What is the Roman Catholic Church's opinion on Biotechnology?

Question

I just need to know what the Catholic church's opinion is on Biotechnology, and even if you could post a link that has more details that would be great, keep in mind im looking for all aspects of biotechnology! thanks!

Answer 1

Here is the Vatican website and several papers on Biotechnology which might be helpful.

http://vatican.mondosearch.com/search.aspx

Answer 2

That's a huge question, since biotech can encompass a wide swath of issues. If you wish to do a report, you might want to take a few case studies and show how these specifics relate to a few general rules:

(1) Faith and science are not at odds, but rather support one another. This is something on which Benedict XVI has spoken several times, citing the Greek emphasis on logic and its influence in the early development of theology. We've come a long way from Galileo, and trust that, where scientific thought may appear for a time to contradict faith, deeper inquiry ultimately leads to their support.

(2) Life is paramount in importance; if it destroys life, it is wrong. If it saves life, it is good. Therefore, there is great conflict where life is destroyed to save life (ie, embryonic stem cell therapy). These are the greatest areas of conflict.

(3) Utilitarianism where people can be used as a mere means to an end is outright rejected in favor of a deontology that recognizes life as meaningful in and of itself.

Some good issues to examine would be:
(a) Stem cell therapies - adult vs. embryonic
(b) heroic efforts to extend life vs. hospice and a dignified death
(c) Conception as a spiritual act versus a scientific act
(d) experimental treatments and novel pharmaceuticals and their testing on poor persons

Answer 3

Biotechnology covers a lot of issues.

The Catholic Church supports some of those issues and does not support others.

Catholics believe that from the moment of conception until natural death, each human being is endowed by God with dignity and rights.

As long as this human dignity and these human rights are protected, the Church has no problem with Biotechnology.

For example, the Church
+ supports stem cell research as long as the stem cells were not taken from an aborted human being
+ Is not against the use of Biotechnology in agriculture but advocates prudence and regulation
+ is absolutely against human cloning but rarely mentions non-human cloning

Websites:
http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/bioethic/index.shtml
http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/bioethic/cloning/index.shtml

Articles:
http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=463
http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=1387http://www.agbioworld.org/biotech-info/religion/catholic.html

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

I dont know, Im sorry :(