Although I’m fascinated by
scientific discoveries and the reasons behind how things work, in most cases my
total expertise with technology, biology, astronomy, sociology, and all the
other “ologies”, can probably fit in a thimble…a very small thimble.
On occasion I am critical of
science, particularly when I sense an arbitrary intrusion on theological
ethic. By that I mean something like the
crossing of ethical boundaries in “harvesting” brain stem cells from the
unsuspecting unborn; when science messes with God’s creation disdaining the
value of even a single life, I have to object.
But sometimes – probably
most times – science does a lot better.
This time I think they’ve
hit a scientific AND theological
home run.
The scientific part is a
little “lung” chip – a transparent working model of a lung, using microscopic
bits of human lung tissue to study such things as drug reaction to certain
diseases. It is inexpensive and easier
to use than former techniques, requiring little tech-training. It is also more reliable than using animals
for the tests, since the differences between humans and dogs, cats or mice
significantly raises the eventual failure rate of new medicines.
The theological lift to this
medical home run is that they don’t have to kill animals in the process of
saving humans. Do no harm is
something you can live with!
I find the theological basis
for this celebration in the creation account, where God charged his first
created humans to reign over all
the animals.
So God created human beings in his own image. In the
image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful
and multiply. Fill the earth and govern
it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the
birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” Genesis 1:27-28
(NLT)
That kind of stewardship
includes control and care, and nowhere suggests abuse.
Again, two of the three
simple Wesleyan general rules:
Do no harm
Do good
Any time you try to advance
or enhance the lot of humans everywhere by building a “better mousetrap” of a
medical procedure, it is only doing good if it also does
no harm!
Congratulations to the science
community – you knocked this one out of the park!
For You Today
If your faith – perhaps as big as a mustard seed – can
imagine the smile in God’s heart over humans finding ways to be gentle and wise
stewards, honoring all life – do that!
He does smile when His children take his commandments
seriously you know!
[1]
Title image: Courtesy article on Harvard’s Lung On a Chip wins design of the
year by InterestingEngineering.com
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