Präimplantationsdiagnostik

Since there has been a recent debate on preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) in German Protestant churches, this paper aims to stimulate discussion among the journal's editorial board. Among the contributors is Bishop Dr. Martin Hein. Dealing with the question of why judgments evolve differently even though a common theological and ethical background is shared, it is argued that some voices frequently overestimate the relationship between the German Embryo Protection Law and the constitutional norm of human dignity. By focusing on legal texts and court decisions it is possible to evaluate the situation quite differently (1). With its reference to slippery slopes and its criticism of a selection program, theological ethics verges on pragmatic and empirical observation. As a consequence, this type of argument cannot carry the weight of positions strictly forbidding PGD for normative reasons (2). A concluding section discusses ethical statements tending to permit PGD under restrictive conditions: Their shift from substantialism to relational anthropology does not seem to solve the normative question, whereas their criticism of the official church declaration should be taken seriously, especially since they adequately understand the distinction between morality and law (3).