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SRT AT THE OXFORD UNION	Speaking to Governments about Environment
One of the most exciting and unusual developments from SRT's close involvement with the cloning debate was when SRT Director Dr Donald Bruce was invited to debate cloning at the Oxford Union. He proposed the motion "This house believes cloning human beings is unethical" with Dr Alan Colman research director of PPL Therapeutics, against Richard Dawkins and editor of the New Scientist Alun Anderson. Before a packed house, Dr Colman opposed human cloning on safety grounds. Dr Anderson answered stating possible benefits. Dr Bruce then laid out his ethical case: cloning is an act of control over another person's genetic make up, and imposes unacceptable risks on all involved. Prof. Dawkins claimed that identical twins justified cloning ethically, and argued that safety was the only ground to object and such concerns were not insuperable. The parliamentary style meant that each speech was self-contained, but liberal interpretation of "points of information" led to lively exchanges between all 4 speakers. Prof. Dawkins made a jibe on religious control, seeming to invite a response from Dr Bruce, and he duly got one! It was a fair debate and clearly going to be close, so we were delighted to win narrowly, 210 to 189. But above all, it was a great privilege for SRT to have this chance to give a Christian voice in this most famous of debating chambers, "giving a reason" in the market place of ideas. For more about cloning issues, see also SRT's Cloning Pages Back to Contents	SRT's environmental work continues with a submission to the Government on sustainable development, and a chapter critiquing EU energy policy for a new report by the EECCS European churches' working group on ecology, economics and social action. This was peer reviewed at an expert consultation in Bad Herrenalb, and will now be submitted to the European Commission later this year. For our previous report see Environmental Report of the European Ecumenical Commission for Church and Society. Copies of both new reports will be available in due course from SRT UK Presidency of the EC - could do better Part of our concerns follow the failure of the recent UK presidency of the EC to impress on member states the need to stick to pre-Kyoto targets for carbon dioxide reductions SRT Bulletin 15. This was put to foreign secretary Robin Cook by church leaders at a meeting to review the presidency. His response implied that despite commendable UK rhetoric about taking a lead on emission controls, it is reluctant to do very much. SRT will be monitoring carefully in coming months for signs of real change. For more about these issues see SRT's Environment Pages SRT's Energy Pages SRT's Pages on Climate Change Back to Contents
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More on Cloning Developments
SRT's work on cloning continues to put the Project in high profile with frequent media coverage and opportunities to speak at conferences, such as the C.S.Lewis Centenary and Christians in Science meetings in Cambridge, alongside leading figures in genetics including head of the Human Genome Project, Francis Collins And Now Cloned Mice... An unexpected breakthrough by Hawaii researchers may well change the whole picture on cloning. The cloning of adult mice, hitherto impossible, should now greatly increase the pace of research into cloning, because mice are so much easier to work with. But what research, was a point SRT posed in radio & press interviews. All the more reason for a greater public say in biotechnology research. See our page Cloned Mice - Is the sky now the limit for cloning? We will report later on the awaited result of the UK Government consultation on the possible medical uses of cloning research. Back to Contents
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New Openings as the SRT Trust is Established

Become an SRT Associate

After many months of planning and legal procedures, the SRT Trust is being formally constituted this month, as a charitable trust whose purpose is to raise funds for the SRT Project. Its trustees are the full members of the SRT Committee, the secretary depute of the Department of National Mission and a vice-convenor of SRT's parent committee - Mission and Evangelism Resources. The SRT Trust has twin aims. One is to increase its core support to offset reduced funding from the Board of National Mission, hopefully adding to the much appreciated help from 3 other Scottish churches. The other aim is to enable SRT expand its work in specific projects. SRT's ability to reach out for the church in fields in the public eye, like genetics, risk, or God and science, is currently limited by what can be done by one very energetic but still finite Director! Raising external funds for specific pieces of work could enable SRT to take on research staff, to help meet the increasing opportunities that are coming, to provide informed and balanced understandings of the very latest developments in technology, as a Christian witness to the world.

Now the SRT Trust has been set up, we will re-activate the SRT Associates inviting any who identify with the Project's work to contribute to its future. Associates can receive news, publications and attend special events. Contact SRT for further details. Back to Contents

SRT and Your Needs
SRT as a Resource SRT is the Church of Scotland's mission to the world of science and technology, but it is also a resource for all the churches in Scotland, and further afield, to help understand some of the issues of our day in science, technology and the environment. Church Magazines The SRT Bulletin aims both to inform as well as providing thought provoking articles for wider use. Please feel free to use its material in parish magazines and other literature. All we ask is that you acknowledge SRT as the source, and also to let us know. This helps us know the sort of things you find useful. Your comments are also welcome! Back to Contents	For More Information ... See our Publications List, or Send us a request if you would like an information sheet on an issue, or a list of our journals and publications, or if someone you know would like a regular copy of this newsletter. We also offer advice on many scientific and technological questions, and apologetic issues such as science and faith, and the environment. Our office in John Knox House has a library on a wide range of subjects for you to browse or borrow. To Contact SRT To contact the SRT Project directly, write, phone or fax to : Society, Religion and Technology Project John Knox House, 45 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SR, Scotland. Tel : +44 131-240 2250, Fax : +44 131-240 2239 Or you can send us an email .... mailto : srtp@srtp.org.uk
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