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ELCASocialStatements•Theologicalandteachingdocuments
•Assistmemberstoreachinformedjudgementsonsocialissuesfromaperspectiveoffaith
•Intendedtocultivateindividualandcommunitydeliberationaswellastoguidemoralformation
•Governinstitutionalpolicyintermsofsocialwitnessandguideworkasapublicchurch
•Developedthroughanextensiveprocessofdeliberationinvolvingthewholechurchandmustbeadoptedbyatwo-thirdsmajorityofachurchwideassembly
DevelopmentofGeneticsSocialStatement•Invitationfornominationsfrompastorsandcongregationstothenationalcommittee• SoughtIndividualswithvariousstakeholderperspectives• Theologians• Ethicists• Geneticsprofessionals• Industryrepresentatives• Pastors• Agriculturalinterests• Sociologists
•5yearprocess• Developedastudyguide,distributedanddiscussedacrosscongregations• Suppliedallcongregationswithresourceongeneticsknowledgeandtechnology(NOVASpecialHumanGenomeProject)
•ExtensivecommunityengagementacrosstheUS• Townmeetingapproaches• Callforcommentsandfeedback
Keythemes•Morallyresponsiblediscernmentrequiresknowledgeandinsightsfrombothreligiousandsecularsources.
•Bothhavecontributedtothisframeworkfortheologicalreflection,publicmoraldeliberation,congregationallife,pastoralpracticeandmission-orientedaction.
•Thestatementfocusesattentiononanalysis,values,andconvictionsandnotonspecificissues,recognizingthatspecificissuesarelikelytochangequicklyinthefieldofgenetics.
Basicconvictionstoframeandguide
• GeneticssciencesrepresentgiftsintendedbyGodtocontributetothehumanvocationtoorderandshape,nurtureandinvent.• Torecognizeandacceptourdistinctivepowerandfreedom• Totakeresponsibilityasinnovativestewardswholiveoutthisgiftanddutythroughvariouscallings• ThevocationofthehumanraceincludesGod’scall• Humanrealityofsin,excessiveprideandnegligenceorcomplacencycorruptsefforts• Thispowerobligateshumanstoassumeagreaterlevelofaccountabilityandmoralconsiderationforthefutureofhumans,butalsoallofnature
Keyprinciples•Communityofliferefersnotonlytohumangood,butalsoconcernforbiosphereandfuturegenerations
•Respectbeforepromote:• cautiousapproachthatrespectsthepriorityofspeciesandnaturalprocessesastheycurrentlyexist• Doesnotobjecttoimaginationandinnovationwhenonecandemonstratecontributiontothegoodofall
•Justice:4guidingprinciplesrelevanttothestudyofgeneticsknowledgeanditsuse• Sufficient• Sustainable• Solidarity• Participationinhumansociety
•Wisdom
Respect•Constitutesamoralbaseline
•Placeslimitsonallrelationships,decisionsandactions
•Mustcontinuallyguideandmaycontrolhumanactions
•Trueforactionsthatseektoenhanceorimprovethecommunityoflife.
•Wearetoengageinmoralscrutiny◦ Shouldnotassumethatallnewtechnologiesareinherentlyvaluable,inevitable,orirreversible.◦ Takeresponsibilitysothatdecisionsarenotlefttotheeconomicmarketplace.
Promote“Humanbeingsaretobeimaginative,inventiveandresponsiblecaretakers”Psalm115:16
•Geneticknowledgeoffersstunningmeanstoadvancebenefitsandbettermentofthecommunityoflife.
•Thedirectivetopromotecanincludetheenhancementoflifeprocessesandtraitsthatarepassedtofuturegenerations.
•Wemustresistthetemptationfornegligenceandcomplacency.Wearecalledtobecaretakers.
•God’splanforfulfillmentofcreationisnotdependentuponandwillnotberealizedbyhumaneffortstointervene.God’sredemptionforcreationwillnotcomethroughgenetics.
•Weencouragehumanimaginationandinnovationintheuseofgeneticknowledgetoaddressphysicalandmentalconditions,relievehumansufferingandimprovethehumansituation.
JusticeGuidingprinciplestoarticulatetheessentialcriteriafordiscernmentanddeliberationinthequesttousegeneticknowledgeforgoodwhileavoidingharm.
SufficiencyGuidesdecisionsinthepresenttocareforthebasicneedsofothers◦ Lookstoadvancethecommongoodratherthantheeconomicgainofafew.
SustainabilityProtectsthefuturebypromotinganacceptablequalityoflifeforpresentgenerationswithoutcompromisingthatoffuturegenerations◦ Aretherefuturerepercussionsintermsofreproductiveconsequencesfortheirchildren?
◦ Overlyrestrictiveregulationisn’tthenecessarydefaultanswertonoveltechnologies
◦ ELCAsupportstraditionalcriteriaforregulation:Riskandsafetyassessmentandtechnologicalefficacy
◦ Addsanothercriteria:Assesslongtermecological,socialandeconomicimpactwhichaddressesimpactonfuturegenerationsandguardsagainstunintendedconsequences
Solidarity•Themoraldutytostandtogether
•Tolookatwhobenefitsfromthetechnology
•Howareresearchprioritiesdecidedupon?•Mustweightheneedsanddesiresofaffluentpopulationsoveragainstthemostpressingneedsinresource-poornations.
•Encouragesthesearchforwaystodirectgeneticresearchsothatitbecomesequitableandbroadlyaccessible
•Seekfundingopportunitiesthatensuretheobligationsofjusticearemet
Participationinhumansociety•Seektofostercommunityofmoraldeliberation.
•Seektogiveaccessandvoicetothosemarginalized.
•Requirepublicaccountabilityofgeneticresearch•Allowadequatetimeandaccessiblevenue’sforbroadcommunityparticipation
Wisdom•Thereisadutytouseexpertknowledgeandinsights;learntousecriticalassessment;sharewhatisknownandwhatisuncertain•Humility:valueinlisteningtoothersandremainingopen•PrecautionaryPrinciple:exercisecautioninthefaceofuncertainknowledge•Responsibilitytodemonstratesafetyrestsuponthosewhopromotethenovelaction.
“Inmuchwisdomisbothvexationandsatisfaction,andthosewhoincreaseknowledgeincreasebothsorrowandpossibility.” Ecclesiastes1:12- 18
Pursuegoals,setpoliciesandestablishpracticesthat:
•Advocateforgeneticresearchanddiscoverythatadvancethegoodofthepresentgenerationandthosetocome
•Encouragevarietiesofresearchaimedatimprovinghumanhealthandwell-being
•Giveprioritytoglobalhealthissuesandneeds,particularlythosewhichmaybenefitbygeneticresearchevenwhentheeconomicreturnissmall.
•Maximizetheuseofmedicalgeneticinformationtoimprovecarewithoutsuccumbingtodiscriminationortheabuseofprivacy
•Affirmqualityofhumanlifeimprovementwithreasonablelifeextensionwithoutexpectingorseekingperfection,insofarassuchresearchdoesnotleadtounjustanddisproportionatelybiaseduseoflimitedhumanandfinancialresources.
Summary•Qualifiedbylimits,theELCAencourageshumanimaginationandinnovationintheuseofgeneticknowledgetoaddressphysicalandmentalconditions,relievehumansufferingandimprovethehumansituation.
•Moraldeliberationisakeycomponentoftheevaluationandisrecommendedtoincludescientistsandfaithleaderstogetherwithrepresentativesofany/allpeoplewhowillbeimpacted(includingthosehardtoreach-thosemarginalized)
•Includeevaluationofthelong-termecological,socialandeconomicimpactofnewusesofgenetictechnologies.
ELCASocialStatementandGeneEditing•UsetheEthicalFramework:Respectandpromotethecommunityoflifewithjusticeandwisdom•Engageinmoralscrutinyandoffertimeandaccessformoraldeliberation.• Seektoengagevoicesofthemarginalized,minorityvoicesandtheglobalcommunity.
•Resistthetemptationfornegligenceandcomplacency.Wearecalledtobeinnovativestewardsofallofcreation.•Looktoadvancethecommongoodratherthantheeconomicgainofafew.•Assesslongtermecological,socialandeconomicimpactwhichincludestheimpactonfuturegenerations(ofalllifeonearth)andguardsagainstunintendedconsequences•Encouragethesearchforwaystodirectgeneticresearchsothatitbecomesequitableandbroadlyaccessible.•Useexpertknowledgeandinsightstogetherwithhumilitytorecognize,acknowledgeandaddressuncertainty.