streak) so 14-days can be seen as a critical time both for implantation and for nervous tissue development. It is for this reason that the Human Fertilisation and the Embryology act of 1990 and the modifications of 2001 permits the use of Embryos to the 14-day stage for research, thereafter they should be destroyed. UK Law also allows the creation of Embryos by cloning. The taking of a cell from an adult, removing its nucleus and putting its nucleus into a human egg, the egg is tricked by producing an Embryo identical to the adult. There is strict law to prevent the transfer back to a womb to allow the Embryo to develop and the Embryos must be destroyed at 14-days. The inner cell mass formed during the first 14-days after fertilisation, contain the stem cells that could can be used to create repair cells for those areas in adults that are worn out e.g. nervous tissue in Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease (dementia) or for liver or heart disease. Stem cells are also available from the umbilical cord and bone marrow. Early cloning might allow stem cells to be produced that would be a perfect match for a needy adult. Does an Embryo have the same right to deserve the protection that is accorded to early Human Life on the basis of the traditional respect for the sanctity of human life? Historically Christian writers only refer to an Embryo or Foetus when dealing with punishments for killing life in the womb. There were distinctions made between the stages of development. An old Latin version of the Bible stated that a penalty for causing a miscarriage of an identifiable foetus was death, where as it was only a fine if the foetus could not clearly be identified as human. There were also early differences of opinion as to when the soul entered the body. Different times being postulated for males and females with males getting a soul at 40 days and females not until 90 days! There was also some suggestion that life began at implantation rather than fertilisation. Paragraphs 31 & 32 of the Church of England paper state "the characteristics of the early Embryo that current scientific knowledge have demonstrated are 1. That from fertilisation it has a unique genome (genetic makeup) 2. That some of the cells of the early Embryo will not form the foetus but will be the means by which the foetus will receive nourishment from its mother i.e. the umbilical cord and placenta 3. The Embryo may become divided and become 2 or even 3 genetically identical siblings. We thus have a theological and scientific basis for affirming that from fertilisation each and every Embryo no matter what its future is a unique event, which has never happened before never and will never happen again". Paragraph 35 in the discussion paper talks about the abundance of creativity in nature "the super abundance of Embryos, 70% of which do not implant in the womb is echoed throughout nature. Every living thing produces infinitely more seed than it ever uses for reproduction. Only if the seed is implanted in soil in which it can flourish can there be any fruit. Biologically the generosity of nature is needed for the power of life and species development to overcome the force of entropy. Seeds or eggs that do not reproduce are frequently sources of food for other creatures". We need to think carefully of the consequences of our actions and whether it will leave the world a better place for other and ourselves. We may understand the consequences of Embryo research but knowing the implications is a separate issue. The report concludes "in reflecting on these issues all Christians will seek to frame their views in the light of the fundamental convictions about God and human kind which shapes the teaching of the early Church. Whatever particular policy conclusions Christians may come to they will agree that it's vital that scientific and medical developments be celebrated and encouraged. However they must also be carefully and critically assessed to ensure that such developments are compatible with the vocation of human kind as created by God to which the Christian faith witnesses".
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