Southern Baptist Convention's Vote Opposing IVF Could Influence Politicians, TU Professor Says

The Southern Baptist Convention voted this week to oppose In vitro fertilization.

They say it's because they believe surplus frozen embryos often end up being destroyed and they consider embryos to be human life.

University of Tulsa Professor of Catholic Studies, Donald Prudlo says this vote is consistent with what the Southern Baptist Convention believes is having a pro-life stance, and this vote could influence politicians in how they make decisions.

The Southern Baptist Convention sent us a statement saying:

"This resolution speaks to the dignity of the human embryo and the ethical complexities in the IVF process as routinely practiced. Southern Baptists commend couples who have sought to only utilize these technologies in light of the dignity of the human embryo. It also calls on government to restrain actions inconsistent with the dignity of every human life, no matter the stage of development or location. We exhort pastors and ministry leaders to walk alongside couples facing the devastating realities of infertility with both truth and grace." 

"The problem that many conservative Christians have is that IVF involves the creation of numerous embryos with the sperm and the egg of the parents and the vast majority of those embryos are discarded," Prof. Prudlo said.

Prudlo says the convention opposed IVF because many embryos don't come to full term.

"For many conservative Christians these are persons, and they can not, we can not say they are valueless for that reason they need to have their full human dignity respected," Prof. Prudlo said.

Professor Prudlo said this doesn't mean members of the church can't or won't do IVF. But he feels the vote could have political impacts.

"When they do this they demonstrate a unanimity that is quite impressive across American Evangelic denominations that will, that could have political ramifications that politicians could make decisions based on," Prof. Prudlo said.

Prudlo says when the church makes statements like this, it should be taken seriously.

"They're making a statement in accordance with their beliefs and sometimes that crosses the line into a political statement, and for a number of people it's the largest denomination besides the Catholics in America and so that is an important assertion of their beliefs," Prof. Prudlo said.