"Be Fruitful and Multiply": A Comparative Analysis of Assisted Reproduction Technologies
Elyssa Ilana Kanet, Ph.D. Candidate, Bar Ilan University
The creation of another human life is among the most extraordinary of human acts. With the moral weight of this act in mind, a serious question arises in the case of infertility, where the natural and religiously normative form of procreation is no longer possible. This paper looks at religious paradigms and values in both the traditional Catholic and Jewish Orthodox communities and how these are applied to the medical procedure of IVF (in vitro fertilization) in particular, with potential applications to ART’s (assisted reproductive technologies) more generally. While the Catholic and Jewish Orthodox traditions both highly value procreation within marriage, they are both wary of moral and ethical dangers in current trends of technologically assisted reproduction.
By highlighting a few central issues in assisted reproduction, this study attempts to survey the intricate world of two structurally similar, yet theologically divergent, religious traditions. In this specific presentation, we will look into the significance of IVF technology through the concepts of “unity,” “procreation,” and “totality”. These concepts will be explained by referring to the Catholic Papal documents "Humane Vitae" and "Donum Vitae," as well as some foundational sources in Jewish Law.
While this will provide only a cursory overview of these issues, we will attempt briefly to address the following questions: What is the meaning of intercourse without procreation? What is the proper role for technologies in human procreation? Can technologies be allowed to replace the conjugal act or simply to assist it? Are there ways to use IVF and other ART’s in these respective traditions, while not infringing upon these moral-ethical concerns?
On a theoretical level, it is hoped that this study will shed light on how similar values can be interpreted and applied in distinct theological and moral paradigms. On a more practical level, this study aims to provide information that may assist practitioners and those seeking treatment, in understanding the religious context and implications of these technologies.
The creation of another human life is among the most extraordinary of human acts. With the moral weight of this act in mind, a serious question arises in the case of infertility, where the natural and religiously normative form of procreation is no longer possible. This paper looks at religious paradigms and values in both the traditional Catholic and Jewish Orthodox communities and how these are applied to the medical procedure of IVF (in vitro fertilization) in particular, with potential applications to ART’s (assisted reproductive technologies) more generally. While the Catholic and Jewish Orthodox traditions both highly value procreation within marriage, they are both wary of moral and ethical dangers in current trends of technologically assisted reproduction.
By highlighting a few central issues in assisted reproduction, this study attempts to survey the intricate world of two structurally similar, yet theologically divergent, religious traditions. In this specific presentation, we will look into the significance of IVF technology through the concepts of “unity,” “procreation,” and “totality”. These concepts will be explained by referring to the Catholic Papal documents "Humane Vitae" and "Donum Vitae," as well as some foundational sources in Jewish Law.
While this will provide only a cursory overview of these issues, we will attempt briefly to address the following questions: What is the meaning of intercourse without procreation? What is the proper role for technologies in human procreation? Can technologies be allowed to replace the conjugal act or simply to assist it? Are there ways to use IVF and other ART’s in these respective traditions, while not infringing upon these moral-ethical concerns?
On a theoretical level, it is hoped that this study will shed light on how similar values can be interpreted and applied in distinct theological and moral paradigms. On a more practical level, this study aims to provide information that may assist practitioners and those seeking treatment, in understanding the religious context and implications of these technologies.