On June 12, messengers from the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, approved a resolution on in vitro fertilization. Despite the breathless headlines and cable-media chyrons describing this action as a “ban on IVF” or motivated by nefarious political concerns, the measure merely calls for ethical reflection on reproductive technologies, even as it expresses deep moral concern about IVF in particular. In part, it reads:
The consideration of the resolution included sustained debate on the floor, from both sides of the IVF debate, but an overwhelming majority eventually voted to approve. It’s important to note that a resolution is not binding but reflects the will of the messengers convened at that particular convention. Still, these pronouncements often elicit conversation both within the denomination and without.
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