Questions & Answers

The two problems with artificial insemination (AI) and related assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are the risk the process may pose to the unborn child and possible violations of the marital relationship by co-mingling of the egg and sperm of unmarried couples. Just because the process has been "modernized" through technology does not remove it from the scrutiny of Scripture which calls upon us to respect life as it exists already at conception (Psalm 51:5) and to honor the family as created by God to be one man and one woman, joined as husband and wife as one flesh.

Generally AI procedures (often referred to as "in vitro fertilization" or IVF) have a high risk of fatality for the unborn child. Adding a surrogacy component, where the egg or the sperm of a third party is used, makes the situation more complicated and concerning.

As is often the case in this world of sin, situations like this spiral out of control. Today there are thousands of unborn children cryopreserved as embryos waiting to be implanted. The freezing process also increases the mortality of those children. Add to that the issues of divorce, or parents losing interest in having more children, and many of these cryopreserved children are left for experimentation (i.e., embryonic stem cell research) and/or disposal. That is why "Snowflake Adoptions" have been a last ditch effort to save these children by having the embryos implanted in the womb of an adoptive mother.

One caution, however, in your approach to this: As stated previously, the concern is the risk to the life of the unborn child and the possible violation of the marriage relationship in the case of surrogacy. To argue that "it is not natural" is precarious. There are many things we do that challenge the "natural" course of things in our lives: a band aid on a wound, medication to control cholesterol or high blood pressure, surgery to open up a clogged artery or repair a broken bone. Being "unnatural" is not the problem. It is when doing the "unnatural" violates principles in God's Word, that is concerning.

A Christian's two-fold mission is to love God and to love others. No matter what natural or unnatural course of action is being considered, the principle demands us to ask whether our actions, methods and motive seek to glorify God and care for others, or is our first motive to be self-serving. That is why it is commonly stated that in Christian ethics the first issue is motive before considering method.

For more information, visit www.ChristianLifeResources.com and search for "in vitro fertilization."