THINK ¢ Dr Roland Chia is Chew Hock Hin Professor of Christian Doctrine at Trinity Theological College and Theological and Research Advisor at the Ethos Institute for Public Christianity (http://ethosinstitute.sg).
Social Egg Freezing: An Ethical and Social Quagmire
PREFACE
I
t should not come as a surprise when a Methodist asks point-blank, “What’s our church’s stand on social egg freezing?”
We can point to the three general rules formulated in the 18th century by the first Methodist societies: first, do no harm. Second, do good. Third, to attend to all the ordinances of God. But how do these rules play out for 21st century issues such as the use of social egg freezing (SEF)? The Methodist Social Principles (MSP), outlined in The Book of Discipline of The Methodist Church in Singapore, are one attempt to articulate what doing good and doing no harm look like in the present day. They set out the church’s views on contemporary issues such as abortion, homosexuality and surrogacy. Understandably, the MSP make no mention of SEF as it is a fairly new issue to Singapore. The nearest they come to it is in a broadly stated principle that “married couples who are burdened with the problem of infertility should prayerfully examine their motives for wanting a child and consider and understand the medical, spiritual, moral and legal implications of assisted reproductive procedures”.
arising from non-medical use of medical technology, safety concerns, disingenuous communication of success rates, and the wider social implications of using SEF for deferring procreation, all correspond to the MSP concerns within the spheres of science and technology, community life, family, and social well-being, to name some examples. It stands to reason that our commitment to the rights of women cannot be held separate from the rights of children, families, society, and the common good. Dr Chia reminds us that SEF has the grave potential to do harm, both in calculable and incalculable ways. This is inordinately damaging to women, not to mention the detrimental effects on children and society at large as well. His article is thus both an example and a summons to, in the words of our MSP, “cultivate and practise the virtues of the Christian life… and manifest them in the way we think and the way we live”. May the Holy Spirit grant us all the virtue of prudence in a fast-advancing world of scientific discoveries and novel applications.
Dr Roland Chia’s article on SEF spotlights how the legalisation of this practice of SEF comes loaded with ethical and moral implications. These implications throw into relief the rules of doing good and doing no harm. The potential risks
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METHODIST MESSAGE June 2022
Rev Dr Nathanael Goh
Assistant Pastor, Sengkang Methodist Church
