AboutClifford H. Readout, Jr. Expertise Expertise:
Preferred subject areas: Biblical doctrine, problem texts, and application
of Bible teachings in daily life. Willing to consider questions concerning
other aspects of Christianity, as well. Experience and qualifications:
Converted to Christianity in 1970 while a student at Indiana University;
active in Christian ministry since 1971; President, 1971 - 1973, then
Chaplain, 1973 - 1975 of a campus ministry at Indiana University; Director
of Campus Ministry for North Central Region of the U.S.A. and Canada, 1975 -
1976; director, dean, and teacher for a Bible College in Kaiserslautern,
Germany, 1977; Pastor of the same church since 1978; founder and director of
The Foundations Forum (Christian think tank), 1991 to present; District
Foreign Missionary Director, 1981-2000; District Superintendent, 2000-2009; Founding Coordinator of Friendship International, a ministry to
college and university students around the world, 1997 - 2001; Special
Advisor to Friendship International, 2001 to present; Secretary and member
of the Board of Trustees for a Graduate School of Theology, 1999 to present; Chairman of the Board of Directors and faculty member at the Apostolic Leadership Institute, 2000 to present;
internationally known and requested Bible teacher, ministering by missionary
and other official invitations in more than forty nations, and at least
thirty-three of the United States; and other minor functions. Husband to the same
wonderful lady since 1970, father of three college graduates, and one
delightful Down Syndrome son born in 1994.
Experience For best results, send your question directly to readout@gmail.com. Be sure to mention AllExperts.com in the subject.
See "Expertise" section.
Question I have a friend who is newly pregant as a surrogate through IVF. The child is not genetically related to her - the parents are an infertile married couple who donated both the egg and sperm. They tried to become pregnant and adopt, unsuccessfully, for 10 years. I would like to spiritually/Biblically encourage my friend if possible. She is a Christian and sees her surrogacy as a act of service, but she anticipates negative backlash from relatives and friends, based on their beliefs. Can the Bible speak to this technologically complicated issue?
Answer Dear Megan,
I apologize for taking so long to reply I am presently deeply involved in ministry responsibilities, and still recovering from a recent surgery, so I do not have time to give you as thorough a response as I am accustomed to doing.
This is certainly a complicated issue, but not impossible to sort out. First of all, I will not deal with any of the associated issues that arise in surrogate pregnancies. There are always unusual psychological and emotional challenges, beginning from the early days of the pregnancy and lasting throughout life. There are also unique challenges of raising a child whose genetic heritage is unrelated. There are scriptures which deal with those kinds of challenges, but they are not immediately relevant to your question, so I will not include discussion of them in this email.
The most simple answer to the exact question, “Can the Bible speak to this technologically complicated issue?” is, “Yes, it can and does.” Of course, the simple question is not really what you are asking. You want details. I will try to give you some. That endeavor is much more complex, and requires some “thinking outside of the box.”
It appears that most of the question arises from a desire to obtain Biblical support to counter the anticipated negative backlash from relatives and friends. Unfortunately, nothing can be done to prevent the reactions of others. However, it is possible to reinforce one’s own conviction as a support against what may be less than helpful comments and criticisms.
In order to do this, we must look to Biblical principles rather than direct textual instruction. The Word of God does not mention the technological processes of in-vitro fertilization, so it does not speak directly to it. But there are some principles expressed in God’s Word, and revealed in events recorded in the Bible, which seem to me to apply very well.
First, there are Biblical examples of surrogate parenting, some of them instigated by the Almighty, Himself. Moses and Samuel are two notable men of God who were raised by people other than their natural parents. The point I am making is that there is no appeal to the Scripture that can be used in argument against the principle of surrogate parenting. This does not incorporate anything about the methodology of the conception, but it does establish that genetic relationship between a child and the people who raise him is not an issue of righteousness.
Of course, I am convinced that life begins at conception, and that the child is never more human, and never has more potential that it does at conception. (For example, at conception the child has the potential to have any color of eyes known in the human race. It is only after certain genes are turned on or off that the eye color is limited. So, at conception the child has greater potential than at any other time.) Since the child comes into existence at conception, I would apply the Biblical fact that surrogate parenting is acceptable, and consider that to be what is taking place in the case of IVP. The fact that nine months of that surrogate parenting is taking place while the child is growing and developing in the womb seems to be irrelevant.
If, on the other hand, we were to take the contrary and non-Biblical position that the life does not begin at conception, and that no child exists until some time later in the gestation or after the actual birth, there should be no controversy at all concerning the in-vitro fertilization, since by that view, no child has been created, no live has been started at the conception. What, then would be the argument? If they would try to raise the objection at some arbitrary point in time after conception, the application of the principle of surrogate parenting would still apply.
I think it would worth noting that the Lord Jesus Christ had a most unconventional conception and birth, and was raised by a “step-father”. Jesus Christ was God manifested in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16); He was the Word (Logos) become flesh (John 1:14); He was Emmanuel, God with us (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23), and the Mighty God and Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6). He is the One of whom the prophets spoke and wrote when they called him “The Lord Jehovah is become my Yeshua (salvation)” (Exodus 15:2; Psalm 118:14, 21; Isaiah 12:2). (I could continue with texts like this, but these should make my point. While His fleshly existence was partly derived from the seed of the woman, half of his genetic components were God becoming flesh to make a conception take place, which would result in the birth of the Son. That child was not conceived through any technique known to man, but it was no less a righteous event, and the child of no less value than any other.
I think the issue your friend will have to concentrate on is not that of the technique, but the principle of surrogate parenting.
