I was asked to contribute to this volume my perspective as the father of a child who was born from an embryo adoption (EA). I was asked to respond specifically to the issues of fatherhood and the marriage bond, and how they are supposedly violated by embryo adoption. I hope to also offer the additional perspective of a father who also has adopted traditionally, as well as my thoughts on EA as a layperson with training in philosophy, theology, and bioethics. I will focus my remarks on three topics: The status of the embryo as a full human person, the status and dignity of adoptive fatherhood, and the issues raised by those in opposition to embryo adoption regarding sex and marriage. Through my remarks I hope it will become apparent that Suzanne’s and my support of embryo adoption is a result of our study, prayer, and experience.
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Note that because we do not know with absolute certainty exactly when the soul is infused, we must always take the side of caution and assume it is at the moment of conception. This assumption seems more likely than ever to be correct given that we now know that at the moment of conception, the DNA blueprint for a unique individual is already fully present. It is only fitting that when God fashions the physical traits of a person, He would fashion the soul, too, for the human being is a body–soul composite.
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Stanmeyer, J. (2007). An Embryo Adoptive Father's Perspective. In: Brakman, SV., Weaver, D.F. (eds) The Ethics of Embryo Adoption and the Catholic Tradition. Philosophy and Medicine, vol 95. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6211-7_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6211-7_13
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