Genetics,FaithandResponsibilitySOCIALSTATEMENTOFTHEEVANGELICALLUTHERANCHURCHINAMERICA

ELCASocialStatements•Theologicalandteachingdocuments

•Assistmemberstoreachinformedjudgementsonsocialissuesfromaperspectiveoffaith

•Intendedtocultivateindividualandcommunitydeliberationaswellastoguidemoralformation

•Governinstitutionalpolicyintermsofsocialwitnessandguideworkasapublicchurch

•Developedthroughanextensiveprocessofdeliberationinvolvingthewholechurchandmustbeadoptedbyatwo-thirdsmajorityofachurchwideassembly

DevelopmentofGeneticsSocialStatement•Invitationfornominationsfrompastorsandcongregationstothenationalcommittee• SoughtIndividualswithvariousstakeholderperspectives• Theologians• Ethicists• Geneticsprofessionals• Industryrepresentatives• Pastors• Agriculturalinterests• Sociologists

•5yearprocess• Developedastudyguide,distributedanddiscussedacrosscongregations• Suppliedallcongregationswithresourceongeneticsknowledgeandtechnology(NOVASpecialHumanGenomeProject)

•ExtensivecommunityengagementacrosstheUS• Townmeetingapproaches• Callforcommentsandfeedback

HistoricalPerspective

Keythemes•Morallyresponsiblediscernmentrequiresknowledgeandinsightsfrombothreligiousandsecularsources.

•Bothhavecontributedtothisframeworkfortheologicalreflection,publicmoraldeliberation,congregationallife,pastoralpracticeandmission-orientedaction.

•Thestatementfocusesattentiononanalysis,values,andconvictionsandnotonspecificissues,recognizingthatspecificissuesarelikelytochangequicklyinthefieldofgenetics.

Basicconvictionstoframeandguide

• GeneticssciencesrepresentgiftsintendedbyGodtocontributetothehumanvocationtoorderandshape,nurtureandinvent.• Torecognizeandacceptourdistinctivepowerandfreedom• Totakeresponsibilityasinnovativestewardswholiveoutthisgiftanddutythroughvariouscallings• ThevocationofthehumanraceincludesGod’scall• Humanrealityofsin,excessiveprideandnegligenceorcomplacencycorruptsefforts• Thispowerobligateshumanstoassumeagreaterlevelofaccountabilityandmoralconsiderationforthefutureofhumans,butalsoallofnature

EthicalFramework

Respectandpromotethecommunityoflifewithjusticeandwisdom

GodwritestheGospelnotintheBiblealone,butalsoontrees,andintheflowersandcloudsandstars MartinLuther

Keyprinciples•Communityofliferefersnotonlytohumangood,butalsoconcernforbiosphereandfuturegenerations

•Respectbeforepromote:• cautiousapproachthatrespectsthepriorityofspeciesandnaturalprocessesastheycurrentlyexist• Doesnotobjecttoimaginationandinnovationwhenonecandemonstratecontributiontothegoodofall

•Justice:4guidingprinciplesrelevanttothestudyofgeneticsknowledgeanditsuse• Sufficient• Sustainable• Solidarity• Participationinhumansociety

•Wisdom

Respect•Constitutesamoralbaseline

•Placeslimitsonallrelationships,decisionsandactions

•Mustcontinuallyguideandmaycontrolhumanactions

•Trueforactionsthatseektoenhanceorimprovethecommunityoflife.

•Wearetoengageinmoralscrutiny◦ Shouldnotassumethatallnewtechnologiesareinherentlyvaluable,inevitable,orirreversible.◦ Takeresponsibilitysothatdecisionsarenotlefttotheeconomicmarketplace.

Promote“Humanbeingsaretobeimaginative,inventiveandresponsiblecaretakers”Psalm115:16

•Geneticknowledgeoffersstunningmeanstoadvancebenefitsandbettermentofthecommunityoflife.

•Thedirectivetopromotecanincludetheenhancementoflifeprocessesandtraitsthatarepassedtofuturegenerations.

•Wemustresistthetemptationfornegligenceandcomplacency.Wearecalledtobecaretakers.

•God’splanforfulfillmentofcreationisnotdependentuponandwillnotberealizedbyhumaneffortstointervene.God’sredemptionforcreationwillnotcomethroughgenetics.

•Weencouragehumanimaginationandinnovationintheuseofgeneticknowledgetoaddressphysicalandmentalconditions,relievehumansufferingandimprovethehumansituation.

JusticeGuidingprinciplestoarticulatetheessentialcriteriafordiscernmentanddeliberationinthequesttousegeneticknowledgeforgoodwhileavoidingharm.

SufficiencyGuidesdecisionsinthepresenttocareforthebasicneedsofothers◦ Lookstoadvancethecommongoodratherthantheeconomicgainofafew.

SustainabilityProtectsthefuturebypromotinganacceptablequalityoflifeforpresentgenerationswithoutcompromisingthatoffuturegenerations◦ Aretherefuturerepercussionsintermsofreproductiveconsequencesfortheirchildren?

◦ Overlyrestrictiveregulationisn’tthenecessarydefaultanswertonoveltechnologies

◦ ELCAsupportstraditionalcriteriaforregulation:Riskandsafetyassessmentandtechnologicalefficacy

◦ Addsanothercriteria:Assesslongtermecological,socialandeconomicimpactwhichaddressesimpactonfuturegenerationsandguardsagainstunintendedconsequences

Solidarity•Themoraldutytostandtogether

•Tolookatwhobenefitsfromthetechnology

•Howareresearchprioritiesdecidedupon?•Mustweightheneedsanddesiresofaffluentpopulationsoveragainstthemostpressingneedsinresource-poornations.

•Encouragesthesearchforwaystodirectgeneticresearchsothatitbecomesequitableandbroadlyaccessible

•Seekfundingopportunitiesthatensuretheobligationsofjusticearemet

Participationinhumansociety•Seektofostercommunityofmoraldeliberation.

•Seektogiveaccessandvoicetothosemarginalized.

•Requirepublicaccountabilityofgeneticresearch•Allowadequatetimeandaccessiblevenue’sforbroadcommunityparticipation

Wisdom•Thereisadutytouseexpertknowledgeandinsights;learntousecriticalassessment;sharewhatisknownandwhatisuncertain•Humility:valueinlisteningtoothersandremainingopen•PrecautionaryPrinciple:exercisecautioninthefaceofuncertainknowledge•Responsibilitytodemonstratesafetyrestsuponthosewhopromotethenovelaction.

“Inmuchwisdomisbothvexationandsatisfaction,andthosewhoincreaseknowledgeincreasebothsorrowandpossibility.” Ecclesiastes1:12- 18

Pursuegoals,setpoliciesandestablishpracticesthat:

•Advocateforgeneticresearchanddiscoverythatadvancethegoodofthepresentgenerationandthosetocome

•Encouragevarietiesofresearchaimedatimprovinghumanhealthandwell-being

•Giveprioritytoglobalhealthissuesandneeds,particularlythosewhichmaybenefitbygeneticresearchevenwhentheeconomicreturnissmall.

•Maximizetheuseofmedicalgeneticinformationtoimprovecarewithoutsuccumbingtodiscriminationortheabuseofprivacy

•Affirmqualityofhumanlifeimprovementwithreasonablelifeextensionwithoutexpectingorseekingperfection,insofarassuchresearchdoesnotleadtounjustanddisproportionatelybiaseduseoflimitedhumanandfinancialresources.

Summary•Qualifiedbylimits,theELCAencourageshumanimaginationandinnovationintheuseofgeneticknowledgetoaddressphysicalandmentalconditions,relievehumansufferingandimprovethehumansituation.

•Moraldeliberationisakeycomponentoftheevaluationandisrecommendedtoincludescientistsandfaithleaderstogetherwithrepresentativesofany/allpeoplewhowillbeimpacted(includingthosehardtoreach-thosemarginalized)

•Includeevaluationofthelong-termecological,socialandeconomicimpactofnewusesofgenetictechnologies.

ELCASocialStatementandGeneEditing•UsetheEthicalFramework:Respectandpromotethecommunityoflifewithjusticeandwisdom•Engageinmoralscrutinyandoffertimeandaccessformoraldeliberation.• Seektoengagevoicesofthemarginalized,minorityvoicesandtheglobalcommunity.

•Resistthetemptationfornegligenceandcomplacency.Wearecalledtobeinnovativestewardsofallofcreation.•Looktoadvancethecommongoodratherthantheeconomicgainofafew.•Assesslongtermecological,socialandeconomicimpactwhichincludestheimpactonfuturegenerations(ofalllifeonearth)andguardsagainstunintendedconsequences•Encouragethesearchforwaystodirectgeneticresearchsothatitbecomesequitableandbroadlyaccessible.•Useexpertknowledgeandinsightstogetherwithhumilitytorecognize,acknowledgeandaddressuncertainty.