Surrogacy, Designer Babies, and God's Design for Family

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This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot have a conversation that revolves around anthropology and ethical and moral concerns in the context of Christianity. They touch on current cultural issues related to human identity, gender distinctions, surrogacy, and artificial insemination or IVF. Other concerns raised include technological advancements in genetic manipulation, such as the increasing trend of requesting specific traits for babies, like eye and hair color, and the ethical implications of cloning and other technological advancements. As we think about Genesis 1, where God tells us we are made in His image, male and female, He has made us, how does this relate to all these things that deal with anthropology? How should Christians respond to these advancements? Should we be concerned?
Dr. Caldwell responds by acknowledging the complexity and importance of these issues. He emphasizes that Christians cannot ignore these developments and must grapple with them. Dr. Caldwell thinks through these things in the light of the Word of God and what he knows from the Word of God. He highlights that just because something is possible, we have the capacity and can do something, doesn’t mean we should. There are ethical and moral questions about all technological advancements, especially regarding the field of medicine as it relates to humans. Dr. Caldwell helps us to consider this by drawing a parallel to sin. He reminds us that every act of sin represents an ability that man has, but he is doing something he shouldn’t. Human beings have the ability to think things they shouldn’t and commit actions that they shouldn’t take. So just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
As believers, we must be concerned with God’s role versus our role as human beings. Dr. Caldwell underscores the importance of aligning our actions with God's design and intentions. We need to think about modern reproductive technologies, such as IVF, surrogacy, and genetic manipulation, and whether they align with God's natural design for family life. We should be concerned about the practice of creating "designer babies". We do not have the right to make such choices. God assigns these. The same can be said as it relates to homosexual “couples” paying for babies. This is not something that can happen according to nature. One hundred percent of the time, it is a woman who delivers a baby. One hundred percent of the time, it takes a male and a female to provide what is necessary for a baby to be conceived. Just because we have the capacity and ability to do something doesn’t make it right ethically or morally. We commit acts of sin when we overstep our bounds. And sin is transgression; it’s stepping over a line, doing something God has not assigned to us or allowed for us.
Also discussed are the broader implications of technological advancements and the ethical questions they raise. Dr. Caldwell points out that technology can lead to perceived gains that actually result in significant losses. A couple of ways we can see this is in the breakdown of family communication due to excessive screen time, and in the fracturing of families and the loss of lifelong connectivity due to increased mobility.
In conclusion, Dr. Caldwell advises that any action, particularly those involving the creation of life, should be examined to ensure it aligns with God's design and role for family life. He believes that some of these decisions will come down to issues of conscience, provided they do not involve playing God or making choices that belong to God. He urges believers to remain submissive to God's sovereignty and glory in all decisions, recognizing the pitfalls of human pride and the temptation to elevate oneself to God’s level.