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Genetics & Christian Ethics

Reviewed by Colin Selby.

This is the latest in the Cambridge series on New Studies in Christian Ethics. The author is well qualified in both biology and theology, and provides a scholarly and up-to-date addition to our discussions of recent issues raised by developments in genetics and reproductive biology. There can be no minister who has not been faced by people concerned about matters such as infertility or mental and physical impairment which raise often urgent and difficult pastoral situations. This book gives some valuable help. The style is very readable, provides no easy answers, but opens up discussion at a professional level. Students and academics, including ministers, will find this a useful addition to their collections of reference books. For the Christian community, the virtues of justice, prudence, fortitude and temperance are related to faith, hope and charity as learned, and as a gift of the Holy Spirit.

Beginning with an overview of the relationship of theology to ethics from Thomas Aquinus to more recent people, the author brings her own approach to ideas such as virtue-ethics. The book goes on to discuss eugenics, genetic testing and screening, genetic counselling, gene therapies and gene patenting. The book concludes with a discussion of feminist issues related to recent developments in reproductive technologies and considers a Christian approach to the use of the environment. Overall there is a refreshing absence of dogmatism, but rather openness in the face of what are often taxing human situations.

Throughout there are useful footnotes and there is a good bibliography and index. A glossary might be useful in any future editions.