Brave New People/Making Babies/A Question of Life
Shannon, Thomas A.
arguments about biblical data and their is early Enlightenment, reflecting the ex- new cross-cultural context, hardly peep possible reconstruction. The seeming tremely...
...what is against God's will...
...sustained world...
...arguments about biblical data and their is early Enlightenment, reflecting the ex- new cross-cultural context, hardly peep possible reconstruction...
...in the book...
...An in- Thomas A. Shannon thorough and cogent in his argumentacarnational theism sounds a bit more T ECHNICAL innovations and interven- tion...
...Such a compilation is useful of them) either by locating the boldfaced THOMAS A. SHANNON is a professor of sobecause some are not easy to obtain...
...market, presumably because it was Two examples will help orient readers I would suggest that the book's vintage too liberal...
...editor, and critic, is presently at work on an in vitro fertilization is unnatural is dis- Generally, the commission supports autobiography...
...respect is not absolute and research can the fetus should be high but not absolute, The book also reviews several be permitted in some circumstances: no and that the fetus should receive consid- technologies: surrogacy, ectogenesis, other research material is available...
...fidelity with technological open and informed manner, unimpeded tility services...
...He presents a strong of which they are made (thus committing commission was the use of the embryo in biblical orientation towards the value of the fallacy of division...
...This board is to have lay options...
...The definitions, fessor of theology at Duquesne University and policy, and public opinion, since Aus- arguments, and recommendations are associate editor of Horizons, the journal of tralia is a major center of such activities...
...He breaks ology is futile...
...Jesus can the work in a rather foregone way...
...book...
...and provided consent be many options...
...Rejecting these ing of embryos, and embryo donation it exaggerates the reproductive 'dimen- senses of natural does not, of course, (but not through the technique of lavage...
...The books represent the member of the Australian Parliament, the authors are committed...
...On the one hand, the the report of a commission established in They also reveal the tremendous number method is philosophical and rational in 1982 by the British government to of developments that have been made its outlook...
...The authors are from are limited in their options because they author rather consistently separates poli- Australia and the United Kingdom, are creatures in a God-ordered and Godtics and religion even in his reconstruc- where these activities originated...
...This touches upon the important con- human life have raised profound reli- method but relies on an examination of tribution of political, liberation, and gious, legal, and moral questions...
...moral status of the fetus are similarly and to make illegal all surrogate conand it disrupts the manifestation of rejected: granting rights to the fetus tracts...
...the night side of 128 pp...
...erally inconceivable only five years ago...
...The commission argues that the fetus and of human life in the context constitution confers no special status be- while the human embryo is entitled to of a biological description of the develop- cause no such status is assigned to other respect (based in ethics and law), such ing fetus...
...of humanity Mary Warnock sues...
...Addi- unattainable and absolutely absent pipe us a tune, but we must do some tionally, the issues of the later, second "more...
...It provides a good even a mention of this throughout the technologies...
...In any fessor of anatomy and uses his scientific case, Sheehan's seeming enthronement A QUESTION OF LIFE background to set a context for the is(and possible...
...birth technologies...
...at this stage horizon presupposed is one of genuine of a secularistic "consensus" dominates of his search he claims to meet only an openness to a Divine Mystery...
...compelling, first, because Jones is a protain direction...
...sion of marriage...
...On the other hand,- it is a examine the social, ethical, and legal im- since 1978 and clearly establish the fairly strident assault against Roman plication of developments in what they taken-for-grantedness of many topics litCatholicism's position on many of the call "human assisted reproduction...
...modem" restatement of christology...
...Singer and embryo cannot be developed beyond Thus, Jones concludes that abortion for Wells conclude with a section on how to fourteen days, the time of early neutral genetic reasons may be the least tragic of handle the policy dimensions of these development...
...and raise public policy issues...
...It is an eclectic fusion of secularis- the complete absence of footnotes confusing shadow upon the entire book, tic approaches we have met before, throughout all but Part One...
...Second, one can book is The Jesus Debate (Paulist...
...complex issues...
...The book is Peter Singer and Deane Wells twist were they to be developed in a cer- Scribner's, $14.95, 245 pp...
...And, while certainly conserva- by adherence to sectarian doctrines that representatives, one of whom is to be the tive, it is not doctrinaire and thus shows a other members of society cannot be ex- chairperson...
...idolization...
...from its positivistic methodology to its something like a cabbage warmed up for From my own perspective, however, austerely non-religious conclusions...
...Third, Jones is exceptionally its sociopolitical manifestations...
...Jesus, we Christians be- gaged the theological response to the En- out in praise, not of a closed and dogmatlieve, should be able to develop people's lightenment in a somewhat prolonged ic rational system, but of a human questGod-consciousness and praxis, but the manner...
...what or donor, in vitro fertilization, the freez- Institute of Technology, Cambridge...
...The relevant biblical material...
...He concludes that the view of entities with unique genetic constitution...
...To be sure...
...Second, Jones writes from the permight look different were he to confront Basil Blackwell, $8.95 paper, spective of evangelical Christianity, (in the text, of course...
...It ties should: ". . . gather together those it is...
...Finally, a licensing body is to be provides an excellent model of integrat- best qualified to consider the issues in an established to regulate research and infering biblical...
...since egg and of surrogacy and the dangers of treating tilization, or some forms of gene therapy...
...The seeming tremely secularistic wing of that move- out in the text, if at all...
...unique genetic research...
...discussions and arguments being made present an entirely different framework Mary Warnock's A Question of Life is with respect to the birth technologies...
...the erable, but not absolute,' protection...
...This general even further weakens the author's claim Varsity Press, which originally pub- framework is developed and enhanced that he is offering us a truly "post- lished the book, withdrew it from its throughout the book...
...But where there's a "more," dancing...
...The report has the singular virtue of First, the book provides a valuable being clear with respect to methodology REVIEWERS look at what is happening in Australia (presenting reasons for one's moral sen- WILLIAM M. THOMPSON is an associate prowith respect to clinical practice, public timents) and language...
...Commonweal: 380...
...international guidelines on the birth tech- find the recommendations (all sixty-four nologies...
...Ethically, humans are tion of the historical Jesus (which strikes Brave New People, the most general of to echo the moral responsibility of God me as rather anachronistic...
...They suggest that socie- obtained from the couple whose embryo This book deserves a wide audience...
...Possibly exempt from These three books clearly represent the current discussions...
...In fact, the language used is rather since they have become more widespread There are several controlling concepts consistently unattentive to sexist issues...
...The quandaries of conception A perhaps not unrelated issue is the relative absence of any soteriology - BRAVE NEW PEOPLE myself included, will find that judgment any theory of salvation or redemption - D. Gareth Jones astounding...
...which takes the Bible seriously but not the humanum, in both its individual and literally...
...Jones presents an exceptionally comabsence, since the references to justice MAKING BABIES pelling analysis of the major issues at the and mercy could be given a soteriological commencement of life...
...tion to make criminal the creating or opthe marriage and the unity of fetal devel- Three arguments, establishing the eration of agencies to facilitate surrogacy opment originating from the partners...
...Many readers of the book, to his method of analysis...
...If a second time...
...But there was to be none of this...
...His most recent Second, the book contains several sets of markably free of jargon...
...I only wish the author had en- ply the human ego or reason...
...This is particularly the case overview of the issues...
...are unnatural and that the embryo has a Third, the report contains thoughtfully NEVILLE BRAYBROOKE, a British writer, special moral claim...
...The argument that phrased minority dissents...
...Fourth, the feminist theology to the refurbishing of first use of in vitro fertilization started an book is comprehensive, both scientifichristology, but there is, I believe, not ongoing debate over these birth cally and analytically...
...throughout the work...
...possible middle ground for many of our pected to accept...
...Still, it merits a further there is a hint of a move beyond the God really is "unattainable" or "abso- look...
...such sectarian doctrines are the conservative, liberal, and moderate Singer, a philosopher, and Wells, a rationalism and libertarianism to which points of view...
...As it is, the horizon of thought ing and seeking...
...The issues of the "first" Enlight- radically secularistic option...
...it puts asunder what establish their claim that what is natural The commission recommended legislaGod has joined by disrupting the unity of is rational...
...sachusetts...
...This is particularly important bemeaningful in the face of human evil and tions at the initiation of an individual cause he does not use a philosophical sin...
...Incidentally, why a-theism of the author casts a supinely ment...
...And where that "more" would engage in a more sustained treat- their deepened awareness of personal and gifts us with justice and mercy, there's ment of this issue of theism, perhaps in- social irrationality), not to mention our even more hope...
...I say "relative" Eerdmans, $8.95 paper, 224 pp...
...troducing us to some of his work on Karl Rahner and even Martin Heidegger...
...proved by rejecting three senses of natu- many of the birth technologies already in RICHARD M. VELELLY is an assistant profesral: what occurs in the normal course of place: artificial insemination by husband sor of political science at the Massachusetts events...
...The primary basis for such a mutual love between husband and wife...
...Jones rejects 20 June 1986: 379 artificial insemination by donor because: contradicts natural law...
...preted in a more early Enlightenment, general issues to specific public policy Religiously, Jones argues that humans quasi-Feuerbachian mode...
...sperm have no special moral status in individuals as only a means in achieving With respect to abortion, Jones also themselves, neither does the embryo out one's wishes...
...In fact, the recommendations...
...presented in an unusually clear form, re- the College Theology Society...
...The difficult issue for the walks a narrow path...
...This, I think, the three, is interesting in that Inter- by acting wisely and in love...
...I had been hoping that Sheehan Enlightenment (Freud, Marx, et al., with there's hope...
...Sheehan enlutely absent" in the normal sense such enment are truly legitimate and founda- thrones justice and mercy, and not simterms would carry, then of course christ- tional...
...cloning, and sex selection...
...U.S...
...Technically, Jones warns of The references to justice and mercy are The three books under review examine the potential for dehumanization and renever spelled out, and seem to be inter- many of these questions, moving from ductionism in technological medicine...
...sections in the report or by turning to the cial ethics in the Department of Humanities at Third, the book defends the new birth list of them at the end, where they are the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Mastechnologies by rejecting claims that they cross-referenced by paragraph number...
...and analysis...
...based on species membership is inappro- strong position is the potential dangers Yet Jones does not reject a judicious use priate because it is a form of prejudice associated with commercial exploitation of artificial contraception, in vitro fer- known as "speciesism...
...But they weren't...
Vol. 113 • June 1986 • No. 12
