ABILENE, TEXAS — As the number of U.S. frozen embryos has grown to estimates beyond a million, their moral status has become the crux of discussion among bioethicists. 

Vic McCracken, professor of ethics and theology at Abilene Christian University, co-teaches the medical bioethics course with Cynthia Powell, who directs ACU’s Center for Pre-Health Professions. 

Every year the class includes students who were born through IVF.

“It’s not uncommon in our fold,” Powell said.

The professors tell students up front that technological advancements spurred many questions to be explored. 

“It was harder to argue about embryonic life when people didn’t know what’s happening in the womb,” McCracken said. But now they must ask, “What is the moral status of embryonic life? Do they have the status of undeniable persons, no status at all or some lesser status?”

Powell wants future health professionals to be understand the viewpoint of the patient when they consider medical interventions to treat infertility.

“It’s easy to say, ‘I don’t think IVF is morally permissible’ if you aren’t a person suffering with infertility,” Powell said.

Jim Nichols, now retired, is past chair of ACU’s biology department and has served as a chaplain at Hendrick Health in Abilene for 16 years.

He says those experiences — and approaching 80 — have impacted his views.

“At the stage I am in my life right now, I don’t like to make decisions for other people on much of anything, especially something as private and personal as this is,” he said.

“Part of me says this is something where a couple is not accepting nature and the boundaries nature has put on the world.” 

But, he added, “The other part of me says that’s judgmental of people, and they should have the right to exercise whatever science options they have, and this is a science option that works. I would not apprise people not to do it.”

He is concerned about the growing throng of unused embryos cryogenically preserved in labs. 

So is McCracken who would prefer to minimize the number of embryos created, though that would make the process more invasive and more expensive.

“I’m supportive of IVF, but I have moral reservations about a practice that entails creation of embryos for research. And yet it’s hard to argue we should choose to discard embryos rather than use them.”

“I don't think they’re a person,” Nichols said, “but they have some value morally.”

This piece originally appeared at The Christian Chronicle.

Cheryl Mann Bacon is a Christian Chronicle correspondent who served for 20 years as chair of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at Abilene Christian University. In retirement, she is enjoying freelance writing and consulting, especially with churches. Contact her at cheryl@christianchronicle.org.