Ronald Cole-Turner - Böcker

How should living things and our own human nature be changed in the hands of those who can alter them genetically? How do we set limits, and what goals are legitimate pursuits? Neither the science of genetics nor the theory of evolution can answer these questions alone. This book's contribution to a theological understanding of science and technology helps in showing how Christian theology can provide a solid framework for considering these issues.

Is human cloning equal to playing God? Is the technology--despite being scientifically exciting--a moral option in our world? In this volume, Ronald Cole-Turner gathers twelve nontechnical and highly accessible essays that explore this controversial subject.

Discussions and debates over the medical use of stem cells and cloning have always had a religious component. But there are many different religious voices. This anthology on how religious perspectives can inform the difficult issues of stem cell research and human cloning is essential to the discussion. Contributors reflect the spectrum of Christian responses, from liberal Protestant to evangelical to Roman Catholic. The noted moral philosopher, Laurie Zoloth, offers a Jewish approach to cloning, and Sondra Wheeler contributes her perspective on both Jewish and Christian understandings of embryonic stem cell research. In addition to the discussions found here, "God and the Embryo" includes a series of official statements on stem cell research and cloning from religious bodies, including the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church in America, the United Methodist Church, the Southern Baptist Convention, the United Church of Christ, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America and the Rabbinical Council of America."Human Cloning and Human Dignity: An Ethical Inquiry," from the statement of the President's Council on Bioethics, concludes the book. The debates and the discussions will continue, but for anyone interested in the nuances of religious perspectives that make their important contributions to these ethically challenging and important dialectics, "God and the Embryo" is an invaluable resource.