Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Did God Create Williams Syndrome?

My friend Stacia pens a thoughtful article here.

Williams syndrome (along with all the various other genetic disorders) isn’t God’s fault. Genetic mutations (including spontaneous deletions on part of the seventh chromosome) are a now-natural result of no longer living in a “very good” world. So, did God create Williams syndrome in this sense? No—we, sinners in the hands of a holy God, are the responsible parties.

However, there’s something else that needs to be addressed, as well.

The Bible clearly teaches that God is the author of life—He forms each one of us and knits us together in utero (Psalm 139:13–16). The Bible also clearly teaches He is sovereign over His creation—He is the one who is in control—not a laissez-faire deity that wound up his creation and now lets it go as it pleases. (See, for example, Deuteronomy 3:24; 1 Chronicles 29:11–12; Jeremiah 1:5; Daniel 4:34–35; Nehemiah 9:6.)

Just as God is in control of the intricate workings of the universe, He is also in control of the intricate workings of conception. As such, I can’t escape the thought that we are who we are—genetic mutations and all—as the result of God’s handiwork. In this more individualized sense, God gave our son (and each one of us) a specific genetic combination, which in our son’s case, included a deletion of part of one of his chromosomes.

1 comment:

Parag said...

Williams Sundrome is an uncommon disorder, and there is no cure for it. The person who has been born with it has to live with it. But they should be treated with love and care, and considered 'special', and not unfortunate or handicapped.
Genetic Disorders