Having spent considerable time exploring the underlying cultural assumptions at work in the field of bio-ethics, as well as laying the biblical foundations of what it is to be human, Wyatt now turns his attention to a diverse range of bio-ethical dilemmas which include:
• Reproductive technology
• Fetal screening
• Stem cell research
• Abortion
• Care of a dying baby
• Euthanasia & assisted suicide
I can’t commend his discussions on these bio-ethical issues highly enough. As I read those chapters I was challenged, rebuked, encouraged, saddened and thankful… sometimes all at once! All I can say is, buy the book and read it!
However, here in our last post for this series I want to look at an overview of just one of the dilemmas he addresses – reproductive technology, and particularly IVF.
Wyatt starts by reminding us that the way in which we speak about the ethical considerations of reproductive technology is just as important as what we actually say. His emphasis on the personal pain of infertility and childlessness reminds us just how important it is for us to enter into the experience of people who are hurting.
He then takes us through a brief overview of the development of IVF and an easy to understand explanation of IVF procedures, before turning our minds to some of the questions, implications and complications that it raises.
For Wyatt, the rubber really hits the road when we examined the ongoing bio-ethical implications of advances in reproductive technology. These include:
• Whether a ‘spare embryo’ (i.e.. an embryo created via IVF but then stored rather than inserted into the mother’s womb) should be used for research purposes. (I was personally shocked to discover that in 2008 legislation was passed in the UK allowing for the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos for scientific purposes!)
• How do we decide who and what a parent is, now that it is possible for a baby to have three different mothers (a mother who donates the egg, a mother into whose womb the embryo is inserted, and a mother who becomes the primary caregiver after birth) and two different fathers (a sperm donor and then a primary care giver father after birth)?
• Significant advancements in diagnostic testing means that where an embryo (prior to insertion into the womb) was originally tested in order to detect devastating genetic disorders, now they are also being tested for a wide range of late onset adult conditions such as susceptibility to breast cancer, and often destroyed as a result.
• Given that there are now thousands upon thousands of embryos stored in liquid nitrogen all around the world, how are we to think about these beings? Are they merely bundles of cells akin to tissue biopsies? Or are they people to whom we owe a duty of care and protection?
In light of all these complex and emotive bio-ethical implications of reproductive technology, Wyatt asks ‘What is the appropriate Christian perspective on reproductive technology?’
In order to answer this question he describes humans as living masterpieces of God that reflect His meticulous design, purpose and concept. However, he goes on to say that our sinfulness means that we are now flawed masterpieces. What then is our responsibility to one another as a human community? Wyatt argues that we are called to act as art preservers or restorers so that, as much as possible, we protect the masterpieces from further harm and attempt to restore them in line with the original artist’s intentions.
Applying this ethic of art restoration to reproductive technology, Wyatt writes than in his view IVF, which is used to assist an infertile couple to have their own genetically related child, may be regarded as a form of restorative technology.
However, using this metaphor of preservation and restoration of the masterpiece, Wyatt also writes that there is some situations in which he thinks IVF is not biblically appropriate. These include:
• The creation of spare embryos (i.e.. persons) which will not be inserted into the womb and given a chance for life
• Surrogacy, which he argues is at risk of changing the Creator’s original design for parenthood
• Embryo and sperm donation, which he argues generates a profound ambiguity of the baby as a physical expression between the unique love of a man and a woman.
At this point you may find yourself in sharp disagreement with some of Wyatt’s conclusions above. And so as we bring this series of posts to a close, let me quote Wyatt’s last words in this chapter (as well as encourage you to read this chapter – and all the others in his book! – for yourself).
I am in no position to criticize those who come to other conclusions. I, and my wife, have been blessed with the gift of parenthood. How can I possibly empathize with the pain of childlessness? It is not for me to judge those who feel emotionally compelled to embark on the technological approach to making babies. And yet it seems that sometimes God calls individuals, in Oliver O’Donovan’s words, to ‘accept exclusion from the created good as the necessary price of a true and unqualified witness to it’. By refraining from reproductive technology, a childless couple may bear witness to God’s creation order while having to pay the price of exclusion from part of the blessings of that order. As a Christian community, we should learn to recognise and honour the painful sacrifice which such couples make. (Pg 106)
Showing posts with label Matters of Life and Death. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Matters of Life and Death. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
Matters of Life and Death- Part 3
As I turned to Wyatt’s chapter about biblical perspectives on what it is to be human I had expected to see a handful of verses trotted out as proof texts. So I was very pleasantly surprised when I read that Wyatt believes there is –
"[…] no hope of finding simplistic proof-texts which will genuinely apply to the dilemmas of embryo research, technological enhancement or the persistent vegetative state. God […] has given a comprehensive revelation which covers the sweep of world history. It is our task to try to saturate ourselves in the fullness of scriptural revelation in order to discern its relevance to the modern world”.
Having said this, Wyatt then proceeds to walk his reader though a rich biblical theology of what God says it is to be human through the lenses of four epochs of human history.
Creation
Wyatt shows us that scripture pictures the origin of the human species in terms of a beautiful, loving and personal design conceived by the creator. On particular view is what it means for us to have been made in the image of God, which he explains means that we are not self-explanatory but derive our meaning from the image of our creator. He goes on to show that because the dignity of humanity is entirely derivative in this sense, then our world’s obsession with personal autonomy is a futile lie. We are most truly human not when we seek to control our own existence, but when we recognise it is entirely grounded in and sustained by our creator.
As people made in God’s image we are also to understand that our personhood is derived from the Godhead. To be a person is to be someone who is unique, but at the same time who is always in intimate relationship with others. This is, of course, another nail in the coffin of our ongoing obsession with personal independence and autonomy.
Finally, Wyatt points out that because being made in God’s image is something that applies to all human beings, then all of us are to be treated with the same equality, respect, dignity and protection – regardless of race, gender, age or capability.
Fall
Wyatt again points out the foolishness of our quest for moral autonomy by showing us from Scripture that it was that very endeavour which lay at the heart of the Fall in the first place! Our desire to be our own people, rule our own lives, live independently of God and his rules … well, that is the very definition of sin!
Wyatt reminds us that the Fall defaces God’s image in humankind, such that humanity is now characterised by the "alien interruptions" of death, decay and suffering. This, of course, means that it is inevitable that we would have a fear of death! However, as he points out, whilst the world looks to medicine and technology to conquer this fear, the answer to our fear is actually Christ.
One particularly interesting aspect of his discussion in this section was the place of the suffering we experience as a result of sin. Wyatt points out that in the secular mind, suffering is entirely futile, purposeless, negative and ultimately a threat to our personal autonomy. However, he reminds the reader that in biblical thought suffering is not entirely negative. He warns Christians not to succumb to the world’s thinking on the meaninglessness of suffering and instead writes that "one of the greatest needs of the church today is to rediscover a biblical theology of suffering".
Redemption
One of the most compelling quotes of the entire book comes as Wyatt explains how Christ – the Word made flesh – provides us with a unique insight into what it is to be human. He argues that as Christians we are to treat the human body with special respect:
"Why? Because this strange and idiosyncratic collection of 35000 genes, 10 billion nerve cells, several miles of wiring, eight metres of intestinal plumbing, five litres of blood and assorted biochemical engineering – this is the form in which God became flesh!"
The fact that Jesus was born and raised as a human being is actually God’s vote of confidence in the created order! The Bible’s revelation of Jesus shows us what it means to be perfectly human as God intended.
Wyatt also notes that Christ is God’s ultimate expression of empathy with humanity. In Jesus, God entered into the human experience of pain, suffering, loneliness and death. This means that if we are to truly follow Christ then we need to be ready to give of ourselves, enter into the pain of others and show them true empathy. When it comes to difficult ethical issues this genuine desire to love as Jesus loved should be absolutely foundational to our thinking and behaviour.
Consummation
Finally, Wyatt reminds us that Jesus’ physical resurrection and ascension means that his body is even now a part of a new reality. The great promise which awaits is that in Christ, our humanity is both vindicated and transformed so that when he returns, we will become what we were always intended to be! As such, Wyatt challenges us to only dare act now in light of the future consummation that awaits us. Matters of Life and Death must be considered and understood in light of the incredible reality that in Christ death has already been defeated and life is now ours for eternity.
This chapter in Matters of Life and Death truly is a thought-provoking, eye-opening, lightbulb moment, wonderful read! Even if you were to buy the book and read this single chapter alone, your investment of both money and time would be well worth it! Wyatt’s explanation of what it is to be human is remarkable, insightful and, most importantly, biblically faithful.
"[…] no hope of finding simplistic proof-texts which will genuinely apply to the dilemmas of embryo research, technological enhancement or the persistent vegetative state. God […] has given a comprehensive revelation which covers the sweep of world history. It is our task to try to saturate ourselves in the fullness of scriptural revelation in order to discern its relevance to the modern world”.
Having said this, Wyatt then proceeds to walk his reader though a rich biblical theology of what God says it is to be human through the lenses of four epochs of human history.
Creation
Wyatt shows us that scripture pictures the origin of the human species in terms of a beautiful, loving and personal design conceived by the creator. On particular view is what it means for us to have been made in the image of God, which he explains means that we are not self-explanatory but derive our meaning from the image of our creator. He goes on to show that because the dignity of humanity is entirely derivative in this sense, then our world’s obsession with personal autonomy is a futile lie. We are most truly human not when we seek to control our own existence, but when we recognise it is entirely grounded in and sustained by our creator.
As people made in God’s image we are also to understand that our personhood is derived from the Godhead. To be a person is to be someone who is unique, but at the same time who is always in intimate relationship with others. This is, of course, another nail in the coffin of our ongoing obsession with personal independence and autonomy.
Finally, Wyatt points out that because being made in God’s image is something that applies to all human beings, then all of us are to be treated with the same equality, respect, dignity and protection – regardless of race, gender, age or capability.
Fall
Wyatt again points out the foolishness of our quest for moral autonomy by showing us from Scripture that it was that very endeavour which lay at the heart of the Fall in the first place! Our desire to be our own people, rule our own lives, live independently of God and his rules … well, that is the very definition of sin!
Wyatt reminds us that the Fall defaces God’s image in humankind, such that humanity is now characterised by the "alien interruptions" of death, decay and suffering. This, of course, means that it is inevitable that we would have a fear of death! However, as he points out, whilst the world looks to medicine and technology to conquer this fear, the answer to our fear is actually Christ.
One particularly interesting aspect of his discussion in this section was the place of the suffering we experience as a result of sin. Wyatt points out that in the secular mind, suffering is entirely futile, purposeless, negative and ultimately a threat to our personal autonomy. However, he reminds the reader that in biblical thought suffering is not entirely negative. He warns Christians not to succumb to the world’s thinking on the meaninglessness of suffering and instead writes that "one of the greatest needs of the church today is to rediscover a biblical theology of suffering".
Redemption
One of the most compelling quotes of the entire book comes as Wyatt explains how Christ – the Word made flesh – provides us with a unique insight into what it is to be human. He argues that as Christians we are to treat the human body with special respect:
"Why? Because this strange and idiosyncratic collection of 35000 genes, 10 billion nerve cells, several miles of wiring, eight metres of intestinal plumbing, five litres of blood and assorted biochemical engineering – this is the form in which God became flesh!"
The fact that Jesus was born and raised as a human being is actually God’s vote of confidence in the created order! The Bible’s revelation of Jesus shows us what it means to be perfectly human as God intended.
Wyatt also notes that Christ is God’s ultimate expression of empathy with humanity. In Jesus, God entered into the human experience of pain, suffering, loneliness and death. This means that if we are to truly follow Christ then we need to be ready to give of ourselves, enter into the pain of others and show them true empathy. When it comes to difficult ethical issues this genuine desire to love as Jesus loved should be absolutely foundational to our thinking and behaviour.
Consummation
Finally, Wyatt reminds us that Jesus’ physical resurrection and ascension means that his body is even now a part of a new reality. The great promise which awaits is that in Christ, our humanity is both vindicated and transformed so that when he returns, we will become what we were always intended to be! As such, Wyatt challenges us to only dare act now in light of the future consummation that awaits us. Matters of Life and Death must be considered and understood in light of the incredible reality that in Christ death has already been defeated and life is now ours for eternity.
This chapter in Matters of Life and Death truly is a thought-provoking, eye-opening, lightbulb moment, wonderful read! Even if you were to buy the book and read this single chapter alone, your investment of both money and time would be well worth it! Wyatt’s explanation of what it is to be human is remarkable, insightful and, most importantly, biblically faithful.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Matters of Life and Death- Part 2
One of the unique aspects of Wyatt’s book is that he doesn’t assume his readers are familiar with the complex landscape of bioethics. Rather than launching us right into the middle of a shocking bioethical dilemma, he spends the first few chapters orienting us to this brave new world in which such ethical decisions exist.
One of his most helpful chapters identifies four fundamental themes at work in modern health care and society, in order to help the reader who has very little knowledge of the scientific arena (such as myself!) to understand the forces at work and the underlying assumptions in today’s bioethical discussions.
1. Modern science is very much concerned with understanding how biological processes work at the most fundamental, detailed level possible– that is, it encourages us to understand the whole by looking at the minute details of the parts. The problem we face, however, is that this ‘reductionist’ approach can actually lead us to think that the whole is really nothing more than the parts! The implication is that we come to see ourselves as merely biological machines with no real purpose in life beyond ensuring our genetic survival and replication (the premise of Dawkin’s The Selfish Gene).
2. The unparalleled advances of biotechnology in recent times have meant that science no longer merely aims to ‘describe the world, but also to control it’ (pg. 34). This, of course, has lead to a significant shift in the way we think about the painful reality of the human condition with all it’s frailty, sickness, ageing, and ultimately, even death. Why should we passively accept what is happening to our bodies when science now tells us we don’t have to?
3. Wyatt also points out that when it comes to matters of life and death patients have ever rising ‘consumer expectations’. For many, doctors have become biological ‘fix-it’ tradies, whilst the medical field now exists to help them realise their greatest desires. The implication of this is, of course, that when our expectations are not met, the result is all too often grief and even outrage. As Wyatt suggests, ‘Perhaps, before too long, selecting the best embryo will be seen as an essential part of responsible parenthood: ‘I owe it to myself and to my future child to give him or her the best possible genetic start in life’’ (pg. 38).
4. The rapid growth of biotechnology, the fact that people are living longer and the ever-increasing cost of ongoing research, means that our society also faces resource limitations when it comes to health economics. When health care becomes so important as to trump all other economic demands of the modern state, then death is often viewed as the most cost-effective solution. For example, why ‘waste’ health care resources on those who are unable to appreciate them (eg. individuals in a persistent vegetative state or unborn children who have been diagnosed with abnormalities), when it would be more economically viable to accept that the lives of these individuals should be brought to an end in order that the resources spent keeping them alive might be directed elsewhere?
5. Finally, Wyatt notes that bioethics has now become an adventure playground for philosophers such that it is now increasingly divorced from the real life experiences of doctors, nurses and their patients. One key philosophical foundation heavily at play is that of liberal individualism, which demands that citizens be entirely free to decide, what they think is right. The consequence is, of course, that whatever view we take about dilemmas such as abortion or euthanasia, we not only want the right to decide for ourselves but also the right to freely act for ourselves in light of our decision.
As I read through this chapter of Wyatt’s book I found myself nodding my head over and over again. To be honest I had had little conscious awareness of the way in which these themes were at play within our society. However, the more I read, the more I realised that they were! So much of the way we think today about medicine, science, bioethics – even what it is to be human – has indeed been moulded and shaped, to some degree or another, by these five factors.
Yet, as Christians, shouldn’t it be God’s word which shapes the way we think about this world… about what it is to be human?
That is where Wyatt takes us in his next chapter.
One of his most helpful chapters identifies four fundamental themes at work in modern health care and society, in order to help the reader who has very little knowledge of the scientific arena (such as myself!) to understand the forces at work and the underlying assumptions in today’s bioethical discussions.
1. Modern science is very much concerned with understanding how biological processes work at the most fundamental, detailed level possible– that is, it encourages us to understand the whole by looking at the minute details of the parts. The problem we face, however, is that this ‘reductionist’ approach can actually lead us to think that the whole is really nothing more than the parts! The implication is that we come to see ourselves as merely biological machines with no real purpose in life beyond ensuring our genetic survival and replication (the premise of Dawkin’s The Selfish Gene).
2. The unparalleled advances of biotechnology in recent times have meant that science no longer merely aims to ‘describe the world, but also to control it’ (pg. 34). This, of course, has lead to a significant shift in the way we think about the painful reality of the human condition with all it’s frailty, sickness, ageing, and ultimately, even death. Why should we passively accept what is happening to our bodies when science now tells us we don’t have to?
3. Wyatt also points out that when it comes to matters of life and death patients have ever rising ‘consumer expectations’. For many, doctors have become biological ‘fix-it’ tradies, whilst the medical field now exists to help them realise their greatest desires. The implication of this is, of course, that when our expectations are not met, the result is all too often grief and even outrage. As Wyatt suggests, ‘Perhaps, before too long, selecting the best embryo will be seen as an essential part of responsible parenthood: ‘I owe it to myself and to my future child to give him or her the best possible genetic start in life’’ (pg. 38).
4. The rapid growth of biotechnology, the fact that people are living longer and the ever-increasing cost of ongoing research, means that our society also faces resource limitations when it comes to health economics. When health care becomes so important as to trump all other economic demands of the modern state, then death is often viewed as the most cost-effective solution. For example, why ‘waste’ health care resources on those who are unable to appreciate them (eg. individuals in a persistent vegetative state or unborn children who have been diagnosed with abnormalities), when it would be more economically viable to accept that the lives of these individuals should be brought to an end in order that the resources spent keeping them alive might be directed elsewhere?
5. Finally, Wyatt notes that bioethics has now become an adventure playground for philosophers such that it is now increasingly divorced from the real life experiences of doctors, nurses and their patients. One key philosophical foundation heavily at play is that of liberal individualism, which demands that citizens be entirely free to decide, what they think is right. The consequence is, of course, that whatever view we take about dilemmas such as abortion or euthanasia, we not only want the right to decide for ourselves but also the right to freely act for ourselves in light of our decision.
As I read through this chapter of Wyatt’s book I found myself nodding my head over and over again. To be honest I had had little conscious awareness of the way in which these themes were at play within our society. However, the more I read, the more I realised that they were! So much of the way we think today about medicine, science, bioethics – even what it is to be human – has indeed been moulded and shaped, to some degree or another, by these five factors.
Yet, as Christians, shouldn’t it be God’s word which shapes the way we think about this world… about what it is to be human?
That is where Wyatt takes us in his next chapter.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Matters of Life and Death- Part 1
Last week I popped into the café just down the road to grab some breakfast before our weekly staff meeting. As I was waiting I picked up a discarded newspaper and came across this headline:
“Pope rejects arrogance of IVF”.
Apparently, in speaking to delegates at a Vatican conference on treating and diagnosing infertility the Pope advised his audience –
[… ]to resist “the fascination of the technology of artificial fertility”. The Pope cautioned the experts against “easy income, or even worse, the arrogance of taking the place of the Creator”, an attitude he indicated that underlay the field of artificial procreation. 1.
Another newspaper indicated that there had been significant backlash to these comments, with some going so far as to describe the Pope as archaic and out of touch. 2.
Of course, I wasn’t surprised to hear about this kind of passionate reaction – after all, I expect that there would be just as many individuals who vehemently oppose the Pope’s stance on IVF, as there are those who are staunchly supportive of it.
Whatever your own personal response to the Pope’s comments might be, one thing is certain – ethical discussions about the use of medical technology when it comes to the beginning and end of life nearly always produce strong and divergent reactions amongst people.
And it’s not hard to see why is it? Trying to work out what medical science can and should – or perhaps can and shouldn’t do – in the midst of awful human suffering is rarely an easy task. Why is that? Well, because underlying those discussions is the gut-wrenching pain of a couple who are unable to conceive, the heart-breaking sorrow of an unborn child diagnosed with a severe disability, the sheer agony of watching a loved one suffer, the utter frustration and fear of not being able to do anything to stop their pain.
When we talk about bioethical dilemmas, what we are really talking about is people’s lives.
And that’s why I am so thankful for John Wyatt’s book Matters of Life & Death: Human dilemmas in the light of the Christian faith.
Matters of Life & Death seeks to present a Christian perspective on a number of central ethical dilemmas which have been raised by modern medical practice. Thankfully, the author is in a unique position to accomplish this very daunting task. As John Stott writes in the foreword – Wyatt is a trained and experienced medical practitioner with extensive knowledge of medicine, biology, genetics and reproductive technology. He is a respected academic and professor of ethics. He is a mature Christian man whose faith informs his thinking. And finally, he is a vulnerable human being who weeps with those who weep.
In other words, what Wyatt offers is a ‘view from the coalface’. His book reflects his own personal struggle to understand what is going on in the world of modern medicine and the attempt to develop an authentic Christian response. (Pg 16)
For me, that is the keyword that sums up Matters of Life & Death – authentic. You see the thing that I appreciate most about this book (and there really is a lot to appreciate!) is the fact that from the outset Wyatt seeks to remind us that we must never, ever take bioethical discussion into the realm of the hypothetical. He writes –
As Christians we must never reduce medical ethics to cold theology and unfeeling moral principles. We must never forget the human pain that lies behind every ethical dilemma […] Before everything else our first duty is to empathize, to enter into the experience of human pain, despair and perplexity. We must wrestle with these ethical dilemmas not with anger, hatred or judgement in our voices, but with tears in our eyes. For empathy is the way of Christ. (Pg 24)
Wyatt’s book is not about problems… it’s about people.
As we spend the next month thinking about Matters of Life & Death, there may be times when we are gripped by deep personal sadness or sorrow, when we might relive awful dilemmas which we have had to face, agonising decisions which we have had to make. There might be moments when we feel overwhelmed by painful and fearful memories, when we might find it all too easy to forget that there is no longer any condemnation for those of us who are in Christ Jesus.
My prayer is that in those moments Wyatt’s words will echo in our hearts and minds. Because he is right, isn’t he? In order to save mankind, Christ entered into our world as a man. Empathy is indeed his way, and so it must be the way of those who follow him.
About this month's contributor:
I became a follower of Jesus sometime in late high school and now, a 'few' years later I am the Women's Ministry Trainer & Coordinator at St Matthias, Centennial Park. All that means is that I get to spend my days with the women of St Matthias, reading God's Word with them, joining them in prayer and training and equipping them in their service of God and his people. What a privilege!
The other important things to know about me are: 1) I don't drink coffee (Coke Zero is my poison of choice!) 2) I persevered with LOST until the second last season and then gave up in despair 3) I am an unashamed Snuggie owner and 4) I have a very unhealthy appreciation (although, my friends call it an unnatural obsession) for the musical Les Misérables.
1. http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/world/pope-slams-arrogant-ivf-couple/story-e6frea8l-1226282053063
2. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/pope-faces-backlash-over-rant-against-ivf-treatment/story-fn6bfm6w-1226281981649
“Pope rejects arrogance of IVF”.
Apparently, in speaking to delegates at a Vatican conference on treating and diagnosing infertility the Pope advised his audience –
[… ]to resist “the fascination of the technology of artificial fertility”. The Pope cautioned the experts against “easy income, or even worse, the arrogance of taking the place of the Creator”, an attitude he indicated that underlay the field of artificial procreation. 1.
Another newspaper indicated that there had been significant backlash to these comments, with some going so far as to describe the Pope as archaic and out of touch. 2.
Of course, I wasn’t surprised to hear about this kind of passionate reaction – after all, I expect that there would be just as many individuals who vehemently oppose the Pope’s stance on IVF, as there are those who are staunchly supportive of it.
Whatever your own personal response to the Pope’s comments might be, one thing is certain – ethical discussions about the use of medical technology when it comes to the beginning and end of life nearly always produce strong and divergent reactions amongst people.
And it’s not hard to see why is it? Trying to work out what medical science can and should – or perhaps can and shouldn’t do – in the midst of awful human suffering is rarely an easy task. Why is that? Well, because underlying those discussions is the gut-wrenching pain of a couple who are unable to conceive, the heart-breaking sorrow of an unborn child diagnosed with a severe disability, the sheer agony of watching a loved one suffer, the utter frustration and fear of not being able to do anything to stop their pain.
When we talk about bioethical dilemmas, what we are really talking about is people’s lives.
And that’s why I am so thankful for John Wyatt’s book Matters of Life & Death: Human dilemmas in the light of the Christian faith.
Matters of Life & Death seeks to present a Christian perspective on a number of central ethical dilemmas which have been raised by modern medical practice. Thankfully, the author is in a unique position to accomplish this very daunting task. As John Stott writes in the foreword – Wyatt is a trained and experienced medical practitioner with extensive knowledge of medicine, biology, genetics and reproductive technology. He is a respected academic and professor of ethics. He is a mature Christian man whose faith informs his thinking. And finally, he is a vulnerable human being who weeps with those who weep.
In other words, what Wyatt offers is a ‘view from the coalface’. His book reflects his own personal struggle to understand what is going on in the world of modern medicine and the attempt to develop an authentic Christian response. (Pg 16)
For me, that is the keyword that sums up Matters of Life & Death – authentic. You see the thing that I appreciate most about this book (and there really is a lot to appreciate!) is the fact that from the outset Wyatt seeks to remind us that we must never, ever take bioethical discussion into the realm of the hypothetical. He writes –
As Christians we must never reduce medical ethics to cold theology and unfeeling moral principles. We must never forget the human pain that lies behind every ethical dilemma […] Before everything else our first duty is to empathize, to enter into the experience of human pain, despair and perplexity. We must wrestle with these ethical dilemmas not with anger, hatred or judgement in our voices, but with tears in our eyes. For empathy is the way of Christ. (Pg 24)
Wyatt’s book is not about problems… it’s about people.
As we spend the next month thinking about Matters of Life & Death, there may be times when we are gripped by deep personal sadness or sorrow, when we might relive awful dilemmas which we have had to face, agonising decisions which we have had to make. There might be moments when we feel overwhelmed by painful and fearful memories, when we might find it all too easy to forget that there is no longer any condemnation for those of us who are in Christ Jesus.
My prayer is that in those moments Wyatt’s words will echo in our hearts and minds. Because he is right, isn’t he? In order to save mankind, Christ entered into our world as a man. Empathy is indeed his way, and so it must be the way of those who follow him.
About this month's contributor:
I became a follower of Jesus sometime in late high school and now, a 'few' years later I am the Women's Ministry Trainer & Coordinator at St Matthias, Centennial Park. All that means is that I get to spend my days with the women of St Matthias, reading God's Word with them, joining them in prayer and training and equipping them in their service of God and his people. What a privilege!
The other important things to know about me are: 1) I don't drink coffee (Coke Zero is my poison of choice!) 2) I persevered with LOST until the second last season and then gave up in despair 3) I am an unashamed Snuggie owner and 4) I have a very unhealthy appreciation (although, my friends call it an unnatural obsession) for the musical Les Misérables.
1. http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/world/pope-slams-arrogant-ivf-couple/story-e6frea8l-1226282053063
2. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/pope-faces-backlash-over-rant-against-ivf-treatment/story-fn6bfm6w-1226281981649
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