The Stewardship of human dignity Bioethical application of

The Stewardship of human dignity Bioethical application of the principle of stewardship 1

Playing God? Interviewer: Craig Venter was listed in n “Are you not playing Time Magazine’s 2008 as God? ” n one the 100 most influential people n. Craig He led the private effort to Venter sequence the human n “Oh, we are not playing” genome n He builds chromosomes from scratch, inserts the • new Whatchromosomes is playing God? in "boots • bacteria, Is playingand Godthen always wrong? up" the organisms. 2

The Principle of Stewardship as it is n “Dominate the earth and all it contains” n Gn 1: 26; 2: 15 n Shamar (Gn 2: 15) To preserve, to keep, to watch to maintain ¨ To “dominate” is not an “absolute power” but a mission to take care ¨ n n Before 1979, almost exclusively referred to managerial skills relating to property and income Today, to ecological and environmental concerns As it is, it is… …too broad to be practical to discern specific acts …what exactly is the difference between dominion and domination? 3

Objective and plan Objective o To present how the principle of stewardship can help us to communicate bioethical teachings Plan 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. A new insight Being precise Particular application from conception to death The core of the Christian message The core of religion The core of human secular ethics 4

Revising it in the light of the Light n n n About ¼ of all the parables in the gospels refer to servants abad = doulos ≈ oikonomos Servants = slaves ≈ stewards “who is the faithful and wise steward? …happy that servant whom the lord” (Lk 2: 42, 43) Other parables refer to similar relationships: tenants, sons, etc. Conclusion: common denominator in the parables ¨ ¨ Not the sociological meaning, but the function, the ethos and the relationship 5

The precision of this principle n Restrictions (negative) 1. By excess: abused 1. 2. By defect: under-used or neglected 1. n n n In all these parables, the lord entrusts some property with some responsibility to the servants-stewards Behavior and relationship As if one was an absolute owner As if one was not given the gift Duty (positive) 1. 2. Responsible trust: 1. As the lord would 1. Only one is the lord All stewards are equal in dignity (status) 6

Particular application 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Stewards of fertility Stewards of procreation Stewards of the embryo Stewards of the body Stewards at the end of life 7

Stewards of our fertility Not absolute lords (abuse) n Fertility is not a disposable property n …that we can dispose of (sterilization, contraception) n …that we can borrow it form others (naturally) or through technology (IVF, et al) Not irresponsible slaves (underuse) n By living lives as if we were not endowed with the gift of fertility Fruitful stewards n Biological or spiritual fertility is a way of being our “ brother’s keepers” (responsible use) 8

Stewards of procreation Responsible use and equality n Stewards to the future offspring, beget children in loving and respectful equality n Persons deserve to be loved and treated as equals in dignity But ONLY the sexual act begets individuals of equal dignity ¨ The marital embrace is a sign of marital love ¨ n Abuse n Lords of reproduction will try to produce a desired child at any cost (IVF, substitutive reproductive technologies) n Absolute lords PRODUCE people through domineering actions n Human beings respectfully procreate other humans only in and through a loving sexual marital act Ethical technologies respect the principle of stewardship when they help (not substitute) the marital embrace to be fertile 9

Stewards of the embryo Abuse n In deciding to destroy or experiment on an embryo, people erect themselves as lords of the human embryo Equality n To be stewards of embryos implies to be at their service: ¨ To do for them ONLY what is good for them 10

Stewards of the human body Abuse n Lords of their bodies use them as instruments FOR the person Responsible use n Stewards serve the body as a dimension OF the person n Application to genetic engineering, organ trade, plastic surgery, and others 11

Stewards to the end Abuse n Absolute lords usurp the power of taking their own lives or those who consent to be killed Equality n Stewards will not judge which life has enough “quality” to deserve to continue to live n Stewards will not determine who and when one dies n Stewards will never kill, and will always care n But stewards will treat when it means caring under the guidance of prudence ¨ be allowed to withdraw or withhold treatment when it is disproportionate 12

Organ donation Equality n Lords will tend to use the vital organ donor for the benefit of the recipient by hastening the death of the former n Stewards will not decide on the life of the patient or try to measure or judge the dignity of the recipient against the dignity of the donor. n They simply allot resources 13

Other applications n Environment: stewards, neither abusive exploiters nor victims of a laissez-faire policy ¨ Only persons are stewards, and should treat only other stewards as equals n ¨ n Social authority: serving the common good to serve the people ¨ Neither a patronizing “all for the people without the people” nor “abandoning” the people to their resources ¨ Marriage ¨ n Mutual subjection (Eph 5) = mutual stewardship (sacramental ministers) Work the subject who works is not an extension of the machine ¨ The worker is never to be used as an instrument of production ¨ 14

Stewardship echoes in the human heart 1. 2. 3. In the secular heart In the religious heart At the heart of our faith 15

The secular steward n The Golden Rule: ¨ n “Treat others as another self” → a principle of equality Pure practical reason ¨ ¨ Never use a person “Act in a way that you treat humanity, in your own person or in others, as an end and never as a means. ” Immanuel Kant n Principle of stewardship: Never become a lord to another person ¨ We are all equally stewards ¨ 16

Religion fosters stewardship n In 1953, Sir Edmond Hillary and Tenzing Norgay conquered Mount Everest Mr Hillary took several photographs of the scenery and of Sherpa Tenzing waving flags representing Britain, Nepal, the United Nations and India. ¨ Sherpa Tenzing buried some sweets and biscuits in the snow as a Buddhist offering. ¨ n n n One conquered an enemy; the other thanked with reverence The believer accepts that he remains always a subordinate Principle of religious stewardship ¨ We are never lords (only One is) 17

The core of Christian spirituality n In the beginning: The root of all evil: ¨ n to be gods with God, like the Son (cf. Jn 10: 34) Jesus is the model of servant ¨ to pretend to be like gods without God (cf. Gn 3) In the end: The root of redemption: ¨ n n not a servile slave; nor an indifferent lord, but a responsible brother’s keeper Beyond stewardship; but not without stewardship “ I do not call you servants anymore…” (Jn 15: 15) ¨ “Slaves are not free, sons are” (Jn ¨ 8: 33 ff) n Life of the believers ¨ n “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor 4: 21) Spirituality ¨ Acting as God would act can only be perfect with a “co-naturality” with God (VS 64; II-II 45. 2) 18

What to bring home o The principle of stewardship is good… o o It helps us to understand communicate our relationship with others, with our bodies, as well as the medical and scientific duties It is reasonable and compatible with other religions o We are not playing… o o When we substitute the lord, or erect ourselves lords to others, we fail When we cooperate responsibly with the Lord, we triumph 19