Sacred Cells?
Subtitle
Why Christians Should Support Stem Cell Research
Unknown to most outside observers, from the earliest days of embryonic stem cell research through today's latest developments, Christian theologians have been actively involved with leading laboratory research scientists to determine the ethical implications of the research. And contrary to popular expectation, these Christians have been courageously advocating in favor of it. Three of these dynamic theologians tell their story in "Sacred Cells? Why Christians Should Support Stem Cell Research."
"Sacred Cells?" takes readers through the twists and turns of stem cell development, providing a brief history of the science and an overview of the competing ethical frameworks people use in approaching the heated debate. Each new scientific advance, from the cloning of Dolly the sheep to the use of engineered cells in humans, had to be carefully considered before proceeding. Rejecting the widely held belief that the ethics of stem cell research turn on the moral status of the embryo, the authors carefully weigh a diversity of ethical problems. Ultimately, they embrace stem cell research and the prospect of increased health and well-being it offers.
Bio
Gaymon Bennett is an associate professor of religion, science, and technology at Arizona State University.
Praise for this book
'Sacred Cells?' is a well-crafted book about whether stem cell research is ethically, as well as socially and politically, acceptable by people of faith. The authors know the science and practices involved and report them in an engaging narrative. The authors bring clarity, precision, and depth to the subject, seeking to convince the reader by their multidimensional discussion, not by demeaning other beliefs or opinions. A wonderful book.
Francisco J. Ayala University of California, Irvine
i>"'Sacred Cells?' shows that it is not only possible but plausible to articulate a religious framework in which embryonic stem cell research is not just ethically tolerable but ethically right. In plain, readable prose, the authors take us through the history of the work that produced the prospect of embryonic stem cell research and show us why the arguments advanced against this research, on ethical grounds, fail. They also remind us that ethics, as often as not, is quite capable of keeping pace with the latest scientific breakthroughs."
Arthur Caplan Director, Center for Bioethics, University of Pennsylvania
