Joachim Huarte, Ph.D. in Theology at the School of Theology of the University of Navarra, has published "La reflexión teológico-moral sobre el embrión preimplantatorio. Embryology used by theologians".

The book, which is part of the Colección Teológica published by EUNSAstudies the thesis of some moralists and scientists about the moral status of the human embryo in the light of the current scientific data and the most relevant magisterial documents.

The author argues that various attempts to strip the human embryo of its dignity take their origin from the desire to justify some forms of contraception, early abortions, reproductive techniques at laboratory, as well as the production and use of embryonic stem cells.

Some affirmations made by moral theologians are based on simple hypotheses, or on biological data -at that time provisional-, which recent progress has disproved. It has also been possible to find errors and inaccuracies produced by lack of embryological skill .

The book, which contains the research and conclusions presented in his thesis awarded with the extraordinary award , recalls the duty incumbent upon moralists to ascertain the maturity and soundness of the scientific data before giving them a theological meaning, stressing that the dignity of the embryo rests on two foundations: its human nature and the divine origin of the creation of man, created in his image and likeness.

Joachim Huarte holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Geneva. University of Geneva. He is a member of the Swiss Society of Bioethics, of the Scientific committee of the European Bioethics high school . Ordained a priest in 2012, he lives in Fribourg (Switzerland), where he ministers in various parishes in the city.