Christians and IVF: Is There an Ethical Way? with Katy Faust

Katy Faust joins the podcast to talk about her “Them Before Us” movement, which prioritizes the rights and happiness of children over the rights and happiness of adults. We cover everything from same-sex marriage to surrogacy to the ethics of IVF. We also suggest redemptive ways Christians can think through issues surrounding IVF, whether they are thinking about it, or have already utilized it.

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[katieburgess]

Just here to say the ads are NO BOTHER whatsoever! Thankful you're able to get the financial support required to pull off such a high quality show. 😊

[AZRefugeeMinistry]

I agree that the ads are no problem!! I'm so thankful for such great content you consistently give us...at no charge! My thinking is continually changed to be more Chrst-like as I listen to your videos. Thank you so much! I pray God continues to fill and empower you for His work 🙏

[AlexaCramer]

Thank you Katie and Alisa. Very difficult subject because we don't want to cause pain to loved ones on such a sensitive issue but the truth needs to be said, in love. The hope of Christianity is that God redeems us and works ALL things for the good of those who love Him! This is why, even in our guilt, we need not despair.

[CataleyaWilson]

I'm so glad that I saw this while working on a thread on this topic to answer someone's question about my reasoning for not agreeing with IVF. I'll be sharing this in the thread along with the link to the Them Before Us website for more info. I hope to be able to share the info while being respectful as you both were here and help share the info for others to learn.

[cheryleverett]

I am thankful for this info on IVF. So many problems associated with stepping into IVF, and your guest gave excellent reasons why that is so. One of the great, fundamental lessons I learned as a new Christian was that it was God’s will that was to be done - not my will to be done. This is the great lesson I see here. This is the great temptation we all deal with. What if we don’t get what we hoped for? Will we insist on it? Go to extreme measures to bring it about? What if God has another plan that crosses our hopes and dreams? What if the promises of the world or the scientific community create more problems than they supposedly fulfill or fix? We’ve all been seduced by our own wills and wants. When we finally achieve what we want, however, we discover that God knew best all along and wish we had listened to and followed His way and not our own. I am thankful we can go to Him with our ashes of life and ask forgiveness and help to start over with our eyes on Him and His plan.

[wham]

My husband and I are adoptive parents of two sons and bio parents of one daughter. All are adults, two are married, and I have one beautiful, thriving granddaughter conceived through IVF. Two more embryos (grandchildren) are still frozen. Her mom had an extremely difficult delivery and they are talking now about adoption for their second (and possibly third?) child. I have gently asked about the embryos and their plans and it doesn’t seem like these babies will have a chance. This is so sad to me; aside from expressing my beliefs and desires for these babies, I have no say. But I can pray, and I will, for the rights of children: for life, and to know where they come from and where they belong. Can’t wait to read this book.

[cherylsunderland]

At age 17, I found out that I would not be able to have children. I married my high school sweetheart in 1980 just about the time IVF was being made known to the public. At the time I felt it was ethically wrong and so we pursued adoption. This is the first conversation I’ve heard of that confirms my feelings from so long ago. Thank you so much for taking a really good look at this subject. We feel strongly about abortion, but what about all the embryos sitting in freezers!

[carlafoss]

As an adoptee who wants adoption reform and education, I enjoyed this conversation. I was prepared to be ‘triggered’ as I frequently am by Christians bringing up adoption, but I was pleasantly surprised. Thank you for your work, Katy!

[treasurein-a-field]

I’m so glad that the Christian pro life community is revisiting the conversation on IVF. I’m a triplet from an IVF pregnancy that I think my Christian parents tried to do in an ethical way. I naturally have a lot of questions about this now that I’m a mother who cares about children’s rights. I’m also sorting through how the risks and complications involved may have affected my overall health throughout my life. I remember trying to find out more about IVF when I was a young adult attending Summit Ministries, and I actually asked Scott Klusendorf point blank what he thought about IVF (without telling him that’s how I was conceived!) I remember he didn’t have much of an answer at the time, just that it’s between the parents and God. I believe the Holy Spirit can absolutely give you wisdom about these decisions if you’re seeking Him, but I have felt like this isn’t talked about enough, and people in the church need answers! Loved this discussion!

[amoleis]

I am not someone who thinks kids rule, and I thought this was where Katy was going; like an extreme empathetic view. I was wrong. She is talking about protecting kids ❤ Thanks for speaking about these tough subjects, Katy and Alisa!

[GratiaPrima_]

God is the author of marriage and family, and He knows best. That’s a full stop. It’s also true we live in a fallen world and need to strive for what’s God’s best or working towards that as Christians. Awesome convo, ladies!!!! As a Catholic, love the shout out she had for Catholic natural law theology. So deep and true and biblical :)

Side note, it was SO GOOD to see you recently at Share the Arrows, Alisa!!!

[missbhavenvanwinkle]

THANK-YOU both!!
Keep speaking about this!
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[greyhairedgrammie]

I know a couple who adopted a sibling group of frozen embryos. To their great joy, the wife was able to carry a number of the babies to birth. They also lost a few along the way, and she grieves those lost babies so very much.

[csthedayfarm]

Great conversation! This has been something on my heart the last several years as I learn more. I have Christian friends who’ve done ivf and had left over embryos and didn’t give them a second thought because they were “done”. Several years ago we heard about the number of frozen embryos (1M at that time) and my heart sunk. We ended up doing embryo adoption through a Christian agency who transfers any and every embryo that has even one living cell- and our baby is due in April. However my heart is still heavy as we continue to learn more so that we can best equip ourselves to have the ongoing conversations about their origin. Our baby was “donated” by a couple who used both a sperm and egg donor- so many degrees of separation. I often feel like this conversation doesn’t wade into the waters of embryo adoption. (We were not infertile, have 7 bio kids, but continued to have our hearts pulled towards adoption which we can’t foster in our state b/c of too many kids and have been turned away by adoption agencies for the same reason). But I am so thankful that this topic is being discussed.

[reganbarnes]

This was a very informative conversation. Thank you so much. I used to feel neutral about such things as IVF and surrogacy, but the more I learn about them, the more possible harms I see in them.

[rakastellar]

I appreciate that this is such an honest conversation. It is so refreshing if I am honest. I did not grow up with my biological parents and I suffered all of which you described, Alisa. I think a lot of my (lack of) upbringing caused me to feel really strongly about children needing their biological mother and father!

[missfizz]

This is eye opening stuff, Thank you ladies.

[GS-qktd]

One of my favorite videos. Biblical in every sense, as the Lord asks us to think of our neighbors as higher esteem than ourselfs, and in that way thinking of the others first. I think we take things for granted and never ask questions.
Personally I am thanful for the ads since I have been able to enjoy 7 weeks cofee and recomend to others.
Thanks Alisa!

[jeffhaines]

Excellent presentation! I’m actually not triggered at all. “Break Point” supports this same view (from what I recall) - completely in line with scripture, by my understanding.

[bjteacher]

So thankful for these wise women. 24:05 - 24:20 POWERful.