Unnatural Selection II: The Doctrines of Genetics

How should Christians view genetic engineering or biohacking?

First and foremost I view myself as a theologian. Even before I see myself as a weightlifter and engineer I see myself as theologian. This precedes everything from the moment I wake until I rest. As such I view things fairly dogmatically when applied to my life. To be able to form dogma I need to be fairly certain of my reasoning. What I believe ends up acted out in my life in the way I behave and treat others. There are three doctrines that totally stand out and are crucial to processing all the information on genetic experimenting and biohacking.

The Doctrine of Creation reminds us that God, the Creator, is not only distinct from his creation (transcendent), but also actively involved in sustaining it moment by moment (immanence). God made the universe through his Son, and it is the Son in the present time who ‘sustains all things by his powerful word’ (Hebrews 1:2-3). So, it follows that the DNA which underlies all biological diversity is as much the product of God’s authorship as any other of creation’s aspects (Genesis l). The Bible invites us to see God’s handiwork in every detail of its biological diversity, whether mundane or exotic as Psalm 104 states. DNA in God’s world is the specific source of wonder in its complexity. It is just one more signpost pointing to God and of his creative handiwork. The gene and genetics far from being the product of billions of years of evolution are the obvious revelation of the intricate creative genius of God. 

What’s even more profound is that all that genetic information sustains man. Mankind who…is made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-7), and therefore have a special value independent of the genetic variation which exists between or in them. Its not just individual man that is in the image of God but all of humanity communally. The Trinity is communal too. The value and special status of humans is reflected in the weighty responsibility that God has given us to care for his creation (Genesis 1:26-8; 2:15), using our God-given gifts to explore his world (Psalm 24:1). That includes the gene and the genetic code.

The Doctrine of the Fall reminds us of how far the world is from what God intended. The entry of sin into the world has ensured that human earth-keeping will never be fully as God intended, at least not in this present evil age (Genesis 3:16-19). The exploration of God’s created order for the good of humankind is one of the joys and privileges of humanity, but Christians are acutely aware that human knowledge tarnished with sin can be used for evil purposes including genetics.

Christians will therefore be suspicious of arrogant or naively optimistic attitudes towards the exploitation of the natural world. Genetic manipulation isn’t in and of itself evil no more than gene therapy for curing a young boy’s blindness is. To categorize all genetic therapy or medicine as evil is too broad a generalization and should be avoided. Malevolent misuse of genetics is clearly evil…but so is totally ignoring a genetic cure for a person suffering debilitating pain every hour of every day. That’s just plain sadistic.

The Doctrine of Redemption reminds us that God’s plan is not only for the salvation of individuals, but encompasses the whole created order. Why is the creation which has ‘been groaning as in the pains of childbirth’ waiting ‘in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed’ (Romans 8:19, 22)? Surely one answer to this question is that ‘the sons of God’, his new family, are being redeemed to become the kind of earth-keepers that God intended. As God’s people join in his work of liberating creation from its bondage to decay, so they act as an eschatological signpost pointing forward to the new earth which God is one day going to bring into being (Revelation 21:1). Perhaps, just perhaps, some of the release of the bondage to decay is to reverse some disease through genetic modification now? There are Christian scientists working in genetics. I’ve read some of their work and its thought provoking. 

We’ve been given dominion therefore stewardship over the earth. Does it not make a least a little sense to use genetics medicinally to help those in need? If disease mutates nuances within the created order in DNA doesn’t it behoove us to at least try and utilize some of said genetic knowledge and learning to heal the sick or help the infirm? The questions then isn’t ‘if’ but more of how and an issue of how much is too much? When does it become wrong to alter the genetic code and why?

Addendum: I could've said the Doctrine of Man but genetics is not confined to the human genome. Additionally, I will be hitting on the man/humankind in later posts as that is where a lot of my focus in this series lies. Like, what is man's essential nature or οὐσία / ousia (essence).