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Science and technology are steadily progressing. The European Union alone supports research and technology with over 50 billion euros through its Seventh Framework Programme for Research 2007-2013. Many hopes but also doubts and fears are linked to technological developments, raising questions such as “What is a human being?” or “Where are the limits?” Should we, for instance, seek to treat incurable diseases or extend human life by using organs of genetically modified pigs or cells derived from human embryos? Should we enhance human beings through converging technologies?
These questions do not only preoccupy ordinary people, but also scientists, politicians and civil servants in the European Institutions. These are topics on which churches are expected to provide reflection, if not answers. Among the channels CSC uses to convey its contributions towards the Institutions, there is the European Group of Ethics in Science and New Technologies to the European Commission (EGE) and the Council of Europe (CoE) Steering Committee on Bioethics where CSC holds an observer status.
In the coming months, CSC will again focus on end of life issues. It will review its internal working paper on that theme in the light of the consultation paper produced by the Community of Protestant churches in Europe (CPCE).
For more information on these issues please contact Rev. Richard Fischer.
FORTHCOMING EVENT
Human Enhancement: Moral, Religious and Ethical Aspects from a European Perspective - Brussels, 25 - 27 April 2012
The general aim is to facilitate an international, interdisciplinary and interdenominational dialogue on the definition, the advantages and the concerns with regard to human enhancement ; to review and further develop the 2009 CSC Paper on Human enhancement so as to present a common voice of the European Churches to the European Institutions ; to strengthen the relationship between the CSC and institutions and bodies of the European Union and the Council of Europe, the European Ethics Group, Ethics Networks and members of the European Parliament; to help identifying the future CSC priorities in this area of work.
Programme - English
For further information and to register please contact our Strasbourg office.
The newly established Preparatory Committee for a Conference on Human Enhancement started its work.
Its Mandate is:
The Preparatory Committee will
1. organise a CSC Conference on Human Enhancement in 2012. It should identify key issues for the agenda and for follow-up and identify the rights participants from member churches.
2. establish the future CSC agenda in the field of Science and Technology, especially on Bioethics and Biotechnology, and appropriate ways for CSC to address them.
3. comment on developments on Bioethics and Biotechnology and to make recommendations to member churches
4. develop common positions of churches towards the European Institutions on Bioethics and Biotechnology
5. develop the CSC online library on issues related to Bioethics and Biotechnology
The Preparatory Committee developed the concept of a Conference on
“Human Enhancement: Moral, Religious, and Ethical Aspects from a European Perspective”, planned for April 2012 in Brussels.
Its members are:
Dr. Theo BOER - Protestant Church in the Netherlands
Prof. Dr. Stavros BALOYANNIS - Orthodox Church of Greece
Dr. Andrea DÖRRIES - Protestant Church in Germany
Prof. Dr. Ulrich KÖRTNER - Protestant Church – AC - in Austria
Prof. Dr. Karsten LEHMKÜHLER - Union of Protestant Churches in Alsace and Lorraine – France
Rev. Dr. Brendam McCARTY - Church of England
Ms Miriam SZURMAN - Lutheran Church in Poland
The Committee is served by:
Ms Marie-Madeleine LINCK - Administrative Secretary
Rev. Richard FISCHER - Executive Secretary
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CSC Documents on Bioethics
Therapeutic Uses of Cloning and Embryonic Stem Cells (position paper, September 2000)
Patentability of the Human Genome (letter to EU Council of Ministers, June 2000)
A Theological Framework for Bioethics - Position Paper, January 2002
Euthanasia - Report, February 2004
Responding to a debate within the Council of Europe, this report provided CEC member churches reflections on euthanasia. It suggested regulations to be sought to help protecting crucial values. It also stressed the need to assist those suffering and those responsible for their support.
Human Enhancement – A Discussion Document, March 2010
‘Human Enhancement’ is about trying to make changes to minds and bodies – characteristics, abilities, emotions and capacities – beyond what we regard today as normal. Across a range of scientific disciplines, discoveries and developments nowadays make the idea of significantly modifying the human body no longer mere science fiction. The CSC offers a Discussion Document on Human Enhancement, prepared by its Working Group on Bioethics and Biotechnology.
Comments on the Draft Working Paper On a Quality and Safety Legal Framework on the Donation, Procurement, Testing, Transport, Preservation, Transplantation and Characterisation of Human Organs - June 2008
CSC welcomes the European Commission initiative aimed at developing a Quality and Safety Legal Framework for Organ Transplantation. Christian faith includes as a central feature “love for one's neighbour” and the expression of this may lead well to a freely chosen sacrifice...
More CSC documents in the archives (see the link below).
Bioethics documents from CEC's constituency
The following are contributions from CEC member churches, associated organisations, theologians etc, on Bioethics and Biotechnology. We make these documents available with the hope of encouraging other contributions thus allowing everyone to benefit from ideas, reflections and positions within the CEC constituency.
Lois de bioéthique - La Féderation protestante de France attentive au débat
Aging - Central Bohemia Region
An analysis of questions concerning aging in the Central Bohemian region.
British religious leaders critical of vote to allow embryo research
An ENI News Article
Bioethics, Religions and the European Institutions
Christian Byk - Introduction: Religion, Bioethics and the European Debate
Pastoral Health Care of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
Concluding thoughts from the 1st International Conference for Pastoral Health Care of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
Economia in the Orthodox tradition
In the Eastern Orthodox tradition and in the teaching of the Church Fathers which undergirds the theology of those Churches, economy or oeconomy (Greek economia ) has several meanings
Ethische Überlegungen zur Forschung mit menschlichen Embryonalen Stammzellen
Wenn es um den Umgang mit menschlichen Embryonen und um die Forschung mit den daraus hergestellten menschlichen Embryonalen Stammzellen geht, dann werden grundlegende Fragen christlicher, gesellschaftlicher und staatlicher Verantwortung berührt.
Ethics, Science and Technology
A contribution by Prof. Ulrich Körtner, Institute for Systematic Theology in Vienna
Member of the Church and Society Commission and the Network on Bioethics of CEC
Ethische Überlegungen zur genetischen Diagnostik
vorgelegt von der Arbeitsgruppe, „Ethische Fragen der Gentechnik“
der Evangelischen Kirche von Westfalen
Gentechnik Argumentationshilfe
Beschluss der zweiten (ordentlichen) Tagung der 15. Landessynode der Evangelischen Kirche von Westfalen vom 31. Oktober bis zum 3. November 2005 in Bielefeld
Ist das Leben heilig?
Karsten Lehmkühler, Intergruppe Bioethik des EU-Parlaments, Strasbourg, 18. Januar 2007.
Mission d'évaluation de la loi no. 2005-370 du 22 avril 2005 relative aux droits des malades et à la fin de vie Monsieur Jean Léonetti, Rapporteur, Assemblée Nationale
Application of Genetic Tests in Clinical Practice - Ethical and social aspects
Genetic tests have expanded the possibilities of diagnostics dramatically. It is to be expected that their relevance will further increase in the future...
Theologic-ethical and philosophic-ethical arguments for limited stem cell research
The Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Churches and some Protestant Conservative Churches are strictly critical against the research with human embryos...
"Menschliches Leben ist nicht patentierbar"
Kirchen lehnen Patentierung embyronaler Stammzellen ab...
Ethische Aspekte der Nanotechnologie
Evangelische Kirche von Westfalen, Eine Stellungnahme der Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Umweltbeauftragten in der EKD (AGU)
Some selected comments on the draft working papers
A. on a quality and safety legal framework on donation, procurement, testing, transport, preservation, transplantation and characterisation of human organs
B. on an action plan on organ donation and transplantation (2009-2015)
Ethische Überlegungen zum Umgang mit der Präimplantationsdiagnostik
Aufgrund eines Beschlusses der Landessynode der Evangelischen Kirche von Westfalen (EKvW) setzte die Kirchenleitung der EKvW im Jahr 2001 die Arbeitsgruppe „Ethische Fragen der Gentechnik“ ein. Dieses Gremium besteht aus Angehörigen verschiedener Berufsgruppen und Fachrichtungen...
Plants for the Future
Plants have a unique role for the existence of all heterotrophic organisms including human population. For sustainable development it is indispensable to stop the loss of biodiversity connected with climate changes and anthropogenic activities.
Am Ende lieber besser als länger leben – europäische Familienverbände zur Palliativmedizin
Die Föderation der katholischen Familienverbände in Europa (FAFCE) begrüßt den Entschließungsantrag „Palliative Care“, den der Europarat am 28. Januar 2009 in Straßburg behandelt.
At the end it is preferable to live a better than a longer life – the European Family Associations’ comments on palliative medicine
The Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE) welcomes the resolution application “Palliative Care”, which the Council of Europe will discuss on January 28th, 2009 in Strasbourg.
Theosis in the Orthodox tradition
Theosis (lit. "ingodded," "becoming god," deification) in the Eastern Orthodox tradition is a vision of human potential for perfection, anticipated in ancient Greece, witnessed to in both the Old and New Testaments, and developed by Patristic Christian theologians of the first five centuries after Christ...
Life Before Birth
A Lecture given to the Anglican and English speaking community by Richard Fischer, Executive Secretary, Church & Society Commission of CEC.
Report from the All-Ukrainian Council for patients rights and safety, the Association of medical workers and the All-Ukrainian Association of palliative care on NGOs in Palliative care development in the Ukraine.
Studying of the situation with the palliative care development in Ukraine
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