Embryos and human dignity” “

A furious controversy has been raging in Germany over the last few days, sparked off by some statements made by the German federal minister of justice, Brigitte Zypries, on the defence of the life of test-tube embryos. Speaking at the Humboldt University in Berlin on 29 October, Zypries had declared that test-tube embryos “do not yet have human dignity in the sense of the German Constitution” [i.e. the sense recognised in article 1, that human dignity is “inviolable”], but “only have the potential to develop it”; therefore, according to the minister, this “merely abstract potential… is not enough for their human dignity to be recognised”. Zypries also expressed the need to “examine whether it is not necessary to mitigate the law on stem cells” (which currently permits only those stem cells to be used for research that have been imported and obtained from test-tube embryos originally destined for artificial fertilization but surplus to requirements). The minister’s remarks have aroused the strong reactions of the Christians Churches and the Catholic world in Germany. The Episcopal Conference. “Extreme concern” has been expressed by the Catholic bishops, who have rejected the minister’s position and urged “the recognition of human dignity in any moment of life”. The minister’s interpretation of the Constitution was also criticised: “it prepares the way for an extension of the law on stem cells that permits research on particular imported stem cells”, and creates “the risk of throwing the doors wide open to a reduction of the level of protection also in other sectors of biogenetics. Once again –pointed out the bishops – “one sees how sinister is the road taken with the development of artificial fertilization”. Catholic organizations. “Zypries uselessly places in discussion the growing recognition of the need to defend human life in the earliest phases of its development”, is the comment of Hans Joachim Meyer, president of the ZdK (Central Committee of German Catholics). He has expressed “astonishment and great concern” about the minister’s declarations. “Whoever denies human dignity to in vitro embryos – he said – opens the way to unpredictable consequences, because in this way the basis of the argument that fixes non-arbitrary limits to the beginning of human life is lost”. “Freedom of research and economic interests, however legitimate, end wherever the fundamental values of human life and society are threatened”, declared Peter Neher, president of German Caritas. “Any kind of relativism in the protection of the embryo is unacceptable” since it could “trigger an unstoppable process” that would sooner or later deny human dignity also to disabled persons or those suffering from senile dementia”. “Human dignity only comes from God”, irrespective of whether this “happens in the mother’s womb or in the test-tube – however negative that is”. Evangelic Church. Speaking to the synod of the Evangelic Church, its outgoing president, Manfred Kock stressed that “ in vitro embryos also need to be subjected to the legal protection sanctioned by the German Constitution. “Any type of research that uses persons, even in ‘embryonal form’, as a means of improving the chances of curing other people, must be rejected”.