Umgang mit Reproduktionstechniken aus theologisch-ethischer Sicht

Abstract

The actual use of reproductive medicine is characterized by the imperatives of a liberal society which safeguards basic values and rights but gives ample space for individual decision-making on the other hand. An absolute moral rejection of In-Vitro-Fertilization and other techniques as we find it in the current Roman-Catholic Magisterium is difficult to defend on the ground of solid ethical argumentation. The aim should be to guarantee a responsible use of these techniques on a high ethical standard. This is not possible without allies among physicians which themselves support a maximum of respect for the beginning life. Moreover the importance of the genetic and biological relationships in the context of egg and sperm donation is gravely underestimated. Splitting up parenthood not only can have serious consequences on a juridical level, it also produces practical problems within the family system which often are not considered adequately at the time when couples make their option for such techniques. On the base of a holistic view of the human being corporeal facts and relations have an immediate effect on a symbolic level. Mother- and fatherhood cannot be seen as mere arbitrary cultural constructs. The respective societal images and roles are rooted in primordial, dense and existential experiences of giving life to someone and owing life to someone which are of high worth and represent an important source of meaning.