Faith Forum on Genetics: An ELSI Educational Intervention for Religious Communities

This community education intervention is a collaborative initiative between Pacific University, the Pacific Institute for Ethics and Social Policy, and Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. it is a pilot program with significant potential for becoming a national model for collaboration between religious communities, genetic scientists, and educational institutions. With the assistance of two nationally recognized experts in the field of genetics and religion, Audrey Chapman and Theodore Peters, 200 lay participants along with 20 leaders drawn from 10 nationally extended religious communities will address the ELSI questions within the context of religious self understanding. The long-term objectives are as follows: 1) To measurably increase participant knowledge and understanding of genetic science and the ELSI question which it raises. 2)To measurably increase participant engagement in genetic public policy discourse. 3)To develop an integrated transportable program which will be disseminated through national adult education channels.

The Faith Forum on Genetics program will accomplish these objectives through a linked series of retreats, community seminars, symposia, and a national conference for religious educators. Effective use of information and communication technology through faithforum.net and WebBoard. Inc. will provide the means for rapid dissemination of resources to participants and community seminar leaders and a means for efficient communication between the investigators, community seminar leaders, advisory board, and program participants. Through its highly inductive and interactive project design and its robust formative and summative evaluation strategy the Faith Forum on Genetics will promote informed public discourse within selected communities of faith, and make a countrywide impact through adult education programs and a national conference for ethics educators in religious institutions. The outcomes will include educational materials and an online ieaming environment (faithforum.net) which wilt be used nationally to develop similar programs. Second, the religious communities of Portland, Oregon will have achieved a much advanced understanding of genetic research and social policy, and wilt be actively engaged in the formation of new policy in the future.