This is a brief bullet point version of my longer argument that Christians can receive a Covid vaccine with a clear conscience.
• The Covid vaccines that are currently registered for use in the UK have used stem lines developed from foetal cells, either in the development of the vaccine or during testing.
• At no stage in the development and testing were actual cells from a foetus used. The vaccines themselves also contain no foetal tissue.
• The murder of unborn babies is evil—a transgression of the sixth commandment (‘You shall not murder’).
• Therefore, the abortion of the baby girl from whose tissue the stem line in question was developed was both tragic and sinful.
• However, receiving one of the Covid vaccines does not involve cooperating in that evil. Nor does it imply approval of abortion. This is because the abortion in question took place decades ago, and is not part of an ongoing pattern of killing children for medical purposes.
• There are clear examples, in Scripture and in history, where people legitimately appropriate the benefits of past evil acts. For example, the blessing of food that God brought to Joseph’s family and to Egypt through Joseph, but that originated in his brothers’ evil act of selling him into slavery (Gen 50:20).
• Christians should absolutely consider how we can make clear our opposition to abortion. We should not be silent on this grave ethical issue.
• We should also respect the right of those who choose not to receive a vaccine.
• But pro-life Christians can receive (or administer) a Covid vaccine with a clear conscience.
