The Doctrine of Discovery: The March 2017 edition of Journal of Lutheran Ethics examines the legal and theological rationale with which Europeans justified the often violent (at times genocidal) conquest and colonization of lands which had already been “discovered” and populated. The doctrine of discovery is a theologically grounded legal rationale that kings and popes invented […]
A New Form of Stem Cell Engineering Raises Ethical Questions: The journal eLife reports that researchers can now produce synthetic embryos by assembling stem cells that will then organize themselves into biological structures. This technique may make it possible to produce specific tissues and organs including synthetic human entities with embryo-like features: SHEEFs. See also Addressing the […]
KRAB zinc-finger proteins contribute to the evolution of gene regulatory networks: the science journal Nature has published new research on transposons, indicating ways in which the human genetics system is species-specific and suggesting the protein activity of “KZFPs contribute to make human biology unique.” See also: The proteins that domesticated our genomes Harnessing the Human […]
How a Christian movement is growing rapidly in the midst of religious decline: Among the five Christ-and-culture perspectives, “INC Christianity is a movement to watch because we think it will continue to draw adherents in large numbers in the future. It will produce a growing number of Christians who see their goal not just as saving […]
Religious Exemption from Employment Discrimination Center of Appeals Court Case: The Second Federal Appeals Court appeared to favor arguments that would shield religious schools from many charges of discrimination. Joanne Fratello, who served as principal at St. Anthony’s, a Catholic school in Nanuet, New York, sued when the school opted not to renew her contract. […]
Gene Editing: Promise & Peril–Is Caution Enough? This Lutheran bioethics scholar comments on CRISPR: What is deemed necessary is the use of countless embryos—always, of course, with caution and with relief of suffering as the ultimate end in view. [And] there remains one further possibility on the gene-editing horizon. Beyond basic research, there is the possibility […]
How Churches Can Give Sanctuary and Still Support the Law: Students can use use this interview as an intro to the pros and cons of the current sanctuary issues for immigration and the undocumented. The guest is an advisor to the New Sanctuary Movement and also works with Matthew 25, a bipartisan Christian movement that […]
Who decides what my body means? The next Reformation is about interpretation, but not of a book: Advanced students may find content to agree and disagree with in this essay on race, gender, identity, and exegetics. The author uses the Reformation as a reference point for reading texts, culture, and the various perceptions of others […]
The first solar eclipse to cross America in 99 years is coming. To some, it’s an act of God: The total solar eclipse that will cross America this summer — an event that last happened 99 years ago — will be an important moment for scientific observers and a massive nationwide spectator event. It will also, […]
A Police Officer’s View from Street Level: An informative and insightful interview with Sergeant Adam Plantinga of the San Francisco Police Dept. and author of 400 Things Cops Know: Street-Smart Lessons from a Veteran Patrolman (Quill Driver, 2014). “Being a cop hammers the compassion out of you. There’s a 90-10 rule in law enforcement: 90 […]
