The appeal to the Christian tradition in the debate about embryonic stem cell research
This paper focuses on an argument that has been invoked in the stem cell debate: appeal to the Christian tradition. Bishop Richard Harries has put forward the claim that the Christian tradition offers precedent that would give ethical justification for experimenting on human embryos. In contrast, Po...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic/Print Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Routledge
2005
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| In: |
Islam and Christian-Muslim relations
Year: 2005, Volume: 16, Issue: 3, Pages: 265-283 |
| Further subjects: | B
Theology
B ethical argumentation B concept of life B Lebensbegriff B church statements B Kirchliche Stellungnahme B Ethische Argumentation B Abtreibung B Catholic Church B Catholic church B Abortion |
| Online Access: |
Presumably Free Access Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | This paper focuses on an argument that has been invoked in the stem cell debate: appeal to the Christian tradition. Bishop Richard Harries has put forward the claim that the Christian tradition offers precedent that would give ethical justification for experimenting on human embryos. In contrast, Pope John Paul II claimed that the tradition unwaveringly supported the protection of the human embryo from deliberate harm. In favour of Pope John Paul's reading of the Christian tradition is the fact that Christianity was notable from the outset for its wholehearted opposition to abortion. Bishop Harries can point to three elements in the tradition that seem to qualify the absolute prohibition on abortion: (1) variable penalties for abortion; (2) belief in delayed ensoulment; and (3) abortion to save the mother's life. Nevertheless, detailed consideration of the tradition shows that these apparent qualifications do not provide precedent for destructive experiments on human embryos. |
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| ISSN: | 0959-6410 |
| Contains: | In: Islam and Christian-Muslim relations
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/09596410500143021 |