LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 394

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394 THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS—COMMISSION ON THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

could only be given if we were certain that these lives lack full moral
significance. But we do not have this moral certainty.

Concerning options one and two, we strongly urge couples not
to put themselves in this position. They should make provision for
all their viable embryos to be transferred. They will in this way not
be faced with decisions to leave their embryos with indefinite fu-
tures nor to let them expire.

But what about the thousands of embryos with no future
prospects? Some will argue that they should remain in indefinite
suspended animation in the hope that we may find a moral course
for their futures. Others may urge that respect for these lives will
mean facing up to a tragic necessity of letting them expire. Our ad-
vice to fellow Christians is that couples seek through pregnancy or
through embryo adoption to find a living future for any embryos
they have produced.

Implications for Public Debate

We suggest that Christians familiarize themselves with the cur-
rent and changing state of debate concerning embryonic stem cell
research. We have offered an approach that we think can help Chris-
tians engage others in serious reflection upon respect for human life.

Citizens in a democracy also have the opportunity and respon-
sibility to participate in the political processes of their country. Em-
bryonic stem cell research is an issue that will be contested in many
different ways in North America. Christians will have occasions in
the coming days and years to play their part in helping their coun-
tries fashion defensible policies.

Human embryos, beginning with conception, are set on a course
of development that leads continuously to an unfolding of a unique
human life. Consequently, biblically disciplined moral reasoning
puts the burden of proof on those who would deny protection to cer-
tain embryos. And that burden has not been carried by any of the
arguments that have been offered. We have found no moment in
this unfolding where a convincing line can be drawn between em-
bryonic life that need not be protected and embryonic or fetal or
live-born life that should be protected. Science and philosophy have
not been able to agree on any punctuation point in human develop-
ment for drawing a moral line. Furthermore, the Bible speaks of
God’s love and care for an individual from even before the earliest
physical moment. We therefore apply the principle “Always to care,
never to kill” to pre-implantation human life.

Glossary”

Adult stem cell—An undifferentiated cell found in a
differentiated tissue that can renew itself and (with certain
limitations) differentiate to yield all the specialized cell
types of the tissue from which it originated.

Artificial Insemination (AI)—A technique that introduces
sperm into a woman’s body by some means other than
sexual intercourse. Sperm often comes from the woman’s
husband (AIH), but donor sperm from outside a marriage is
also used (AID).**

Astrocyte—One of the large neuroglia cells of neural tissues.

Blastocyst—A preimplantation embryo of about 150 cells. The
blastocyst consists of a sphere made up of an outer layer of
cells (the trophectoderm), a fluid-filled cavity (the blastocoel),
and a cluster of cells on the interior (the inner cell mass).

Bone marrow stromal cells—A stem cell found in bone marrow
that generates bone, cartilage, fat, and fibrous connective
tissue.

Cell division—Method by which a single cell divides to create two
cells. This continuous process allows a population of cells to
increase in number or maintain its numbers.

Cell-based therapies—treatment in which stem cells are induced to
differentiate into the specific cell type required to repair
damaged or depleted adult cell populations or tissues.

2007 Convention Workbook

Cell culture—Growth of cells in vitro on an artificial medium for
experimental research.

Clone—A line of cells that is genetically identical to the originating
cell; in this case, a stem cell.

Cryopreservation—Preservation (as of cells) by subjection to
extremely low temperatures.*

Culture medium—tThe broth that covers cells in a culture dish,
which contains nutrients to feed the cells as well as other
growth factors that may be added to direct desired changes in
the cells.

Differentiation—The process whereby an unspecialized early
embryonic ‘cell acquires the features of a specialized cell such
as a heart, liver, or muscle cell.

Directed differentiation—Manipulating stem cell culture
conditions to induce differentiation into a particular cell type.

DNA—Deoxyribonucleic acid, a chemical found primarily in the
nucleus of cells. DNA carries the instructions for making all
the structures and materials the body needs to function.

Ectoderm—Upper, outermost layer of a group of cells derived
from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst; it gives rise to skin,
nerves, and brain.

Embryo—lIn humans, the developing organism from the time of
fertilization until the end of the eighth week of gestation, when
it becomes known as a fetus.

Embryoid bodies—Clumps of cellular structures that arise when
embryonic stem cells are cultured.

Embryonic germ cells—cCells found in a specific part of the
embryo/fetus called the gonadal ridge that normally develop
into mature gametes.

Embryonic stem cells—Primitive (undifferentiated) cells from the
embryo that have the potential to become a wide variety of
specialized cell types.

Embryonic stem cell line—Embryonic stem cells, which have
been cultured under in vitro conditions that allow proliferation
without differentiation for months to years.

Endoderm—Lowcr layer of a group of cells derived from the inner
cell mass of the blastocyst; it gives rise to lungs and digestive
organs.

Feeder layer—Cells used in co-culture to maintain pluripotent
stem cells. Cells usually consist of mouse embryonic
fibroblasts.

Fertilization—The process whereby male and female gametes
unite.

Fetus—A developing human from usually two months after
conception to birth.

Gamete—A mature male or fernale germ cell (sperm or egg).
These cells contain only one-half of the paired genes found in
other bodily cells, and they are capable of forming a new and
physically unique individual by fusion with a gamete of the
opposite sex.**

Gene—A functional unit of heredity that is a segment of DNA
located in a specific site on a chromosome. A gene directs the
formation of an enzyme or other protein.

Genetic Science—The systematic study of how genes govern
physical development, sometimes simply called genetics. **

Hematopoietic stem cell—A stem cell from which all red and
white blood cells develop.

Homeostasis—A relatively stable state of equilibrium or a
tendency toward such a state between the different but
interdependent elements or groups of elements of an
organism, population, or group.*