The recent leak of the draft opinion (now official) of the Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade has brought the question of access to abortion front and center for many of us. As a nation, we are politically polarized on this issue into two irreconcilable camps. Polls show that most Americans have more nuanced positions than our elected leaders, both respecting the mystery of life in the womb and generally favoring legal access. While we do not know where the Supreme Court will ultimately land, the issue is before us. If our faith is to have any power, it must be able to speak to us in the midst of such profound questions of the sanctity of life and the right to choose. We cannot ignore these questions. Rather, I believe firmly that if we wrestle with them, we will see a way forward that allows each of us to come to our own informed understandings as well as understand better those who, through similarly formed consciences, might still disagree with us.
There is a diversity of thought on abortion in the Episcopal Church that is to be honored. We are very seriously that all life and all aspects of life are sacred. Because of this, it is our official position that it is important to preserve a person’s freedom of choice due to the complexity of child-bearing and the inability of the legislative process to adequately and fairly address all the issues created by a problem or unwanted pregnancy.
The goal of this pastoral letter is to write from a faith-based perspective to share some of the complex history of the understanding of abortion to underscore that there is a diversity of Christian thought. One’s position on abortion does not determine the legitimacy of one’s Christian faith. I would argue that “pro-life” and “pro-choice” are false distinctions and that it is possible to be both. The Episcopal Church is also comprehensive and recognizes that there are divergent viewpoints on access to abortion that are faithfully held.
My Personal Experience and its Limits
Before going further, I acknowledge that I am writing as a man who has never been a parent and who will never face the issue of abortion personally and directly. I am also acutely aware that those who are affected the most by the oncoming laws have zero participation in the process of enacting those laws, so who am I to be another voice in the discussion when they have none?
I do have skin in the game. As a pastor, I have sat with a pregnant parishioner in the midst of a health crisis who was hours away from having to make a decision to save her life or her unborn child’s life. Her family was divided on the question of abortion. I remember my parishioner’s first words when her Roman Catholic sister came into the room, “You and I have talked about this and disagree. I need to be clear. If I have to make the choice, I’m making the choice.” Her sister knew that the time for debate had passed and ran to hug her, replying “You are my sister and I love you.” By the grace of God, all turned out well and that child was baptized in her mother’s arms several months later. As a pastor, my responsibility is to walk with, pray with, and support people in their time of need so that they are able to navigate the difficult decisions they must make.
In my personal life, Jim was conceived in circumstances that would lead many to choose an abortion and most to understand that choice. His mother did not have that choice because it was 1950. We have come to understand from his birth family that if she had the choice, she likely would still have chosen to give birth, but it would have been her decision to make.
I personally do not believe that anyone is free from the impact of abortion so everyone has a point of view and a voice that deserves the respect of being heard. At the same time, we must always be humble and recognize that we are not walking in another person’s shoes, particularly when the decision is not ours to make or we will never have to make. Those who are the most vulnerable and the most affected are the ones who need to be heard from the most.
Is Abortion always Wrong? It’s Complicated
When faced with a moral or faith question, Anglicans use a three-fold method of discernment: appealing to Scripture, Reason, and Tradition. By using this appeal we can see that there is no clear-cut, universally held position on the morality of terminating a pregnancy.
The Jewish and Christian scriptures both witness to the sanctity of life, both from the first breath (Adam) and the mystery of the child in the womb. Yet they are both silent on abortion. The closest reference is Exodus 21:22-23, which specifies penalties for attacking a pregnant woman. If the woman miscarries, the attacker may be charged a fine to compensate for the loss of the pregnancy. If the woman is killed, then the attacker may be put to death under the principle of a life for a life. The emphasis is on the mother’s life, not the unborn child’s. There is a value and honor for the life in the womb, but it is of secondary value to the life of the mother.
A counter-argument is Jeremiah 1:5, in which God says to the prophet Jeremiah, “I knew you when you were in your mother’s womb.” Yet, a strict focus on the text notes that God is specifically addressing Jeremiah, an adult person already born, rather than making a general statement.
To this day, the Jewish position is that life begins when the child first draws its breath (a Scriptural witness) and that preference must always be given for the life of the mother prior to birth. Islam holds similar views, focusing on the well-being of those already born. One could ask if laws restricting abortion are actually enforcing one religious view over another.
The New Testament is silent. We must remember that Jesus was a Jewish male who said that he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Thus, the purpose of the Torah is fulfilled in and takes its greatest meaning from the life of Christ. Jesus’ fundamental ethic is the law of love - love of God and love of neighbor as self -a Christlike love that Jesus models and calls us to imitate. It is a love that heals the broken, forgives the penitent and reaches out to the most vulnerable and marginalized. Thus, it is difficult to make an iron-clad argument against abortion by appealing solely to Scripture or the life of Christ. What about tradition?
In the Christian tradition, the early church did take a much more active approach in upholding the sanctity of all life in contrast to the prevailing pagan culture. Christians showed concern for children when Roman and Greek culture practiced infanticide, showed concern for the sick when Roman and Greek culture considered them weak and useless members of society, and showed concern for the well-being of the poor and vulnerable. Abortion was not singled out as the paramount concern but in the context of addressing the needs of all life and all aspects of life with a particular concern for the poor and most vulnerable.
In this context, early Christian writers spoke out against terminating a pregnancy because of the common practice of having an abortion to hide infidelity. At the same time, early Christians were divided on when life began. The term they used was “ensoulment.” When did that take place?
It was unknown and Christians made a distinction between terminating a birth early in the pregnancy and later in the pregnancy. For most Christian writers, ensoulment was considered to have taken place when one could start to feel movement in the womb. To this day, there is no theological, medical, or philosophical agreement on when life begins. Different groups make their own determinations based on their own theological, scientific, or philosophical assumptions.
So, tradition does not give a clear cut answer, either. Moving on to Reason, we still wrestle with the question.
We know far more about what happens in the womb and how a child develops than we ever did before, and medical advances make it possible for a child to survive in a premature birth. The wonder, mystery, and sanctity of life is confirmed by our scientific understanding. Yet, reason also makes us acutely aware of the complexity of giving birth and the impact that can have on the viability of the child’s life when things go wrong, or the risk to the mother in giving birth.
We also are more aware of sexual abuse, rape, and incest and the psychological and physical harm that creates. Are we respecting the sanctity of all life if we only focus on the life in the womb?
We also recognize the seemingly impossible choice faced by those who must decide between an unexpected pregnancy and keeping a job that is their only source of income and benefits. Likewise, the challenges and vulnerability a child faces growing up in poverty or in a household that is not prepared or able to provide adequate care.
We all may place differing rankings on the legitimacy of these challenges, but they are real. And we must always ask ourselves if we are truly supporting the sanctity of life if our concern for a healthy and thriving life stops once the child is born. Do we really have a culture and an economy that can encourage a person facing these challenges to carry a child to full term?
The Anglican appeal to Scripture, Reason, and Tradition does not provide a clear-cut answer. There are certainly circumstances in which terminating a pregnancy is selfish, dehumanizing of the future child, and unnecessary. There are also circumstances in which it is much more complex and requires the wisdom of Solomon to make the choice.
We also have a deep confidence in the grace of God and God’s capacity to redeem any situation. If we strive to make a faithful choice that ends up causing pain, God can heal. If we find ourselves trapped, God can free us. If we feel isolated, afraid, and without hope, the light of Christ can surround us, guide us, and uplift us.
What does the Episcopal Church say?
General Convention is the highest body that can speak for the Episcopal Church. It is a convention of bishops, clergy, and laity from every diocese that meets every three years. The Episcopal Church first entered the discussion on reproductive matters in 1930 when we affirmed through General Convention the appropriateness of family planning and supported the use of birth control.
In 1967, General Convention passed a resolution supporting the right of access to abortion - well before Roe v. Wade made it to the Supreme Court.
Our most comprehensive statement was passed by General Convention in 1988. The full text is here.
This resolution begins with the unequivocal affirmation of the sanctity of life:
All human life is sacred. Hence, it is sacred from its inception until death. The Church takes seriously its obligation to help form the consciences of its members concerning this sacredness. Human life, therefore, should be initiated only advisedly and in full accord with this understanding of the power to conceive and give birth which is bestowed by God.
The resolution then takes a pastoral turn, reminding congregations of their responsibility to “assist their members in becoming informed concerning the spiritual, physiological and psychological aspects of sex and sexuality.”
The Episcopal Church acknowledges that there is always a tragic dimension to abortion and encourages those considering ending a pregnancy to
“. . .seek the dictates of their consciences in prayer, to seek the advice and counsel of members of the Christian community and where appropriate the sacramental life of this Church.”
We follow the ancient Christian tradition that nobody can be coerced to violate their conscience and that nobody should be in a position to make this decision alone without pastoral support. The authority and agency is always with the person who is faced with the decision.
Due to the complexity of abortion, the multiple concerns that true concern for the sanctity of life takes into account, and the nature of the political process, the Episcopal Church does not believe that legislation is the adequate arena to address these concerns:
We believe that legislation concerning abortions will not address the root of the problem. We therefore express our deep conviction that any proposed legislation on the part of national or state governments regarding abortions must take special care to see that individual conscience is respected, and that the responsibility of individuals to reach informed decisions in this matter is acknowledged and honored.
The Episcopal Church has continued to affirm time and again, as late as 2018, the importance of permitting access to abortion and leaving the decision in the hands of the pregnant person.
You can read other resolutions here.
Looking Ahead
I deeply hope that abortion is a topic around which we can have mature, respectful, and caring conversations. It is uncomfortable, but many issues that confront us today are uncomfortable to talk about. From a Christian Formation standpoint, our faith takes its greatest power when it helps us navigate the challenges we face in our daily lives. It does not do anyone any good to keep silent on a topic when we have a viewpoint to share that can be helpfu
Pastorally, it is my responsibility and privilege to walk with, pray with, and otherwise support people in their times of struggle. Our liturgical resources have also recognized the complexity of issues around child-bearing and now offers far more spiritual support for difficult pregnancies, miscarriages, and those facing the decision to end a pregnancy or who have done so.
Sexuality is also extremely complex, a wonderful gift from God, and very much a part of our spiritual selves as well as our psychological and physical selves. We would serve our youth (and adults, too) better if we could engage in those conversations so that they have resources to draw on as they grow and develop. Formation and education lead to healthier outcomes.
There is a strong social justice component as well. Those who have the wealth and the opportunity will continue to have access to abortion regardless of where they live, while those who do not have wealth will not. There is no economic or medical infrastructure in place to help a desperate pregnant person recognize and choose alternatives to abortion. In addition, if this opinion holds, it is providing a foundation that legislators are already using to challenge birth control and same-sex marriage. Political savvy and political vigilance will be necessary to defend other rights we take for granted and that most of us, especially as Episcopalians, do not find controversial.
Above all we are to be guided by the Law of Love and, in this context, the respect for the sanctity of life in all the diverse ways in which it exists and in which it is lived out. Jesus says in John 10:10, “I came that you might have life, and might have it abundantly.” The promise of the Gospel is that if we seek to act out love and look for Christ in the midst of all that we do, we will draw ever closer to that abundant life God wills to give. May we take such love and focus into our cultural struggles in a way that enhances the lives of all.
Blessing Always,
Dirk+