The question of whether embryos are considered people is a complex and deeply debated topic that intersects biology, religion, and law. Different perspectives offer varying answers based on scientific, legal, and moral considerations.
You probably are familiar with the beloved children’s book, Horton Hears a Who, that tells a story about an elephant named Horton who discovers a tiny community called “Whoville” living on a speck of dust, and he passionately works to protect it.
“A person’s a person, no matter how small.” –Dr. Seuss
Although an author of children’s fiction, Dr. Seuss makes a good point that easily applies here. As a Christian organization, Nightlight firmly believe that life begins at conception and strongly advocates for the protection of embryos—the smallest of persons. We will be sharing a few important considerations when it comes to answering this important question.
Scientific considerations
A helpful starting point would be to go over a brief explanation of what a human embryo is. From a biological standpoint, a human embryo is a fertilized egg or zygote and is a developing organism at the earliest stage of human development. Each embryo possesses a unique genetic identity distinct from the mother and father. Most Snowflakes’ genetic families use IVF to create their embryos and grow their families. Once a couple decides that they are done adding to their family, they choose to have any remaining embryos frozen through a process called cryopreservation. These embryos are human beings whose growth and development has been put on hold in a sense, placed in storage, and remain in a frozen state where they await their time to be thawed and transferred.
Legal considerations
Legal definitions of personhood vary widely across jurisdictions. Laws surrounding adoption, embryo research, and reproductive rights are influenced by these definitions. There is no federal law specifically governing frozen embryos, which leaves states to regulate this area independently. Some states grant embryos the dignity of personhood, while others focus more on the rights of mother, with less emphasis on the embryo's status, but usually classifying embryos as “property”. Some states are increasingly defining embryos as a person, rather than a potential person, which can affect how laws are crafted in the future.
Moral considerations
Faith-based organizations, such as Nightlight Christian Adoptions, hold strongly to what God as Creator teaches regarding the sanctity of human life. The following verses emphasize the value of the unborn at his/her earliest stages of life and how precious each unborn life is—deserving of our protection and care.
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful; my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 139:13-14
“You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”
Psalm 139:15-16
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you…”
Jeremiah 1:5
“When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman's husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”
Exodus 21:22-25
As you read over these passages (and of course there are many more), you can see where God teaches about how He forms the unborn child in the womb and knows them intimately even before birth. These verses share that God has a plan for each life from the very beginning. Life is not just biological but divine, planned and formed by God from conception. God also gives legal insight on the protection of life before birth, notice the unborn being given moral and legal protection. These scripture verses show that according to God (Creator of all life), the unborn have purpose and distinct identity and should be regarded as persons with intrinsic value.
Although the question of whether embryos are considered persons does not have a universally accepted answer, we at Nightlight base our perspective on scientific understanding, legal frameworks, and Biblical Truths.
We are guided by the moral conviction that God has called us to protect even the smallest human embryo, recognizing that each one has inherent value, rights, and deserves protection and care.
Again, we answer this question with a resounding YES. An embryo IS a person--the very smallest of persons. And it is because of these beliefs that Nightlight is honored to serve as guardians and protectors of embryos and to do our best to place them with loving families that will give them the opportunity to grow to their full potential and fulfill their God-given purpose in life.
For more information about opportunities to either donate or adopt waiting embryos, please visit Snowflakes Embryo Adoption & Donation.
By Kristen Schaedel