Patriarch Alexy greets participants in the International Conference on ‘Development of Biotechnologies: Challenges to Christian Ethics’

The International Conference on the ‘Development of Biotechnologies: Challenges to Christian Ethics’ is held in Moscow on 2-3 March 2006. The conference is organized by the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate and Moscow representation of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Among the participants are Christian theologians, doctors, scientists and public figures and representatives of business circles working in the field of biotechnologies.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church sent the following greeting message to the participants in the conference.

Dear participants in the conference,

The rapid development of biotechnologies challenges traditional religious awareness. Any evaluation of this development from the religious and moral point of view is possible only in dialogue between theologians, medics and scientists.

Whatever prospects the progress of science and technology may open for medicine, it will not make human life any better if man has lost communion with God and become obsessed with the idea of immortality in his earthly body today.

Joint care for human dignity helps find common grounds for people with different views on ethical norms in medicine. The awareness of human dignity has been preserved by the Church through centuries, for it is not invented by anybody but revealed to us by God. I hope that the discussions that will be held in the frameworks of the conference will show scientists and public figures spiritual view on human nature.

I am convinced that the value of human personality and respect for God’s image and likeness in it should be reflected in biotechnological norms and standards. Only in this way the progress of science and technology will contribute to the real well being of man and society.

+ALEXY,
PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA