Attachment and Bioethics: An Anabaptist Trans-Disciplinary - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Attachment and Bioethics: An Anabaptist Trans-Disciplinary Perspective

Presenter

• Dr. Roman J. Miller, Professor of Biology

Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, VA

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American Scientific Affiliation 65th Annual Meeting The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.

Agenda: Attachment & Bioethics

• 1. Three Attachment Stories
• 2. Definitions & Descriptions
• 3. Biology
• 4. Anabaptism

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• 5. Bioethics

#1: Ovine attachment

• Polypay ewe

#20 mated to American barbadoes ram

• Birthed

quadruplets (2 sets of identical twins?)

• Resultant

behavior

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• 1. Three Attachment Stories

#1: Ovine attachment

• Polypay ewe

#20 mated to American barbadoes ram

• Birthed

quadruplets (2 sets of identical twins?)

• Resultant

behavior

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• 1. Three Attachment Stories

Prolonged, close proximity that also constitutes sharing is a factor in forming attachments

#2: Embryonic Attachment

• Early pre-

implantation embryo = historical origin

• Day 6-13:

Implantation

– Day 1: Fertilization of

• vum by sperm (#2)

– Day 4: Rapid cleavage Morula (#5) – Day 4-5 Blastocyst (#6-7) – Day 5: Hatching, loss

• f zona pellucida

5 Image created by P. Gregory, Tyler Junior College. Permission granted for non-commercial use.

• 1. Three Attachment Stories

#2: Embryonic Attachment

• Day 6-13: Implantation

– Day 6: Apposition – Day 7: Attachment (Adhesion) – Day 7.5-9: Penetration (invasion) trophectoderm cells invade into stroma – Days 9-13: Primary villus formation

6 Image created by P. Gregory, Tyler Junior College. Permission granted for non-commercial use.

• 1. Three Attachment Stories

Implantation marks the initial attachment effort we made biologically; with the exchange of information, we attempt to find a secure haven and nourishment

#3: Horticultural Attachment

• Jesus’ Metaphor of the Vine

– John 15: 1-4 “I am the true

vine, and my Father is the

• gardener. He cuts off every

branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more

• fruitful. You are already clean

because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the

• vine. Neither can you bear

fruit unless you remain in me.”

7 Image: Clipart.com “public domain”

• 1. Three Attachment Stories

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Basic Definitions

• Attachment

– Dictionary definition: binding by personal ties of affection or sympathy; a feeling that binds persons – Synonyms: forming connections, reciprocal relationships, bonds, adherences

• Attachment is in our nature

– We are social beings – Modern individualism is being undermined by science that describes our basic need for connection

Image from www.clipart.com “public domain”

• 2. Definitions & Descriptions

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What is attachment?

• Three claims:
• 1. Attachment is a universal

thread that holds the fabric of life together

• Accessibility: Can I get to you?

Are you available?

• Responsiveness: Will you meet

with me?

• Engagement: Will you respect and

listen for me?.

• Security: Will you help me when I

am in need?

Image from www.clipart.com “public domain”

• 2. Definitions & Descriptions

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What is attachment?

• Three claims:

1. Attachment is a universal thread that holds the fabric of life together

• 2. Biology enables attachment.
• Our genes (DNA) code cellular

responses for attachment

• Blood borne hormones are

attachment messengers

• Our brain initiates, responds to, and

coordinates attachment behaviors

• 2. Definitions & Descriptions

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What is attachment?

• Three claims:

1. Attachment is a universal thread that holds the fabric of life together 2. Biology enables attachment.

• 3. Anabaptist theology identifies

attachment as basis for flourishing relationships with God and with others.

• Human with Divine
• Parent with Offspring
• Spouse with Spouse
• Brother with Brother
• Christian with Enemy
• 2. Definitions & Descriptions

Conceptual Model for Attachment

• Two Facets of

Attachment

– Inner Dimension

• Physical

aspect

• Metaphysical

aspect

– Outer Dimension

• Attachment

behaviors

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Inner Aspects of Attachment

Soma aspect Metaphysical aspect Inner Attachment

• 2. Definitions & Descriptions

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Who were the Anabaptists?

• Anabaptism

– Defined: a contemporary Christian theological praxis that has grown out of the Radical Reformers of the 16th century. – From that historical movement, which was neither Catholic nor Protestant, was a third wave

• f men and women who

emerged seeking to follow Jesus by simply obeying his teachings. – Strongly influenced by experiences of martyrdom

Woodcut figure from the 16th century Anabaptist book, The Martyr’s Mirror “Public Domain”

• 2. Definitions & Descriptions

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• Anabaptism

– Anabaptists believed that Christians were those who…

• Believed and practiced what

Jesus taught and showed

• Experienced the church as a

voluntary gathered community committed to discerning and meeting the needs of each

• ther and the world
• Followed the way of Jesus, a

path of non-violence and peace

• Demonstrated suffering love,

promoted justice, and lived righteous lives.

Woodcut figure from the 16th century Anabaptist book, The Martyr’s Mirror “Public Domain”

• 2. Definitions & Descriptions

Who were the Anabaptists?

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Biological Attachment: Hormones

• Oxytocin

– Small peptide hormone synthesized in hypothalamus and released from the posterior pituitary – Oxytocin receptors found in many brain areas: olfactory bulb, neocortex, hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus


Hypothalamus Pituitary

• 3. Biology

Image from www.clipart.com “public domain”

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Biological Attachment: Hormones

• Oxytocin

– Well-known female role in mediating smooth muscle contraction

• milk let-down
• uterine contractions

during child-birth – More recently the social aspects of oxytocin have been described…

• 3. Biology

Image from www.clipart.com “public domain”

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Biological Attachment: Oxytocin

• Monogamous pairing in Pine voles

– Involves hormones: vasopressin, oxytocin, dopamine, and corticosterone – Monogamous voles have higher concentrations of oxytocin receptors in their frontal cortex, amygdala, and thalamic regions of their brains than polygamous voles – Pair-bonding is facilitated in monogamous voles with exogenous

• xytocin

• 3. Biology

Images from www.clipart.com “public domain”

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Biological Attachment: Hormones

• Oxytocin

– More recently the social aspects of

• xytocin have been described…
• Increased endogenous levels of oxytocin

were correlated with increased social contact in male rats and male squirrel monkeys

• Increased circulating oxytocin and in
• xytocin receptors were found in female

rats, voles, rabbits, and ewes during pregnancy, at parturition, and when nursing offspring

• In presence of estrogen, oxytocin

stimulates rodent maternal behaviors such as licking pups, crouching over pups, nest building, and pup retrieval

• Endogenous oxytocin levels increased in

male California mice expectant fathers

California mice exhibit biparental roles in rearing young

• 3. Biology

Images from www.clipart.com “public domain”

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Biological Attachment: Hormones

• Oxytocin

– Human social aspects of oxytocin have been described…

• Levels of oxytocin are positively

correlated with good communication behaviors and increased feelings of attachment

• Maternal to neonatal infant

attachment behaviors enhanced by

• xytocin: gazing at infant, vocalizations

to infant, and affectionate touch

• Exogenously administered oxytocin

enhances affiliate behavior by humans toward unfamiliar other persons of either gender

• 3. Biology

Image from www.clipart.com “public domain”

Anabaptist Theology & Attachment

• Anthropological linkages

– Biological anthropology understood as humans created in the image of God (imago Dei) – Imago Dei reflects a Divine-human relationship initiated by God – Consequence may be the “imprinting” of a sense of the Divine in the being of humans human desire to attach to the Divine – Anabaptist faith statements say that humans are “made for relationship with God, to live in peace with each other, and to take care of the rest of creation.”

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• 4. Anabaptism

Image from www.clipart.com “public domain”

Anabaptist Theology & Attachment

• Early Anabaptists

– Emphasized “Scripture and Spirit” with communal discernment of the meaning – Discipleship redefined family and the Kingdom of God so that being connected was experienced as “spiritual oneness” – Grace was the means by which humans connected (became attached) to God

• Pilgrim Marpeck (16th century

Anabaptist) said that grace is the “act whereby God renews the divine image in man and thus makes the believer a participant in the divine nature.”

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• 4. Anabaptism

Image from www.clipart.com “public domain”

Attachment & Anabaptist Theology

• Early Anabaptists

– The church was experienced as a voluntary community of committed believers who were in union with God and with their brothers and sisters – The vertical relationship (God to human) and the horizontal relationship (brother to brother) are inseparable

• Gelassenheit (“yieldedness”) –

the resignation involving the giving of one’s self to God and God’s people

• Grace is “divine enablement”

flowing from union with God which transforms an individual’s character and provided motivation to follow Jesus

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• 4. Anabaptism

Attachment & Anabaptist Theology

• Early Anabaptists: Two Rituals

– Baptism: sign of a reciprocal covenant between the believers (obedient ones) and Christ; the covenant was not the law of the Old Testament, but to the rule of Christ – Communion: analogy of bread

• Individual grains are ground up losing their

identities to form flour and ultimately a singular loaf

• “He [Jesus] was transformed into our nature that

we might become one bread, broken for one

• another. Since he became bread for us and was

crushed and baked for our benefit, we should remember this in the breaking of the bread” Hans Denck

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• 4. Anabaptism

Images from www.clipart.com “public domain”

Anabaptist Theology & Attachment

• Contemporary Anabaptists

– Tom Finger (in A Contemporary Anabaptist Theology) describes ritual practices (communion, discipline, economic sharing) as essential – These practices are needed for “whole persons to submit themselves humbly to God and each

• ther, and to be indwelt by God…Christian

communal life …means belonging through deep commitment to a historic church community involving worship, remembrance, and spiritual nurture.” – Virtues such as holiness or obedience are not individualistic but are relational.

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• 4. Anabaptism

Anabaptist Theology & Attachment

• Contemporary Anabaptists

– David Augsburger (Dissident Discipleship: A Spirituality of Self- Surrender, Love of God, and Love

• f Neighbor (Grand Rapids, MI:

Brazos Press) 2006 maintains that...

• radical attachment to Jesus is the

fertile soil for spirituality and produces Christ-like living

• true spirituality combines three

strands: love for God, others, and self (a tripolar spirituality)

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• 4. Anabaptism

Anabaptist Spirituality

Truly loving

• thers who

are the face of God to you Being discovere d by the true God A discovery

• f your true

self

Monopolar Bipolar Tripolar

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• 4. Anabaptism

David Augsburger, 2006. Dissident Discipleship.

Three stands are inseparable for spirituality in the way of Jesus

Monopolar Spirituality

• Spirituality of in

search and self discovery

• I am a church
• f one, of me.

David Augsburger, 2006. Dissident Discipleship.

• 4. Anabaptism

Bipolar Spirituality

Minimal Aspect: A Mirror of Self “My Own God”

• Spirituality of wish-

fulfillment and project

• My God and I fulfill my

life. Maximal Aspect: Bipolar Spirituality

• Spirituality of God-

encounter, God as Other

• I know true self as I

know God.

• 4. Anabaptism

Tripolar Spirituality

Minimal Aspect: Benevolent Self that Serves God

• Spirituality of graditude,

service, and neighbor love.

• As I love God, I care for
• thers.

Maximal Aspect: Tripolar Spirituality

• Spirituality of radical

agape and enemy love

• I love God only as I

love enemy

• 4. Anabaptism

Attachment Applied to Bioethics

• Outward Aspects
• f Attachment

– Consist of

• bservable

behaviors elicited from the inner dimension – Outer behaviors either

• Shalom
• Violence

30 Inner Attachment vs. Non-Attachment

• 5. Bioethics

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Three Aspects to Anabaptism: Being, Relationship, & Action Relating to Divine Attributes

Humans created in God’s Image:

• Ethics of Being:

nature renewed by grace righteousness

• Ethics of

Relationship:

recognizing merit

• f others by “giving

place”

• Ethics of

Action: suffering

love, costly for the provider, but healing for the recipient

Attachment Applied to Bioethics

• Attachment Values

– Ethic of Being

• Nature transformed by God’s grace
• Tripolar spirituality
• Righteousness, Integrity

– Ethic of Relationship

• Servant heart of compassion
• Respect and preservation of life
• Empowers by extending grace

– Ethic of Action

• Agape (suffering love)
• Believing what Jesus believed

Doing what Jesus did!

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• 5. Bioethics
• Bioethical Issues

– Environmental pollution – Embryonic sex selection – Fetal abortion – Health care for the poor – Euthanasia – Eugenics

Some Final Reflections

• Attachment is a broad comprehensive way of

understanding our reality

• Reality can be studied as a hierarchal stack of disciplinary

layers of understanding, e.g. theology, ethics, psychology, biology, etc whose edges are rather indistinct

• Attachment is essential within the biological and

theological layers as well as in other areas, thus extending from Darwin to Jesus!

• Jesus illustrated the power of attachment by his

connection to the Father and by his humble servant-hood.

• Attachment empower our actions guiding us through

diverse bioethical issues

• This is a beginning conversation that needs broadening

and sharpening.