discipled living

The challenge presented in the debate, which has become a war posting loss of life on both sides is establishing a common moral or philosophical ground upon which the divergent views can meet.

Many believe that the issue of abortion is neatly split along Faith vs. Secular lines. Not so, there are adamant faith based supporters of “Reproductive Justice” which advocate for women’s rights to determine for themselves when they have children.

The Rev. Carlton W. Veazey, President, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, in an interview with the Pew Research Group said,

We must ensure a woman can determine when and whether to have children according to her own conscience and religious beliefs and without governmental interference or coercion. We must also ensure that women have the resources to have a healthy, safe pregnancy, if that is their decision, and that women and families have the resources to raise a child with security.

Based in Washington, D.C., the coalition advocates for reproductive choice and religious freedom on behalf of about 40 religious groups and organizations.

Rev. Veazey says that he is neither pro-abortion nor is he pro-choice. He further asserts that there are differing views about the moment of life, citing the Roman Catholic doctrine that life begins at conception and that Judaism teaches that it begins when the first breath is drawn.

Sorting out the issues between the Faith stances on abortion and pro-life present unique challenges as each is predicated upon the differing camp’s unique interpretation of the Bible.

Can the interpretation of the reference Scriptures be refuted to the degree that a believer can advocate for abortion? Is the issue different from the interpretation of Scripture? Rev. Veazey says that

“...the religious, pro-choice position is based on respect for human life, including potential life and existing life.

But I do not believe that life as we know it starts at conception. I am troubled by the implications of a fetus having legal rights because that could pit the fetus against the woman carrying the fetus; for example, if the woman needed a medical procedure, the law could require the fetus to be considered separately and equally.”

Can the issue be reduced to a battle of the rights of the unborn over against the rights of the mother? The Impasse created by the existential tug of war may never be resolved.

The Evangelical Case Against Abortion

The Evangelical Christian position offers different Biblical foundations for its position on abortion. Specifically, Psalm 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:41 and 2:12; Psalm 137:9 .

According to Evangelicals life begins at conception, meaning that abortion at any stage of the pregnancy is murder, or “killing an innocent.”

According to The LifeLeague, a Pro-life organization founded in 1999 there are seven (7) Biblical principles which establish their stance on abortion.

[1] By identifying living persons with their foetus (i.e. the unborn child) in Psalm 51:5, Psalm 139:13-16, Jeremiah 1:4-5, Luke 1:31-35 and Luke 1:41-44; the Bible teaches that the unborn child is a human being with inalienable rights to full personhood.

[2] By using the Hebrew words for ‘infant’ and ‘adult’, God identifies the foetus as a ‘child’ in Exodus 21:22, 1 st Kings 3:17 and Ecclesiastes 11:5. God looks upon the unborn as His children, whom He loves.

[3] Scripture places a strong emphasis upon concepts like: continuity of the race, children being a blessing from God, and, the taking of personal responsibility in sexual affairs.

[4] We find a high regard for life amongst the Jews of the Old Testament and Jesus’ day. In Psalm 139:13-16, Ecclesiastes 11:51, Jeremiah 1:5 and John 10:11 - the sanctity of life is taught, thus providing a safeguard against those who would seek to cheapen it. The Jews of Jesus’ time always understood abortion to be wrong, for example, Josephus, a famous Pharisee historian and thinker of that time, said; “The law forbids women either to cause, or to make away with the foetus; a woman convicted of this is regarded as infanticide”.

[5] In Exodus 21:22-23 and Job 10:8ff - the Bible teaches ‘the quality of life’. It does this in a way that ensures human life can never be measured in a manner that labels the deficient, deprived or unwanted as disposable.

[6] In Leviticus 19:14, Deuteronomy 27:18, Psalm 82:3-4 and Matthew 25:40 - the Bible teaches special care for the weak, thus protecting their rights and security.

[7] In Exodus 20:13, commonly known as 'the 6th commandment' - the Bible prohibits murder.

The above entry has been edited for length and references to the pro-choice movement position.

The LifeLeague originated in The United Kingdom and now boasts offices in Scotland, England and Ulster and partnerships with like-minded groups in Estonia, Malta, Crimea, Hungary, Romania and India.

The moral imperative of Faith based anti-abortion and Pro-life is rooted in its interpretation of and commitment to the “Truth” of the inspired scriptures and its traditions. The grounds for Pro-Life and Pro-Choice views are both compelling and persuasive.

Next Week: Faith Divided Over Abortion

Abortion and The Catholic Church

Abortion and the debate surrounding it is fresh on the lips and minds of many Americans as President Obama delivers the commencement address at Notre Dame University. The issue of abortion stirs soulful passion on both sides of the debate.

On the one side, the issue of a woman’s right to control her body and what happens to it, and that as a right, it should be protected by law.

On the other side, is the personal and moral conviction that abortion is murder and should be legislated against as immoral and criminal.

There are many shades of gray that stand between the two divergent convictions about abortion. The varying shades are what make the issue so complex and difficult to clarify. At the heart of the debate is the issue of rights. Rights are precious in the United States, if only in principle.

The rights of the mother and the rights of the unborn are at odds in this epic battle. 

The issue is explosive and divisive cutting across cultural, political and religious lines of association.

Framing the issue from the Pro-life world view, specifically the Faith Community led by the Roman Catholic Church and the Evangelical Right is not difficult.

According to the Catholic Church the issue has been addressed thoroughly from as early as the first century and is clearly and emphatically stated in the Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae) a papal encyclical issued by Pope John Paul II.

In 1995 Pope John Paul II declared that the Church’s teaching on abortion "is unchanged and unchangeable. Therefore, by the authority which Christ conferred upon Peter and his successors . . . I declare that direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, always constitutes a grave moral disorder, since it is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being. This doctrine is based upon the natural law and upon the written word of God, is transmitted by the Church’s tradition and taught by the ordinary and universal magisterium. No circumstance, no purpose, no law whatsoever can ever make licit an act which is intrinsically illicit, since it is contrary to the law of God which is written in every human heart, knowable by reason itself, and proclaimed by the Church" (Evangelium Vitae 62).

For the Catholic Church the issue of abortion revolves primarily around the 6th commandment of the 10 Commandments found in Exodus 20:13. The issue of “killing innocents” which is murder suggests and as others say demands that to remain faithful to the Bible and obedient to God Believers must oppose abortion.

Next Week: The Evangelical Case Against Abortion