Reviewed Book: Cole-Turner, Ronald. The New Genesis: Theology and the Genetic Revolution. Louisville, Ky: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993

Crossman, Richard C.

English

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 21Issue 1 Women and Men in Theological Education:Exploring the Present, Creating the FutureArticle 225-1-1995The New Genesis: Theology and the GeneticRevolutionRichard C. CrossmanFollow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensusThis Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationCrossman, Richard C. (1995) "The New Genesis: Theology and the Genetic Revolution," Consensus: Vol. 21 : Iss. 1 , Article 22.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol21/iss1/22Book Reviews 149conclusions (or premises) that it had not previously accepted or recognized”(p. 45). To accomplish this, it is necessary to start at some point(s) or mea-sure of agreement, i.e., the place of identification. How can a theologianor preacher find this place, that is, how can they know to whom they arespeaking? The audience, Cunningham observes, because it is part of therhetorical process, is in fact constructed by the speaker. “Through the de-ployment of certain arguments, theologians are, in effect, saying: ‘this iswhat I want my audience to be; these are the kinds of people that I wantthem to become.’ The traditional name for this activity is catechesis. ..”(p. 95).Because this is a work in theological method advocating a rhetorical ap-proach of persuasive argument, it forces the reader to engage the unfamiliarjargon of rhetoric. This task is not lightened by the author’s peppering thetext with Greek and Latin as well. Yet because it is this kind of work, itis as important to the preacher as to the theologian. No doubt a rhetoricalcritic who reads this review will detect that I am a homiletician! Whichmeans that Cunningham has successfully constructed his audience to in-clude not only Roman Catholic and Protestant theologians, but preachersas well!Eduard R. RiegertWaterloo Lutheran SeminaryThe New Genesis: Theology and the Genetic Revolu-tionRonald Cole-TurnerLouisville, Kentucky: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993127 pages, $12.99 U.S. paperThe genetic revolution is upon us whether we like it or not. Geneticengineering already is a powerful tool for healing, but this does not happenwithout also generating some significant concerns, ethically and theologi-cally. Is this new found power something of which we should be wary? Orshould we embrace it as a new God given way to participate with creation?Roland Cole-Turner chooses the latter approach in his book. However, hecontends that we must understand this participation in a fuller and moreadequate way than is often done today.In describing this fuller and more adequate approach the author firstprovides the reader with a general summary of genetic developments from1822 to the present. Then, placing this work within a broader culturalcontext (including theology), he argues that genetic engineering exists to“expand our ability to participate in God’s work and thereby to glorifyGod.”(p. 51) By this answer he means that150 ConsensusGenetic engineering, when legitimated and limited by the Christianfaith, would be used primarily to serve the needs of the weak, thesick, and the poor. This conviction should have a direct impact sothat the benefits of this technology will be readily available to thosewho need them most. (p.62)Given this ethical stance, Cole-Turner then turns to the central concernof his book. After reviewing what a number of theologians and churchbodies have said on the topic of genetic engineering, he notes that theyfocus almost exclusively on technology as a matter of co-creation or humancooperation in creation. This approach he finds to be too narrow becauseit generally begs the question of what the purpose of nature is in creation.Therefore the author declares that, with his book, he istrying to revise the idea of co-creation by proposing two majorchanges. The first of these is to insist that creation be joinedwith redemption. The second change. . . is to call attention to themetaphor implicit in the idea of co-creation and to explore the logicof this metaphor more fully.(p. 103)Regarding the first proposed change, he contends that a review of thetraditional understanding of the Fall is needed. He asks whether it is “pos-sible to understand the goodness and the disorder of nature in evolutionaryterms, without a historic falL”(p- 81) He then outlines how he believes thisis possible. In Cole-Turner’s view, though technology and genetic engineer-ing can produce ethically ambiguous situations, “This fact, however, shouldnot keep us from seeking to serve God’s redemptive purposes through ourtechnology. It should serve rather as a humbling reminder that redemptionmust always be taking place in us even as it takes place through us.”(p.97)Concerning the second proposed change, Cole-Turner urges that a morehelpful approach to the matter of human cooperation in creation is to viewtechnology (including genetic engineering) as a metaphor for God’s creativeactivity. To call for a metaphorical understanding of God’s engagement ingenetic engineering means for the author:—God seeks genetic change as a proper means of creative andredemptive activity.—God works through natural processes to achieve genetic change.—God works through humans to achieve intentional genetic change.—The genetic engineering in which God engages, and to which ourinvolvement should be limited, is that which is consistentwith the nature and purposes of God the Creator and Redeemer,who renews the whole creation in anticipation of a newcreation. (p. 109)I found this book to be engaging and well written, despite the fact thatthe topic is a complex one. It succeeds in providing a good (though notalways traditional) introduction to the area, especially as it relates to the-ology and Christian ethics. In reading the book, however, I would cautionBook Reviews 151the reader to keep one thing in mind. While Roland Cole-Turner does ac-knowledge that the pursuit of new technology can be an ethically ambiguousactivity, this caution ocassionally gets lost in the author’s desire to affirmgenetic engineering as a mode of God’s creativity through humankind.Nevertheless, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to gaina general introduction to the topic. The author points to some very impor-tant concerns which will challenge us over the coming decades. Throughhis incisive summaries he provides the reader with a helpful doorway intothe often confusing ethical dialogue surrounding genetic engineering. Butmost of all, his book demonstrates through its engagement with the topicof genetic engineering, that there exists a serious challenge for Christians.That is, Christians need to further develop a more adequate theology ofhealing, one that sees life as a whole and engages contemporary bioethicalactivities on an on-going basis.Richard C. CrossmanWaterloo Lutheran SeminaryIThis New Life Together: An Anthology of WeddingMeditationsLima, OH: C.S.S. Publishing Co., Inc., 199463 pp.The Word is Life: An Anthology of Funeral Medita-tionsLima, OH: C.S.S. Publishing Co., Inc., 199474 pp.The publishing of either wedding or funeral sermons is rare and there-fore much appreciated; homiletical and pastoral thanks are due to C.S.S.for presenting a volume of each!The Foreword to each volume is by Michael L. Thompson, but he is notidentified as the editor, nor is there any indication of how either anthologywas composed. This seems to be part of general editorial carelessness atC.S.S.Twenty-one wedding meditations are ostensibly offered—but three arenot meditations at all: one is a marriage prayer (a good one!), one is aliturgical candle rite (it looks and sounds like a summary of something),one is a formula for a congregational pledge of support. One wonders whereeditorial control went! An ecumenical roster of preachers is represented, in-cluding one Roman Catholic. One meditation is for a Protestant-CatholicI marriage; two are for older couples, both widowed; one is for a medical;til

The New Genesis: Theology and the Genetic Revolution

Scholars Commons

https://scholars.wlu.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1712&amp;context=consensus

The New Genesis: Theology and the Genetic Revolution

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Wilfrid Laurier University

Scholars Commons