Wednesday, 22 February 2012
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Who Owns Your Body?
By Sharon at SheWorships
This week I had the privilege of hearing from the Executive Director of the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity at Trinity. She provided an introduction to the Center, as well as a brief look at the major issues confronting bioethics today.
Many of the bioethical questions of our time do not have clear-cut answers, so she offered some guiding principles for thinking through them in a constructive and Christian way. Of the suggestions she made, I found one to be especially insightful. When it comes to the bioethical issues in our own lives, she encouraged us to begin with the following question:
Who owns your body?
Although the realm of bioethics extends far beyond the sphere of your individual body, I think this is a wonderful place to start. So many of the bioethical dilemmas facing Christians begin with an inadequate understanding of our own bodies and what God created us for.
Of course, the Bible is very clear about who owns our bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 tells us,
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Who owns your body? Your Savior does.
This truth can serve as a North Star as we wade through the muddy waters of bioethics. For example, when it comes to matters concerning birth control, IVF, and surrogacy, the question of who owns our bodies demands our attention. No matter where you come down on these issues, it is crucial that you first consider that your body is not your own.
For evangelicals in particular, this is an important step. While the Catholic Church has a coherent position on bioethics, evangelicals do not. We allow for more freedom on these questions, but this freedom is not always theologically reasoned. In fact, many evangelicals exhibit tremendous theological inconsistency on the issues of bioethics.
Take, for instance, the passion with which evangelicals oppose abortion. This opposition is so strong that many evangelicals are “one issue” voters who believe abortion to be more important than just about any other. It is a major part of the evangelical DNA. And yet, as loudly and dogmatically as evangelical women condemn the practice of abortion and have no qualms about telling other women what to do with their bodies, many refuse to be told what to do with their own bodies. When one dares to broach the topics of birth control or IVF, one is met with intense defensiveness. You are likely to hear something along the lines of, “It’s none of your business” or “This was my personal decision.”
While I don’t believe there are easy answers to a lot of these questions, nor am I advocating for a particular position here, what disturbs me is the attitude and worldview fueling these responses. Quite frankly, your body IS the business of your church community, and what you choose to do with your body is NOT a personal decision. Not only is it first and foremost under the jurisdiction of God, but what you do with your body impacts your entire community. It’s not just about you.
All of that to say, we have GOT to get to a place of bioethical and theological coherency when it comes to our bodies, and I think that asking “Who owns your body?” is a great place to begin. In fact, it is a helpful guiding principle in the face of many topics, such as sexuality, how we dress, and how we choose to spend our time.
For now, I ask you to consider this question with all the seriousness that Christ’s sacrifice deserves. I’m not going to tell you whether birth control or IVF is right or wrong (if you want to read my engagements on these topics, you can find them elsewhere on this blog), but I do want you to think through these complex issues from the perspective of stewardship, not personal ownership. I want you to give it the time, attention, study, and theological engagement it requires. It is the way of the world to claim complete and total autonomy over our bodies. But we are not of the world.
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About the Author
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- From: sheworships
- Name: Sharon
- About Me: Sharon Hodde Miller is a North Carolina girl, born and raised! She is originally from Charlotte, NC, and she received her undergraduate degree and Masters of Divinity from Duke University. Sharon has worked for Proverbs 31 Ministries where she was a contributing writer to the ministry’s daily devotions and radio broadcasts. She has written for Relevant Magazine’s online articles, Lifeway’s Collegiate Magazine, Ungrind Webzine, and she continues to write and minister to women all over the world about being a Christian woman in an ever-changing culture. Sharon currently lives in Durham, North Carolina with her husband, who is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Duke Divinity School. If you would like to contact her regarding a speaking or writing opportunity, if you have any questions, or would like to submit a blog topic, please e-mail her at sharon(at)sheworships(dot)com.
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Comments (4)
While I totally agree that all creatures belong to their creator, I am still hesitant to approach bioethical discourse regarding female choices from any religious world-view, especially one which is historically patriarchal. On a personal level, having experienced abuse, snowballing into eating disorders and self-injury... the whole gamut all exacerbated by the teaching that my body was not my own, I know the dangers of women being taught by men what their savior/Bible "means".
I think if anyone should be reminded of the question, "who owns your body?", it is men. Men need to understand how their health and choices affect everyone around them, from basics like healthful eating, sane driving, to responsibility in sexual behavior. Women are constantly reminded and mindful of the affect of their choices on others. It's how we are brought up, to caretake. Even in my environment of health researchers, doctors, and bioethicists, I am still shocked at how little connection men see between themselves and others, of the effect of their own ill-health (physical or mental) on those closest to them, or their obligation to reaching the same standards of responsibility that they place on their female counterparts.
Disregarding my own lack of religion, I've always thought a person's faith and decisions are between themselves and whatever they believe in, and nobody else.
If God owns our body why are we the ones who are commanded take action with it?
The fact is we own our own bodies and are free to do with them as we please.
It is through Christ that we are granted the opportunity to throw in with the Creator, the one true God, and live our lives according to his will.
And ,in addition,if one is married it is notable that each partner becomes the owner of the other's body. 1 Cor. 7:4,