A Christian’s Role In Ethical Research

In the realm of biomedical researches, unethical behaviors have led to concerns about ethical guidelines when conducting research. The first ethical guidelines in the research were enacted by the National Commission in 1974 when Tuskegee Syphilis researchers were found to have identified infected people in a population but failed to treat them for research purposes.[1] The general guidelines reveal the position of a Christian researcher and secular researchers regarding their conduct and ethical principles in the Christian Bible.

General Guidelines

General ethical considerations in research include respect, informed consent, beneficence, anonymity, and vulnerable groups. From the national commission, these considerations uphold the researcher’s standards of ethical and professional conduct concerning the integrity of their research and the greater good of the participants.[2] For instance, researchers must inform participants about the implications of the study, such as the amount of information required, risks, and potential harm.[3] Also, researchers should ensure that the research has beneficence to the community – not after selfish gain and that all participants are respected during the research, or their dignity will not be adversely affected by the research.[4] In some instances, one may have to acquire legal authorization for researching special populations such as children or people living with intellectual impairment.[5] Also, a researcher is obliged to appreciate the free-will decisions of their study participants. They must maintain utmost welfare of the participants, ensure the study will benefit the community.

Christian Guidelines

Christian researchers do not have a higher ethical role than secular counterparts. Currently, the ethical guidelines for federally funded projects are overseen by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to and during research. From the IRB, ethical research guidelines are standard – applies to all researchers.[6] It is worth noting that the IRB appreciates the ethical guidelines that are documented by the Christian Bible. In a way, the IRB seems to deliver its guidelines from biblical principles, which insist on doing good and preserving life. However, some IRB guidelines differ from the Christianity perspective of life. For instance, Christians believe that God is the sole beginner and terminator of life. Nevertheless, IRB permits the extraction of embryos for experiments that often give children to infertile people. Both perspectives aim at the greater good of preserving life or helping infertile people have children. Hence, Christian researchers do not have a greater ethical obligation than secular researchers.

The Christian’s ethical foundation in life is that God is the supreme authority and that His will concerning people’s conduct is documented in the Christian Bible. Therefore, the justification for ethical conduct and affirmation for what is right from a Christian perspective is in the Bible.[7] Some of the affirmations is that all creation is property of God, and that all humans are equals. That is, since all humanity is children of God, and that they are all created in the image of God,[8] no one’s life should be above another. Therefore, Christians consent to love their neighbors and to do to others what themselves would love to be reciprocated.[9] Besides, Christians are obliged to ensuring greater good for the community through demonstration of the lordship depicted by Jesus Christ.[10] Following the lordship of Jesus Christ puts Christians in a position of servant leadership, where free-will choices guide them into righteousness, mercy, love, and justice. For instance, the last six of the Ten Commandments contextualize how Christians should relate with one another in love and justice.[11] Therefore, Christian researchers should treat participants as equals in love and justice, and ensure the reassert benefits the community and that it does not harm anyone.

Conclusion

To sum up, the public policy researcher’s vocation is a significant area in biomedical and behavioral research, where the unethical conduct is spotlighted and mitigated. It is imperative to recognize and protect the participants of research, or the community regardless of whether one is a researcher or a manager. The IRB is critical in the public policy researcher’s vocation since it ensures that investigators and managers understand the risks and benefits of a study and that they are communicated to participants and potential stakeholders who may be affected. Also, the Christian principles outlined through the Christian Bible are significant since they oblige researchers to maintain ethical standards of research.

Bibliography

Board of Directors. “Statement of Ethical Guidelines.” Christian Association for Psychological Studies. 2005

Guthrie Gerard. Basic Research Methods: An entry to social science research, California: SAGE Publications Inc, 2010.

O’Sullivan, Elizabeth, Gary R Rassel, and Jocelyn DeVance Taliaferro. Practical Research Methods For Nonprofit And Public Administrators. Philadelphia: Taylor and Francis, 2016.

Sng, BanLeong, Camille Yip, and Nian-LinReena Han. “Legal And Ethical Issues In Research.” Indian Journal Of Anaesthesia 60, no. 9 (2016): 684. doi:10.4103/0019-5049.190627.

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[1] Elizabeth O’Sullivan, Gary R Rassel and Jocelyn DeVance Taliaferro, Practical Research Methods For Nonprofit And Public Administrators Philadelphia: Taylor and Francis, 2016, pp. 34.

[2] Gerard Guthrie, Basic Research Methods: An entry to social science research, (California: SAGE Publications Inc, 2010), p. 15.

[3] BanLeong Sng, Camille Yip and Nian-LinReena Han, “Legal And Ethical Issues In Research”, Indian Journal Of Anaesthesia 60, no. 9 (2016): pp 685, doi:10.4103/0019-5049.190627.

[4] Elizabeth O’Sullivan, Gary R Rassel and Jocelyn DeVance Taliaferro, Practical Research Methods For Nonprofit And Public Administrators Philadelphia: Taylor and Francis, 2016, pp. 39.

[5] BanLeong Sng, Camille Yip and Nian-LinReena Han, “Legal And Ethical Issues In Research”, Indian Journal Of Anaesthesia 60, no. 9 (2016): pp 686, doi:10.4103/0019-5049.190627.

[6] Elizabeth O’Sullivan, Gary R Rassel and Jocelyn DeVance Taliaferro, Practical Research Methods For Nonprofit And Public Administrators Philadelphia: Taylor and Francis, 2016, pp. 43.

[7] Board of Directors. “Statement of Ethical Guidelines.” Christian Association for Psychological Studies. 2005

[8] Genesis 1:27 NIV

[9] Mathew 7:12 NIV

[10] Philippians 2:5-11 NIV

[11] Exodus 20:2-17 NIV