CFP: Special Issue for Christian Bioethics: Emerging Reproductive Technologies and Research

CALL FOR PAPERS

Special issue of Christian Bioethics 

Christian Perspectives on Emerging Reproductive Technologies & Research

Issue Editor: Nicholas Colgrove, PhD ([email protected])

Christian Bioethics, a double-blind peer reviewed journal published by Oxford University Press, invites scholarly contributions to a special issue addressing emerging reproductive technologies and research. 

It is already possible to perform surgery on fetuses by temporarily removing them from the womb, operating upon them, and placing them back into the womb. Additionally, artificial womb technology (AWT) and gene-editing technologies may become generally available to human subjects in the near future. Much has been written about these emerging reproductive technologies in recent years.

This issue of Christian Bioethics aims to:

1.    Interact with recent discussions of emerging reproductive technologies (AWT, fetal surgery, gene-editing, etc.), and 

2.   Explore answers to the following types of questions (listed below), from various perspectives within the Christian tradition.

Questions to be explored may include (but are not limited to):

·      From a Christian perspective, how do emerging reproductive technologies—including developments in fetal surgery and artificial womb technology—affect our understanding of birth or the significance of birth? 

·      From a Christian perspective, how might developments in reproductive technologies shape our understanding of parenthood?

·      From a Christian perspective, how should we understand human subjects in artificial wombs? How should they be regarded? In what ways, if any, should we regard them differently from how we regard fetuses in utero, and why?

·     From a Christian perspective, how should artificial womb technology (AWT) be used (if atall)? 

·      From a Christian perspective, what are moral issues are associated with complete ectogenesis and partial ectogenesis?

·     From a Christian perspective, how does AWT inform our understanding of (current) life-sustaining technologies used in the neonatal intensive care unit setting? 

·     From a Christian perspective, how should research aimed at miscarriage prevention be viewed?

·     Should Christians be encouraging/funding/promoting the development (and use) of reproductive technologies? If so, which ones and why? If not, why not? Do Christians have any special obligations regarding encouraging/funding/promoting such development and use?

·     From a Christian perspective, how should gene-editing technology (on embryos) be applied (if at all)? Are there permissible ways to use gene-editing technology (even in cases where the subject’s life is not at stake)?

The issue editor welcomes early discussions of brief proposals and/or abstracts by email to: [email protected]. 

Submission Instructions:

Submissions should be e-mailed to the Managing Editor at [email protected]. Please include a statement that your submission be considered for inclusion in Christian Bioethics’ “Special Issue on Christian Perspectives on Emerging Reproductive Technologies and Research.” 

Each manuscript must be accompanied by a statement that it has not been published elsewhere and that it has not been submitted simultaneously for publication elsewhere. Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce copyrighted material from other sources and are required to sign an agreement for the transfer of copyright to the publisher. All accepted manuscripts, artwork, and photographs become the property of the publisher. Please provide files in MS Word Format.

Christian Bioethics is a double-blinded, peer reviewed, journal that appears through Oxford University Press. Papers will be submitted to the journal’s usual blinded peer reviewed process prior to acceptance for publication. The Editors and Editorial Board reserve the right to reject the issue in whole or in part, as well as to require significant revisions to particular papers prior to acceptance for publication.

Manuscript preparation instructions are available here: 

https://academic.oup.com/cb/pages/Manuscript_Preparation

Submission Deadline: June 15, 2020