joshg2fl's Full Review: Gilbert Meilaender - Bioethics: A Primer For Chris...
Gilbert Meilaender’s Bioethics: A Primer for Christians is amazing in its clarity and conciseness. In about 125 pages he moves through a dozen or so controversial bioethical topics without leaving the reader feeling that they’ve been cheated with something trite or simplistic. There are two factors that seem implicit in the background of much of what is said in Bioethics. One, it’s a book written for Christians. And, two, its emphasis on community.
Meilaender says, “I write as a Christian for other Christians who want to think about these issues. Anyone is, of course, welcome to ‘listen in’ and consider what the world looks like from this angle of vision, but the discussion is not aimed at ‘anyone.’” This approach adds to the honest brevity of the book, but it also is the foundation for why the book is so useful from the perspective of a Christian worldview. There are certain broad arguments that are potentially appealing no matter what your worldview might be. It’s good on occasion to read something that skips some of these broad arguments and fine tunes itself because it doesn’t need to spend the time on the items that the Christian worldview already assumes.
For example, in his discussion of adoption Meilaender states, “The aim of adoption, by contrast, should be to serve and care for some of the neediest among us. It may, of course, also prove fulfilling for couples who have been unable to have biological children, and there is no reason to object if their interests and the interests of potential adoptive children should coincide. But adoption must remain an emergency measure, aimed chiefly at caring for children whose biological parents have not, cannot, or will not care for them.” This statement assumes the importance of both service and helping the needy. And, although these things could be argued for in a broad moral sense...in Meilaender's mind their worth lies in the fact that they are Biblical principles.
The emphasis on community also finds its way through the pages of the book. This is seen somewhat in the quote from the last paragraph. It can also be noticed in other places, such as when Meilaender discusses who makes the decisions in care giving. He states: “It is important, therefore, to structure the medical decision-making situation in such a way that conversation is forced among the doctor, other caregivers, the patient’s family, and the pastor or priest.” Perhaps Meilaender’s most clear statement on this idea of community is his comment, “Dependence is part of the story of a person’s life”.
A possible negative to the book is that it doesn’t cite the Bible very often. Being a book for Christians, it seems that more appeal to Scripture could have been helpful. It’s not too great of a fault, though, because most of the arguments he presents are things that the Bible only deals with in principle.
Bioethics is a wonderful book on its topic. It’s one that can easily be recommended to a wide variety of people, including beginners to the discussions. Books that are this brief without sacrificing stimulating thought are hard to find.
A Sampling of Topics Discussed:
Abortion
Prenatal Screening
Suicide
Euthanasia
Refusing Treatment
Organ Donation
Human Experimentation
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