How to Be a Christian in a Brave New World

by Joni Eareckson Tada, Nigel M. de S. Cameron

Stem-cell research. Cloning. Genetic engineering. Today, discoveries in biotechnology are occurring so rapidly that we can barely begin to address one ethical debate before another looms overhead. This brave new world we've entered is a daunting one as well, with disturbing implications for the sanctity of life and for human nature itself. How should we respond as Christians? Drawing on an abundance of cutting-edge information and life experience, Joni Eareckson Tada and Nigel M. de S. Cameron help you think through issues no Christian can afford to ignore. As a quadriplegic who has spent three decades advocating for the disability community out of a wheelchair, Joni offers the insights of a woman intimately acquainted with suffering and struggle. Dr. Cameron shares from his vast knowledge as one of today's foremost bioethics. Together, they offer deeply informed perspectives on such pressing issues Here is thoughtful, passionate, and gripping reading about the world that is coming--that, indeed, is already here--and how to live out your faith with conviction in its midst.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Living

222 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2006

About the author

Joni Eareckson Tada is an American evangelical Christian author, radio host, artist, and founder of Joni and Friends, an organization "accelerating Christian ministry in the disability community".

Reviews

[Hattush · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creepy. Deep. Thought provoking. We need more books like this and more people willing to stand up for the truth, for life, for the weak and disabled. Our world is going absolutely insane...

[Stephen Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read on bioethics. I read it as a part of a writing course, so this book was used to get the cogs turning for essays on issues related to the book. While the book is a little old (20 years isn’t super old, but the big “current events” covered in the book aren’t as big in today’s culture), it definitely gave me things to think about.

I did think that most of the arguments were pretty emotional (a lot of appeals to “human dignity”) which was disappointing. However, it gave me information that allowed me to form my own opinions. I think the goal of the book was more to get Christians to think about the issue rather than arming them with solid arguments. If that was the goal, then I think they did a decent job of that, with an interesting writing style.

[Elisha Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fact that this was published in 2006 is pretty wild. Eareckson Tada is incredibly bold in the way she thinks through how Christians should approach things like cloning, genetic testing, etc. Her perspective as a quadriplegic Christian is insightful. She recognizes that the logic being used in pursuing bio-tech advancement has a Babel-like desire at its root. Seeking control--Seeking to defeat death. An ugly side of this seeking is that people are discarded in the pursuit, literal people (not viewed as people by some) in the form of frozen eggs. She reminds us of the warning of Nazi Germany. Eugenics started as not mixing races but the eventual movement was to ending races by genocide. Disabled people, the elderly, unborn children--these are the most vulnerable in society. They are the ones most affected by the bio-tech free-for-all that America is fast becoming. I'm not sure Eareckson Tada could have envisioned where America would be politically in 2023 so it's hard to criticize her encouragement of political organizing. And maybe that should be done, I am just so disillusioned with American politics. What is certain is that Christians are called to think about and care for those who are most vulnerable in society. This book is a reminder that we can't just assume everything in society is neutral.

[Jodi Hull · Rating 4 out of 5]

Went through this book in a small group setting and it was so thought-provoking! Normally, I avoid discussion on such controversial topics, but this was the right book for our setting.

[Kari McDowell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book. It deals mostly with the most dramatic of bioethical issues (I.e. human cloning) without as much day-to-day concerns, but was still worth reading. Besides, the authors argue that human cloning is fast becoming a day-to-day concern.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's always interesting to read an older book about a current issue. I almost laughed out loud when she said that society chose to move in the direction of "Brave New World" instead of "1984." This book was published in 2006. It only took a little longer than a decade to get us to "1984", too.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, Biblical perspective from a paraplegic.

[Jenny Aggen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction to thinking deeper about ethics in medicine. Includes lots of helpful recommendations for further research.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for all Christians. It addresses difficult technical material in a very easy-to-understand way.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was interesting to look back at the bioethical concerns and debates of the early 21st century, and to see Christians trying to respond intelligently and faithfully to them. However, I don't think the book holds up especially well, both because the state of science and the law has changed so much in the intervening years, and because the authors, as evangelical Christians, make all final appeals to the Bible itself, which I disagree with both as a Catholic (we have Church tradition and other philosophers, etc.) and as someone who has done a fair bit of research on science communication in terms of how it works as a strategy (granted, though, that the authors were trying less to simply communicate the science than to give moral guidance). Still, this was an interesting read from a historical perspective, and I agree with some of the philosophy. I think some of the resource organizations they point to (to the extent that they still exist this much later) are probably worth my looking into as well.

[Leila · Rating 3 out of 5]

How to Be a Christian in a Brave New World addresses issues such as stem-cell research, cloning, and genetic engineering. In this book, authors Tada and Cameron show how America is steadily moving towards a nation which devalues Human life, young and old. Abortion is not the issue, they claim. It is simply an effect of the real issue: the lack of respect for Human life. The authors point out that Abortion is the largest evidence of the degradation of life, but Euthanasia is also beginning to creep into our culture. Unfortunately, as our technology advances, our Nation's morality declines. As a result, ungodly scientists lobby for unrestrained scientific research and advances, regardless of the moral laws violated in the process. Scientists demand they be able to clone people; destroy embryos for stem-cell research; and genetically engineer humans. Tada and Cameron wrote How To Be a Christian in a Brave New World to inform readers of the unethical research which is taking place and the gross scientific experiments that may become legal in the United States in the near future, if we fail to speak out against these atrocities. The debasement of human life is not an attack on the human race, they state, so much as it is a direct attack upon the image of God. After all, that is the only reason we as humans have any worth and purpose in life. Writers, Tada and Cameron, urge us to “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked”(Psalm 82:3-4). How To Be a Christian in a Brave New World essentially shows us how our personhood is being attacked; why it is wrong; and what to do about it.

How To Be a Christian in a Brave New World isn't a pleasant book to read. The reason being, America is advancing into a godless age where human reason, not the Bible dictates how we live. However, though it isn't a fun-read, How To Be a Christian in a Brave New World, is useful in educating people about what scientific operations scientists want to have the freedom to do; why these experiments are sinful; and what we can do to stop them. Anyone who is concerned about God's law being violated, will want to read this book. Not only does this book expose evils like cloning and eugenics, but it reexamines procedures such as in vitro fertilization which are widely accepted by many evangelicals. Many Christians fail to fully research these issues; How To Be a Christian in a Brave New World challenges us to rethink these ethical issues. After you read this book, you will be encouraged to be more aware which technological advances are biblical and to speak out against those which aren't. Readers will be struck with the fact that outside of God's law there is no respect for human life. When God's Word is rejected, chaos results and “Every man's way is right in his own eyes....” (Proverbs 21:2a) How To Be a Christian in a Brave New World is recommendable because it informs and instructs Christians from a Biblical perspective.

[Brent Soderstrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors open up a topic that many Christians aren't ready to talk about-the Christian response to high tech medical break throughs such as in vitro fertilization, designer babies, human cloning and stem cell research. Where is the line drawn between a person and a commodity? If you knew your soon to be born child would have a mental or physical disease what would you do? If you could test the many embryos before choosing one for in vitro would you do it? What about research on embryos that would could cure diseases? These are some of the topics brought to the forefront by the authors. It opened my eyes to a lot of troublesome areas that will only get more troublesome as our medical technology expands. Great read.

[Cheryl Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although dated now (!), this was an excellent introduction into the reasons why Christians need to be educated about bioethics.

[Cj Rey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Opened my eyes on stem cell research, among other things.