CROWTHER JOURNAL OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES

In the chronicle and growth of the Christian faith in Nigeria, childlessness and in-vitro fertilization have recently posed a serious challenge to the faith. It is a truism that the dream of most couples is to come together and procreate in line with God’s divine order shortly after marriage. Childlessness, the condition of being without an offspring often ignite stigmatization, discrimination and huge suffering for couples (Christian couples), particularly those subsumed within the purview of Nigeria. Thus, in a bid to find a lasting panacea to this problem, many Christians have alternatively sought the modern reproductive technologies, some of which is In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) while others are against this because making a baby in a laboratory dish, outside the purview of a conjugal union as ordained by God is not in line with Christian ethical teachings and theology. The paper reveals that in-vitro fertilization as a modern reproductive technology is against Christian ethics and as such a challenge to the faith. In the light this research, the history of in-vitro fertilization; procedures in in-vitro fertilization; the church position on in-vitro fertilization arguments for and against in-vitro fertilization and in-vitro fertilization and childlessness: a Christian ethical response. Consequently, this paper utilised a descriptive, qualitative methodological approach to probe into In-Vitro Fertilization and childlessness as a challenge to Christian faith. Also, books, internet sources, journals, etc were used and recommends amongst others that adoption should be an option or a panacea to childlessness; after all we are all adopted children of God.

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