Protecting the Health of Future Generations as a Global Bioethical Principle: A Broad Protestant Perspective.

Abstract

In the development of the Universal Declarations of Bioethics and Human Rights (UDBHR) of UNESCO, the Protestant tradition did not participate in the conversation. This treatise is a humble contribution. The global community is convinced that the present generation can have a positive and negative impact on future generations. Article 16 of the UDBHR expresses serious concern about the negative impact of technology in the context of the human, animal and plant genome in particular, as well as the environment in general. The Protestant concept of the covenant provides a solid theological grounding for article 16 of the UDBHR. In light of this reasoning, article 16 of the UDBHR, which has the purpose of promoting the health of future generations, can fully be defended by Protestant ethics and included in the prophetic message of the Protestant faith tradition.