Stem Cell Research

Stem cells are cells, such as blood cells and nerve cells, that are able to renew themselves and to produce more cells and, as such, can be used to heal diseases and replace human tissue, that is, for regenerative medicine.

Stem cells are found in tissues of persons of all age, in the placenta, and in the blood of the umbilical cord. Stem cells can also be found in human embryos. The latter are produced through in vitro fertilizing or cloning. In the case of in vitro fertilizing, human eggs and sperms are united outside the body. The fertilized egg is grown for several days so that the embryo becomes about 50 to 150 cells. To isolate embryonic stem cells, the embryo is destroyed.

This fact raises ethical questions for embryonic stem cell use similar to those related to abortion: Is the embryo to be considered a human being that needs protection? It is right to kill human life at any stage?

Opinions vary. The Medical Benefit model claims that the benefit of embryonic stem cell therapy should be pursued because it provides relief for suffering people and enhances human development. The Nature Protection framework asks hard questions, such as if we are playing God, or if we are becoming arrogant by trying to make nature better and if the advancement in this field will, ultimately, dehumanize us. The Embryo Protection view argues that human life comes into existence with conception and that it is immoral to kill an embryo at any stage.

Christians believe human life is sacred. Accepting that humans are made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27), Christians defend the dignity and rights of human beings. This implies that life needs to be protected, not only with a newborn, a child, an adolescent, an adult, and a senior, but also from its earliest stages, such as an embryo. Humans are God’s property and do not belong to others (1 Cor. 6:19) to be used, manipulated, and exploited, no matter in which stage they are. God already knows the unborn and cares for them (Ps. 139:13-17), and Jesus heightens the commandment not to kill far beyond what was practiced in Old Testament times (Matt. 5:21-22). While some of the issues are complicated, we should not forget that all of us once were embryos, that we are called to imitate God’s love, and—guided by Scripture and the Holy Spirit—we must make wise decisions about the life of others.