Rapid advances in genetics and neuroscience have challenged traditional understandings of human nature and spirituality. One important finding is the concept of the God Gene proposed by Dean Hamer, as well as studies in neurotheology that show a relationship between brain activity and spiritual experiences. Meanwhile, CRISPR technology has opened up the possibility of modifying human genetic traits, including aspects related to spirituality.

God Gene and Neurotheology

Dean Hamer suggests that the VMAT2 gene plays a role in a person's spiritual tendencies. This gene regulates the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, which can affect religious experiences and a person's closeness to God. Neurotheology studies support this theory by showing that activity in the frontal lobe increases when a person prays or meditates, while the parietal lobe, which plays a role in the understanding of space and time, experiences decreased activity. This explains why someone who prays often feels closer to God.

These findings raise a fundamental question: if the tendency towards spirituality can be explained biologically, does that mean that the imago Dei is simply the result of brain and genetic evolution? Or conversely, has God indeed implanted spiritual traits in human genes as part of His image and likeness?

CRISPR: From Bacteria to Humans

CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) was originally discovered as a bacterial defense system against viral infections. This technology allows scientists to edit DNA with high precision. Some of the applications of CRISPR in the human world include:

Genetic Therapy: Treating genetic diseases by correcting mutations.
Ability Enhancement: Changing physical and cognitive characteristics, including the potential for strengthening a person’s spiritual aspects.
Animal and Plant Modification: Creating organisms with specific characteristics.

The implications of this technology raise ethical and theological challenges. Should humans be allowed to “modify” themselves to become more spiritual? If CRISPR is used to enhance a person’s spiritual capacity, will it create a gap between those who are financially well-off and those who are not (GenRich vs. GenPoor)?

Imago Dei in Biblical Perspective

The concept of imago Dei in the Bible appears in Genesis 1:26-27, which affirms that humans are created in the image and likeness of God. In the Old Testament, the word צֶלֶם (tselem: image) often refers to a physical representation, while דמות (demut: likeness) carries a more abstract element of likeness. In the New Testament, the imago Dei, εἰκὼν (eikon: image) and ὁμοίωμα (homoíōma: likeness) are understood through Jesus Christ, who is the perfect image of God (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3).

From a theological perspective, the imago Dei is not simply a matter of physical form or cognitive capacity, but also of the role of humans as God’s representatives in the world. If so, genetic modification aimed at enhancing certain aspects of humans does not necessarily change their humanity, but it can create moral and spiritual dilemmas.

Are we playing God?

An ethical question that arises in discussions about genetic modification is whether humans are “playing God.” In Greek mythology, Prometheus was punished for bringing knowledge to humanity, and in modern literature, characters such as Frankenstein illustrate the dangers of scientific hubris. Some arguments in bioethics reject genetic modification on the grounds that there is a reason why nature works the way it does, and changing it could have unintended consequences.

From a Christian perspective, however, if technology is used to reduce suffering and improve the quality of life without compromising moral and ethical values, then its use is justified. The problem is not the technology itself, but how it is applied and to what end.

The Scope of Science and Theological Implications

Science can explain how spirituality works at the biological level, but it cannot determine the meaning and purpose of spirituality itself. Some aspects of the imago Dei such as rationality, love, and morality cannot be reduced to genetic factors alone.

On the other hand, the doctrine of the imago Dei itself has evolved in meaning throughout history. The use of the term in the Bible is often literal, but theologians have developed its understanding into spiritual and theological aspects. Therefore The main question, therefore, is not whether genetic modification can change humans physically, but whether it changes the way humans respond to God.

Discoveries in genetics and neuroscience are providing new insights into how humans experience spirituality. However, understanding the imago Dei cannot be reduced into the biological. Technologies like CRISPR can be used for medicine, but their application to spiritual enhancement poses profound ethical and theological challenges.

How can we navigate the boundary between understanding the spiritual as part of divine design and as the result of a modifiable biological process?

References:

• Hamer, D. H. (2004). The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired into Our Genes. New York: Doubleday.
• Persinger, M. A. (2001). Neurotheology: Brain, Science, Spirituality, Religious Experience. New York: Nova Science.
• Collins, F. S. (2006). The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief. New York: Free Press.
• Doudna, J. A., & Sternberg, S. H. (2017). A Crack in Creation: Gene Editing and the Unthinkable Power to Control Evolution. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
• Cole-Turner, R. (2020). Transhumanism and Transcendence: Christian Hope in an Age of Technological Enhancement. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.