Concerned over embryo destruction, Southern Baptists encourage restraint on IVF usage by couples and authorities.
Southern Baptists shared concerns over in vitro fertilization (IVF) at their annual meeting this week. A resolution passed, expressing sorrow towards the common practice of producing excess frozen embryos, leading to the “destruction of embryonic human life.”
The Assembly urged their members to ponder the ethical aspects of this technology while also sympathizing with couples facing infertility challenges. The resolution reinforces that embryos are considered human beings from the moment of conception, whether within the womb or artificially produced through IVF.
This perspective aligns with a recent ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court, stating frozen embryos hold the same rights as people. As a result, Alabama enacted a law protecting IVF providers from prosecutions or lawsuits, highlighting the understanding that even in a state with harsh anti-abortion views, there's support for the technology used by many infertile couples.
The resolution also urged people to adopt extra frozen embryos in an attempt to prevent their destruction.
Did the resolution completely reject IVF or summon for its ban?
The resolution didn't reject IVF as a whole but rather denounced the systematic creation of multiple embryos, often resulting in surplus ones being discarded. It also protested the usage of embryos in research and "dehumanizing techniques for assessing viability and genetic sorting based on concepts of genetic fitness and parental preferences."
Kristen Ferguson, the committee on resolutions chair, commented that the resolution marks the SBC's first foray into this novel ethical landscape while still adhering to their memory of "the sanctity of the human embryo."
She admitted there might be future resolutions with more intense language and focused application, such as how this relates to medical practitioners.
“However, Southern Baptists aren’t ready to debate specifics about IVF at this time," she noted. "To begin, they want to express an affirmation of the value of the human embryo and the consequences for IVF.”
What's the significance of this topic for Southern Baptists?
Ever since the Southern Baptist Convention decided on a conservative direction in the 1980s, opposing abortion has been a paramount goal. With the overruling of Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion, other concerns have arisen, including IVF.
This resolution asserts Southern Baptists' conviction that life starts at conception, stretching to embryos generated via IVF
Are there consistent opinions among Southern Baptists and other conservatives on IVF?
No. During the convention, diverse testimonies showed how IVF assisted couples in having long-awaited children. Others staunchly believed the practice was ethically wrong. Some approved of just producing the requisite number of embryos for implantation.
Albert Mohler, a celebrated SBC seminary president and conservative advocate, delivered a stern denunciation of IVF at a pre-convention gathering on Monday. Mohler branded IVF as a "commodification of the embryo" that disregards human dignity and endorses parenthood outside of heterosexual marriage.
Did the resolution consider a government ban on IVF?
No. The resolution advised governments to desist from actions that violate the dignity of frozen embryonic human beings. Yet, it neglected to provide specific measures.
Jason Thacker, a Southern Baptist ethicist who consulted the resolutions committee, stated, "We're not unrealistic enough to argue that we can simply ban this technology outright. Although that would be the goal, due to the sanctity of the human embryo in several ways, " but recognized that some individuals advocate for morally acceptable IVF practices.
The goal is to establish laws that respect embryos' human dignity.
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Southern Baptists urged their members to consider the moral implications of IVF, recognizing the potential for the destruction of excess embryos. They advocated for the adoption of surplus embryos to prevent their demise.
As Southern Baptists, we believe that every embryo, whether naturally conceived or created through IVF, is a precious human life deserving of respect and protection.
