Lysaught, M. Therese

English

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Marquette Universitye-Publications@MarquetteTheology Faculty Research and Publications Theology, Department of10-1-2002Review of Bioethics: A Christian Approach, by Scott B.Rae and Paul M. Cox, and Unprecedented Choices, byAudrey R. ChapmanM. Therese LysaughtMarquette UniversityPublished Version. Pro Ecclesia, Volume 11, No. 4, pp 500-502 (Fall, 2002). Permalink. © 2012Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology. Used with permission.M. Therese Lysaught was affiliated with the University of Dayton at the time of publication.existence of the people of Israel, but also poses the crucial question of what form the church should take as the earthly-historical form of the crucified and risen Christ. That being said, God So Loved the World is so well written and achieves its stated objec­tives with such clarity and insight, such criti­cisms seem like nitpicking. The book does an excellent job of introducing complex christological issues and questions in a straightforward and accessible manner to those making their initial foray in theology, and in the process invites them to further (and therefore more technical) investigation. Readers from Sunday School to seminary will benefit greatly from Wilson's labors. D Audrey Chapman Unprecedented Choices: Religious Ethics at the Frontiers of Genetic Science (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 1999), ix + 261 pp. Scott B. Rae and Paul M. Cox Bioethics: A Christian Approach in a Pluralistic Age (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1999), χ + 326 pp. Reviewed by M. Thérèse Lysaught, Univer-sity of Dayton, Dayton, OH How might theology speak to issues in genetics and bioethics, and how ought it do so in public? These two books take up these questions. Audrey Chapman comes to the conversation out of a varied career history. Having spent almost a decade as a staff member at the United Church Board for World Ministries, the international agency of the United Church of Christ, she moved to the American Asso-ciation for the Advancement of Science, head-ing up its programs in Science and Human Rights and the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion. Her work in these capacities uniquely positions her to comment on the interface of religion and science and the eth-ics of public policy. Unprecedented Choices consists of six chap-ters and is primarily a survey of religious responses to genetics and an analysis of their methodologies. Chapter one sets the stage, arguing for the need of religious ethics in shaping a public moral response to devel-opments in science and technology. The next three chapters each take up a specific topic— genetics, cloning, and gene patenting—in which Chapman provides an historical over-view of the topic, an account of secular re-sponses, and an analysis of statements by both religious institutions and individuals. Her fifth chapter, "Theological Reflections on Genetics and Human Nature/7 takes up the challenges genetics and science pose to traditional theological concepts, particularly to theological anthropology. In contrast to the previous chapters in which she presents and assesses the work of others, Chapman's own voice emerges in chapter five, where she asks for a rethinking and revision of theologi-cal anthropology informed by evolution and genetics. Her final chapter, although in large part a summary of what has come before, takes up the issue of "public theology" Chapman's book will provide a useful re-source for anyone interested in the issue of religion and genetics or bioethics. Her analysis of the statements by religious insti-tutions is a unique contribution to the lit-erature. Her assessment of the work of other theologians writing on these topics, situated within the broader historical context, is also a helpful contribution. Chapman draws heavily on the work of James Gustaf son, Ron Cole-Turner, Ted Peters, Phil Hefner and others associated with the Center for Theol-ogy and Natural Science. Noticeably absent, however, is greater attention to works by more conservative or "confessional" theo-logians. Nonetheless, the book is well writ-ten and highly readable. (Even the chapter on gene pa ten t ing was interesting!) Chapman is thorough, careful, gracious, and fair, while still critical. While located at the liberal end of the denominational spectrum, she makes a strong case for the importance of theological contributions to public moral discourse and policy making. Scott Rae and Paul Cox's Bioethics is a dif-ferent book in almost every way. Rae and Cox are both professors of biblical studies and Christian ethics at Talbot School of The-500 Reviews ology, Biola University, in La Mirada, Cali-fornia. They present here the first volume in the Critical Issues in Bioethics Series spon-sored by the Center for Bioethics and Hu-man Dignity. Unlike Chapman's book, Bio-ethics expands the realm of consideration beyond genetics and addresses the field of bioethics as a whole. While it similarly seeks to focus on issues of methodology, it intends itself primarily as a constructive endeavor. Rae and Cox are denominationally far more conservative than Chapman. Nonetheless, they both end up considering the practical issues of public theology. Here their perspec-tives could not be more divergent. Bioethics begins with a survey and critique of "Influential Approaches in Bioethics," both religious and secular. Chapter one re-views Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Jew-ish figures in bioethics, specifically William E. May and Richard McCormick, Paul Ramsey and James Gustafson, and Immanuel Jakobovits and Fred Rosner. Chapter two outl ines Beauchamp and Childress' classic Principles of Biomedical Eth-ics and H. Tristram Engelhardt's Foundations of Bioethics. Engelhardt merits the more ex-tensive treatment as befits the nakedness of his claims and arguments. Their material on Engelhardt comprises the most useful material in the book. In part two, "Pillars of a Christian Ap-proach," the authors "attempt to develop a viable Christian approach to bioethics" (p. 53). They claim to eschew an "issues" ori-entation, focusing rather on the "primary theological notions critical for informing a Christian perspective on bioethics" (p. 7). However, the only theological chapter head-ing is that of "The Image of God and the Sacredness of Human Life." The rest map meta-issues: medical technology, person-hood, autonomy, death, and access to health care. Though not consistent, the chapters generally introduce the given topic with short medical scenarios, outline a set of bib-lical and theological "foundations," and then apply the theological principles to a series of bioethical issues. The last section takes up the apologetic task. As the series editors state, "Because we live in a pluralist society, we believe that it is our responsibil-ity to explain why all thoughtful people should take Christian perspectives into ac-count" (p. vii). While the authors appear to take up this challenge, they actually do not. Lack of space precludes an exhaustive cri-tique of this book. While clearly well versed in the secular bioethics literature, they do not engage the work of other theologians who have made significant contributions to this field. They do treat May, McCormick, Ramsey, and Gustafson in chapter one, and Catholic magisterial works in later chapters, but their presentation of Catholic works is incomplete, which renders their refutation of these works problematic. Moreover, while these theologians were seminal and influential figures in the field of bioethics, their work has largely been either absorbed or significantly nuanced by later figures who would represent more compelling interlocu-tors, namely, Kevin O'Rourke, Lisa Canili, Allen Verhey, Stanley Hauerwas, Elliott Dorff, and Lori Zoloth. With regard to their constructive project, the principles they develop and employ are adduced in very simplistic, literalist, and prima facie manner. For example, God's blessing upon Eve and Adam in Genesis 1:27-28 becomes the principle of dominion. Except for the fact that sin complicates the task of dominion for Adam, Eve, and their descendents, no other scriptural texts are brought to bear on God's blessing to sub-due the earth. Once identified, these prin-ciples are immediately lifted away from the text and filled with unwarranted content. Rae and Cox are certainly not alone in mak-ing these sorts of moves; nonetheless, that does not justify such a move here. What is more, no christological convictions are brought to bear on the interpretation of these issues. In fact, Jesus makes few appearances in this book—a criticism that can be made of Chapman's book, too. With few excep-tions, the authors draw predominantly on the Old Testament, with occasional reference to Paul. This is very troubling for "a viable Christian approach." In sum, the authors assert their principles facilely and draw their conclusions just as PRO ECCLESIA VOL. XI, N o . 4 501 quickly. They offer no critical perspective on technology or medicine and privilege medical institutions when interpreting con-flicts between them and their patients. Fi-nally, with regard to public theology, they recognize that committed Christians may wish to convince others or influence public policy on important issues but do not think that biblical and theological arguments are publicly persuasive. Rather than providing an account of why all thoughtful people should take Christian perspectives into ac-count, or why Christians ought to witness even if such witness is ineffective, they ad-vocate a strategic approach to garnering public support on controversial issues. In short, they abandon Christian language and state that Christians must find "publicly accessible reasons" whether they be philo-sophical or practical. Ironically, it is Chapman who makes a strong appeal for explicitly theological language. While being critical of the work of religious bodies vis-a-vis science and genetics and ar-guing that the work of interfacing religion, science, and ethics is only just beginning, she outlines practical guidelines for how this should be done. Public theology, she states, should "proceed from a clear religious ra-tionale and reflect the priorities of the com-munions it is representing." It should be timely, w7ell-reasoned, informed, and under-standable, should exhibit knowledge of rel-evant research and data related to the sub-ject it is addressing, and be clear about what it is advocating as well as what it is criticiz-ing. Finally, she makes clear that it is legiti-mate to appeal to theological beliefs, "even when those beliefs are not widely shared," as long as "the logical relationship between the beliefs and the conclusions [are] com-prehensible to the believer and nonbeliever alike" (p. 252). Anyone interested in the interface of genet-ics and theology will find Chapman's UJÎ-precedented Choicesuseful and engaging. Rae and Cox's Bioethics, however, remains too flawed to serve as more than a foil. D Stephen H. Webb Good Eati?ig (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2001), 272 pp. Reviewed by Steven Bouma-Prediger, Hope College, Holland, MI Should Christians ever fast? Do dogs go to heaven? Did God want animal sacrifices? Was Jesus a vegetarian? These and other re-lated questions are posed and thoughtfully answered by Stephen Webb in Good Eating, the debut volume in The Christian Practice of Everyday Life, a promising new series dedicated to the theological consideration of concerns of everyday life. If this volume is any indication, the series is off to a very fine start, for Webb's book is theologically informed, carefully argued, and written in a clear and engaging style. Indeed, the scope of issues he considers is matched only by the controversial nature of his views. Webb's fourfold aim is to "set the record straight on the biblical view of animals," to "sort out what the biblical notion of stew-ardship means in our relationship to ani-mals," to "present the first modern system-atic theology of diet," and to "contribute to a variety of fascinating historical questions concerning diet, food, and animals" (pp. 13-14). He succeeds admirably with the first and last aims, providing a much-needed and insightful presentation of a biblically-in-formed view of animals, especially in con-trast to the animal rights movement. He also offers great insight on a plethora of histori-cal questions, from whether John the Bap-tist and Jesus were vegetarians to why the Lord's Supper is a vegetarian meal and why those in the early church so valued fasting. Webb is less successful in realizing his sec-ond and third goals, though here too there is much food for thought (choosing my metaphor carefully). Webb's thesis is simple: "there is a good case to be made that vegetarianism is a valid and valuable way of anticipating the kingdom of God by practicing what God most intends for the world" (p. 26). So while "Christian-502 Reviews ^ s Copyright and Use: As an ATLAS user, you may print, download, or send articles for individual use according to fair use as defined by U.S. and international copyright law and as otherwise authorized under your respective ATLAS subscriber agreement. No content may be copied or emailed to multiple sites or publicly posted without the copyright holder(s)' express written permission. Any use, decompiling, reproduction, or distribution of this journal in excess of fair use provisions may be a violation of copyright law. This journal is made available to you through the ATLAS collection with permission from the copyright holder(s). 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Review of \u3cem\u3eBioethics: A Christian Approach,\u3c/em\u3e by Scott B. Rae and Paul M. Cox, and \u3cem\u3eUnprecedented Choices,\u3c/em\u3e by Audrey R. Chapman

https://epublications.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1131&amp;context=theo_fac

Review of \u3cem\u3eBioethics: A Christian Approach,\u3c/em\u3e by Scott B. Rae and Paul M. Cox, and \u3cem\u3eUnprecedented Choices,\u3c/em\u3e by Audrey R. Chapman

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