The Park Road Pulpit

  Sermons from Park Road Baptist Church

      Russ and Amy Jacks Dean, Pastors

 

 

One World is Enough – The Eugenics of Christian Community

Philemon 1-21, Luke 14.25-33

                                                Russ Dean, September 9, 2001

 

      The word eugenics means “good genes.” It was coined in 1883 by Sir Francis Galton, “the intellectual father of modern eugenics.”[i] Eugenics builds on Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution (1859), which states that evolution of species occurs by the random mutation of genes, through natural selection. Eugenics is the intentional manipulation of genes, through biological and social means, in order to accelerate the evolution of our species.

      Eugenics takes many forms. It is hard to question the promises of “genetic engineering” as treatment for Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s and countless other illnesses. And who among us would not favor correcting the defective genes of an unborn child, to prevent birth defects, or disease in later life, if given the opportunity and a reasonable guarantee of success?

But a group identified as “Eugenics Watch”[ii] traces even the seemingly good uses of eugenics to a more sinister plot. According to this group, a quiet program is at work against those who are poor, under-achieving, and lower in intelligence. For example, they relate the increase in abortions, most of which are performed on women of color and the underclass, to a quiet plan to eradicate the weakest genes from the human gene pool And, they cite the proliferation of sperm and egg donor banks, many of which seek donations from only the intellectual elite, as indications of the subtly dangerous work of eugenics.

      There can be no doubt as to the dangers of eugenic theory run amok. Probably the most well-known abuse of the practice was the demonic holocaust perpetrated by Adolf Hitler. His effort to systematically eradicate the “inferior” Jewish race was part of a larger plan to propagate a genetically pure, Aryan race.

Regardless of where we draw our own “lines” in these ethics, one thing is certain. As bio-medical advances confront us with ever-increasing speed, the promises of “genetic engineering,” “stem cell research,” and “cloning” will bring eugenics to the forefront as perhaps the ethical issue for our time.

      But the questions for today are, what are “good genes”? And who has them?

 

      A friend wrote several months back and shared with me some information he had learned from a National Public Radio feature about the Human Genome Project.

The story was that scientists analyzing the data have concluded that the human genome has approximately 31,000 genes, not the 50-100,000 genes that had been anticipated. Further, they found that the difference between the genome of humans and mice is about three hundred genes. That is, we are separated from mice by only a 1% genetic difference.[iii]

 

In another NPR interview, a geneticist indicated that the genetic measure of “race” – as we define it – is actually very weak. Much stronger genetic commonalitis can be drawn. For example, between people with detached ear lobes or the ability to curl their tongues. In other words, I am more “genetically kin” to the Black woman and the Hispanic man who can roll their tongues, than the brown-haired, brown-eyed Caucasian boy who cannot.

What are “good genes”? And who has them?

 

Paul’s brief letter to Philemon is not as familiar as some scripture, but I believe it can be read by modern Americans with some advantage over other passages. Where most scripture needs a considerable amount of cultural interpretation, to put us back into the world of first-century Judaism, the setting of this text is, unfortunately, too-familiar ground. We no longer hold slaves, but the distinctions of race and class are very much with us. And you don’t have to listen to rhetoric from extremists to know this. Racial unrest is dangerously close to the surface, and uncomfortably close to home. Hostile feelings based on deep-seated assumptions of inherent inequalities of personhood are still strong motivators in our world.

In Philemon’s world, like ours, people knew their place. It was ingrained from birth. There was a line between Philemon and Onesimus. Philemon knew this. Onesimus knew this. And Paul, who knew the law of the land and the Law of scripture, also knew this. But Paul was not motivated by Law – either secular or sacred.

As he says elsewhere in his writing, he had been given a new citizenship. And the only “law” in the Kingdom of his new citizenship, was love. So, he did not appeal to Philemon on the basis of Roman law concerning runaway slaves. And he did not appeal on the basis of his authority as an Apostle of Jesus Christ. His appeal is on the basis of love – it is the only ethic, the only mark of identity for Christian Community.

Paul could have sent Onesimus back home to his life of slavery, hoping his influence on Philemon would lead to merciful treatment. But he did not do this. Paul could have continued to harbor Onesimus as a fugitive. But that would not have challenged the institution either. Here as elsewhere, Paul speaks of a higher law, of love which obliterates all lines of inequality – “in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free” (Galatians 3.28).

In sending Onesimus home to Philemon, it might seem that Paul is accepting the institution of slavery – even perpetuating it. But Paul does not send Onesimus back as a slave. Now, it would have been easy enough for Philemon to receive Onesimus as a “spiritual equal,” yet retain his social superiority. (In fact, many people read Paul’s words in just this way: “in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free…”) But Paul will not allow this. “Accept him as a brother,” he says “in the flesh and in the Lord,” (vs.16). Receive him as one with “good genes” already. As one to be loved fully. As one to be treated as a member of the family.

In today’s Gospel reading:

Jesus is not talking about a literal hatred of family or life, but a transformed relationship to everything and everyone we depend on to define our identity. Discipleship involves a process by which we are re-formed within a different set of loyalties. Those new commitments can break the tight hold our prior loves and connections have over how we live.[iv]

 

This is the Eugenics of Christian Community. It is identity based not on a false sense of genetic purity, but it is identity based on the love of Christ.

 

This weekend’s Church Wide Family Retreat was a wonderful exercise in “transformed relationships.” A diverse representation of this church came together as a family might come together for vacation. Though there was little blood kin among the 65 participants, you would not have been able to tell this from any distance. It looked like a family. It sounded like a family. It felt like a family. And, so it was.

And just as hospitality can be learned here in the church, so can we practice the Eugenics of Christian Community here. Our mission statement states our belief: “We, as a family of Christian faith, affirm all persons as the people of God…” Maybe we need to look a bit more like we believe this. As we look around this room, we are a rather uniform lot. Perhaps God is calling us at this time to “put our money where our mouth is.” To go out to the “highways and the hedges” to bring those who need Christ’s love and acceptance, who need family – not just those who look like they belong to us already.

 

One might think that in the 21^st century, the species who was on the verge of literally directing our own biological future, would also have matured enough to simply “get along.”[v] But Arabs are still exploding themselves, to kill their Jewish enemies. Headhunters in Indonesia have revived their atrocious practices against their own kind. Protestants and Catholics in Ireland still prefer death to shared peace. Genocide seems the policy of choice for dictators in Africa and around the globe. And in America, gay men are still beaten and left to die in the cold night air.[vi] And the word “nigger” is still in common usage. How can this be? All-the-while, our globe is racing towards 6 billion human inhabitants. Is one world enough for all of us?[vii]

If we remain “red and yellow, black and white,” in other words, if we remain “us” and “them” by any distinction, then the walls of our global home will continue to crowd in on us. And division and destruction will be our only future. But Paul offers a “better way”[viii]: look at your neighbor, even your neighbor who looks like a stranger, a foreigner, an enemy, and dare to see in him “your very own heart,” (vs.12). If we could learn this kind of love, which is Christ’s love, then One World – which is the only world we have – would not only be enough, but it would begin to seem very much like home.

One World Is Enough!

 May it be so. Amen!