Bioethics and Practical Theology: The Example of Reproductive Medicine

This report begins by introducing bioethics, outlining the history and present shape of the field, and making some brief remarks about its methods and approaches. The interactions of theology and religion with bioethics are briefly surveyed, and potential points of contact with practical theology are identified. Next, the ethics of reproductive medicine, in particular in vitro fertilisation (IVF), is used as a specific example of theological reflection on bioethics. The final section identifies some questions arising from this example, which may contribute to a research agenda in bioethics and practical theology.