THE QUEENSLAND BAPTIST

The dilemma of embryonic stem cell research

In this article, Rev Murray Lean, MB, BS, FRACGP and pastor of Gordon Park Baptist Church, looks at a Christian response to the stem cell debate.

When Prime Minister John Howard recently declared his support for embryonic stem cell research in Australia, it caught most of us by surprise. While this debate has been going on in the world of science for some time, it has hardly grabbed public attention. Likewise many Christians are struggling to understand the implications of this announcement.

The temptation is to put it into the ‘too hard basket’ and leave it to the experts. However, there are too many social, moral and theological questions related to this issue for us to take this approach.

What are stem cells?

Cells in our body usually divide and multiply to form cells of the same type and function. However, there are some cells, known as stem cells, which have the capacity to develop into many different types of tissue.

Given the right stimulation a stem cell could grow into a nerve, muscle, bone or gland cell. This would offer the possibility of replacing damaged cells in diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, spinal injuries and diabetes.

Stem cells occur in embryos. However, they also occur in adults, children, placentas and umbilical cords. Over the past four years scientists have developed techniques for extracting stem cells from embryos. This has led to a worldwide surge of interest among researchers.

What is Embryonic Stem Cell (ESC) research?

The current practice is to grow an embryo in the laboratory for five to seven days. At this point the stem cells are taken out (harvested), killing the embryo, so that experiments can be conducted.

Until now researchers have not been allowed to use embryos for this purpose. As some of the leading ESC research in the world is being done in Australia, considerable pressure has been applied to the Federal and State Governments to make this possible. Mr Howard has given his support for researchers to use the ‘spare’ frozen embryos of couples on IVF programs throughout Australia. Approximately 60,000 of these are available, and if the parents consent, these will provide a large pool of suitable embryos for experimentation.

Mr Howard’s argument is that there is no ethical difference between allowing an embryo to die by being destroyed in a laboratory and ending his or her life through research. At first glance this position may seem reasonable.

The necessary next step – cloning

A detail avoided in the ESC debate is that this research is only the forerunner of ‘therapeutic’ cloning. Once scientists have perfected the technique of converting stem cells into differentiated cells to cure disease, they must then overcome the problem of immune system rejection.

IVF embryo stem cells will be not be successful in treating patients because they will be recognised as foreign tissue and rejected. To overcome this, scientists will have to create human clones of each patient being treated and extract the stem cells from these clones.

Cloning involves taking a cell from the patient, removing the nucleus, placing it into another cell, and stimulating it so that it develops into a clone with exactly the same genetic make up as the patient. The cloned embryo that results is grown in the laboratory for five to seven days, killed, and its stem cells harvested. The cells produced from these cloned stem cells will not be rejected and can then be used to treat the patient.

While much of this work is still to be perfected, this is where current ESC research is headed. With the speed of modern scientific developments, it could well occur within the next ten years.

What are the issues for Christians?

Some people may ask how anyone with a compassionate heart could oppose such well-meaning research. The answer is that embryonic stem cell research requires the destruction of living human beings.

The fundamental question we must ask is when does life begin? If life begins at conception, then all embryos should be treated with the respect and dignity that fellow humans deserve. Laboratory experiments should not be allowed to lessen personhood, even in a situation where there may be the potential for some good. Psalm 139:13-16 makes it clear that the unborn are known and loved by God. We are told not to kill (Genesis 9:6). Scripture warns us against doing evil so that good may result (Romans 3:8).

Using surplus IVF embryos or embryos from human cloning would both involve killing the embryo and are therefore wrong. Irrespective of what good may come from this research – and there are no guarantees of this – the nature of the act itself is wrong and must be labelled so. The end must not be allowed to justify the means.

In relation to the use of surplus embryos, I believe we need to question seriously whether embryos should be stored in IVF clinics at all. And rather than destroying them through experimentation, the possibility of adopting these out to other childless couples would seem a far better alternative.

In this debate Christians have been accused of being narrow-minded and quibbling over minor theological nuances. To the contrary, this issue is a major ethical watershed and it is time for Christians to draw the line and take a stand. What we are seeing now is the potential to go much further. What happens if it is found that stem cells from a six month old foetus are better than from a six day old embryo? It is dangerous to entrust these matters to researchers and politicians.

Is there a better way?

Embryos are not the only source of stem cells. They are also found in the blood and tissue of adults and children, and the placentas and umbilical cords of new born babies. These stem cells are easier to harvest, do not result in harm to a human being, avoid the problem of rejection by the immune system, and have already shown remarkable promise in treating some conditions such as juvenile diabetes, spinal cord injury, corneal damage and immune deficiency. There are currently no worthwhile breakthroughs resulting from the use of embryonic stem cells. The results in adult stem cell research are far more impressive.

What can we do?

As the groundswell of community concern begins to grow, it is good for us to add our voice. The following suggestions may be worth consideration.

Write to your federal and state politicians expressing your concerns about this legislation. Urge them to vote against the Howard proposal when it is debated later this year. Encourage them to invest more money into adult stem cell research. Emphasise the moral and ethical questions that are not being discussed. Point out that this legislation will be the first step towards reproductive cloning (a process identical to therapeutic cloning) and other forms of genetic manipulation.

Also of great concern is the commercial exploitation already evident among biotechnology companies. These vested interests have grossly exaggerated the immediate prospects of ESC therapies and given false hope to many patients.

Become a representative for your church in linking with the Do No Harm campaign currently being organised. This group, supported by many of Queensland’s churches, is aiming to lobby politicians and educate the community on this issue. They can be contacted at c/- Do No Harm Campaign Office, PO Box 2309, Fortitude Valley BC QLD 4006, phone: +61-7 3250 8255 or visit their website at http://

Pray for Mr Howard and Mr Beattie and other leaders who have to debate this issue. The present plan is for uniform Australia-wide legislation mediated through the Federal Government, otherwise the states will make their own laws. Already the Victorian, NSW and Queensland premiers have indicated their desire to relax present laws. Federal Parliament will decide on this issue in six to eight months and a conscience vote of all members is likely.

Please pray also for church leaders who are speaking out. In general the media does not treat them kindly. Pray for a tide of opposition from within the community to these moves.

The quickest way for evil to succeed is for good people to do nothing.

courtesy of The Queensland Baptist