Article March 3, 2008 Issue

BREAK OUT OF THE GENETIC CODE

BY DANIEL SCOTT

TODAY  genes feature increasingly in news stories and bulletins: from the triumphant 2003 press conference announcing that the human genome had been sequenced, to alarmist concerns about scientists "playing God"; from the pros and cons of genetically modified food, to the ethics of gene testing, gene therapy, and genetic engineering; from reports that genes can predispose individuals to certain diseases, determine sexual orientation, or even determine one's belief in God.

Then there are what appear to be tangibly good things: Don't we all benefit indirectly from DNA testing in criminal investigations and trials? Likewise, maternity and paternity tests have helped establish another kind of social justice.

What does Christian Science make of these stories, and most important, how are we to pray about the possible impact of genetics on our own lives?

About the author

Daniel Scott is a Christian Science practitioner and lecturer in Yorkshire in the United Kingdom. He holds a doctoral degree in mathematical physics from the University of Cambridge.

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