eco presbyterian stance on abortion

While I felt it was important enough to prevent our members being misinformed about this vitally important topic, I was keenly aware of how this message would sound to various people who were in our worship services when the announcement was made. (3) Minutes of the 217th General Assembly (2006), Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), p. 905 Sign up for emails so youll be in the know about PWs programs, resources and impact on the world! On the other side of the debate, a number of religious groups, including the United Church of Christ, the Unitarian Universalist Association and the two largest American Jewish movements - Reform and Conservative Judaism - favor a woman's right to have an abortion with few or no exceptions. NATIONAL POLL: Should Fauci Be Prosecuted For LYING To Congress? In the 204th General Assembly in 1992 (see Presbyterian Church USA 2022), the stance taken regarding abortion reaffirmed the right of the woman to make this decision, but stressed that abortions should not be used as a method of birth control and that abortion is not morally acceptable for gender selection only or solely to obtain fetal parts . the Health, Safety and Benefits Committee twice voted on items that reaffirm the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)s stand on choice and reproductive justice. We may not know exactly when human life begins, and have but an imperfect understanding of God as the giver of life and of our own human existence, yet we recognize that life is precious to God, and we should preserve and protect it. While their official documentation does not recommend abortion, it does permit abortions for any reason. The strong stance taken by the Roman Catholic Church has underpinned many of the pro-life groups which have been formed to challenge the legalisation of abortion. (5) Minutes of the 217th General Assembly (2006), Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), p. 905 Possible justifying circumstances would include medical indications of severe physical or mental deformity, conception as a result of rape or incest, or conditions under which the physical or mental health of either woman or child would be gravely threatened. When considering the issue of abortion, the one who unquestionably fits this portrait of personhood is the pregnant woman. Presbyterians have struggled with the issue of abortion for more than 30 years, beginning in 1970 when the General Assembly, the national governing body of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), declared that the artificial or induced termination of a pregnancy is a matter of careful ethical decision of the patient . Hours after news of the high courts decision made its way into committee members smartphones, the committee, by wide margins, approved HSB-03, A Resolution on Reproductive Justice from the Advocacy Committee for Womens Concerns, and HSB-11, On Affirming Reproductive Justice, a commissioners resolution. I mostly tried to avoid getting defensive and to listen respectfully. The 217th General Assembly (2006) reiterated the role of the church in individual and families lives as they face problem pregnancy issues. A: "It became an increasingly politicized partisan issue," in which the Christian right "assumes abortion is morally wrong and therefore women have to justify it," and states pass laws that increasingly restrict access to abortion. Over the past few years, states have passed laws that place extreme restrictions on a pregnant persons legal ability to obtain an abortion, some issuing a complete ban. For the Christian, abortion is not a matter of a woman's right to choose to have a baby. Congregations have a duty to pray for and support those who face these choices, to offer support for women and families to help make unwanted pregnancies less likely to occur, and to provide practical support for those facing the birth of a child with medical anomalies, birth after rape or incest, or those who face health, economic, or other stresses. The Christian community must be concerned about and address the circumstances that bring a woman to consider abortion as the best available option. We stand with the words of our General Assembly and our fundamental belief in Gods sovereignty. That dialogue finally came to pass November 17-19, as over 200 delegates convened in Kansas City, Kansas. Their decision should be limited and restrained by the larger society., In 1966 theUPCUSA organized theTask Force to Study Sexuality and the Human Community, which reported to the 1970 Assembly, reversing the 1962 position: Abortion should be taken out of the realm of the law altogether and be made a matter of the careful ethical decision of a woman, her physician and her pastor or other counselor. The influence of the Confession of 1967 is evident here. The overturning of Roe v. Wade will have drastic negative impacts on individuals around the nation, with the greatest burden falling on low-income communities of color. [11] The 204th General Assembly (1992) adopted the most comprehensive policy statement on pregnancy and abortion. and therefore should not be restricted by law . For any choice, we are accountable to God; however, even when we err, God offers to forgive us.(2). 8. They're against gay people being ordained as ministers, and so started their own sub-denomination wherein such a thing would be prohibited. Zelensky Exposed (Literally): This Is The Guy We Are Sending Billions To? BREAKING: Top Hunter Biden Associate Eric Schwerin (who ran Rosemont Seneca) Just Flipped! Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians (ECO), and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) (updated 2/2015) . Presbyterians Pro-Life began organizing in 1984, and had its first exhibit booth at the 1985 General Assembly. 5638 Hollister Ave. Suite 210, Goleta, CA 93117. The 1971 report on abortion of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church contains an extended discussion of Exodus 21: 22-25, and the following is a portion of that report: The term yeled in verse 22 never refers elsewhere to a child lacking recognizable human form, or to one incapable of existing outside the womb. Under the specter ofsafe and legal abortion ending in much of the country, let's look at the struggle for reproductive justice inside the PC(USA). In a statement, the UK government said the law requires it to implement recommendations made by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw) report in 2018, including. ECO was formed by pastors and laypeople in response to PCUSA's decision to join the 21st century. If I felt some trepidation over the internal communication that was necessitated by the discernment process, you can imagine the anguish that I felt about how the local media was going to communicate our activity to the community. 284 0 obj <> endobj The last thing I want is for our congregation to be known in the community as the church that hates gay people. For a church in a city that was recently voted The Gayist City in America, such a reputation could have a negative impact on our mission. It is a selfish act brought about by adulterous actions of a perverse generation as they seek to satisfy themselves and ignore the rule of God that sex belongs only within the bonds of marriage.. . Central to Calvin's theology is the concept of predestination, essentially the belief that God has foreordained salvation for some people, known as the "elect." Calvin did not see . Crosby the go-to metaphor on this matter is tent poles. In regard to problems that arise in late pregnancies, the 217th General Assembly (2006) adopted the following position: We affirm that the lives of viable unborn babies those well-developed enough to survive outside the womb if delivered ought to be preserved and cared for and not aborted. MAY 3, 2021; 5-2-21 - 'The Early Church' 5-2-21 - 'The Early Church' 5-2-21 - 'The Early Church'. They used a variety of methods including the use of black root and cedar root as abortifacient agents. The 55 million babies lost to surgical abortions in America since Roe v. Wade is just the beginning. Yesterday, a new Presbyterian denomination was born: the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians -- or, for short, ECO. abortion rights, It was a humbling thing to have women follow our instructions and arrange to meet a stranger on a street corner near a certain motel in a distant city, trusting us that they would be safe with a real OB-GYN trained doctor who was taking this risk to help them.. Let us sit in this pain and rise together in anger to fuel the change that is needed., Earlier, committee member the Rev. We disagreed over some substantial issues, but we acted lovingly and spoke respectfully to one another throughout the process. Bodily autonomy is a basic human right that cannot be silenced nor legislated away. Congregations have a duty to pray for and support those who face these choices, to offer support for women and families to help make unwanted pregnancies less likely to occur, and to provide practical support for those facing the birth of a child with medical anomalies, birth after rape or incest, or those who face health, economic, or other stresses. Others have embraced culture to a detriment and risk losing the essence of who they are and the rich heritage of our faith. Building a New Denomination: More than Just Nimble Structure. If they want to take their ball and go play with themselves in the corner, that's certainly their right. . Robert Lee Maffett, the Presbyterian chaplain of Philadelphia General Hospital(PGH) in 1968, grew up opposed to abortion. The Board of Pensions commitment to mental health parity is huge, Spencer told the committee. Fortunately, as time has passed, those conversations are getting increasingly rare and I am able to make reference to my church home without feeling that I may be prejudicing anyone against me. Reporting to the Assembly Committee on Justice and the Rights of Persons, the standing Council on Women and the Church and the Committee on Womens Concerns wrote, Acts of terrorism are being committed against abortion clinics and counseling centers. Focusing on how faith and life connect, the magazine for Presbyterian Women gives you insights from women around the world and inspiration to live boldly. While some religious groups, like the Catholic Church or Southern Baptists . Here is more info on the account that posted that. .(1) In the years that followed this action, the General Assembly has adopted policy and taken positions on the subject of abortion. Release from Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, 1994. In regard to problems that arise in late pregnancies, the 217th General Assembly (2006) adopted the following position: We affirm that the lives of viable unborn babies those well-developed enough to survive outside the womb if delivered ought to be preserved and cared for and not aborted. The PCUSA and the PCA have shared history dating back to French theologian John Calvin (1509-1564) and the Protestant Reformation. Support our siblings affected by disaster, hunger and oppression through One Great Hour of Sharing. Currently the PC(USA)'s office of Mission Responsibility Through Investment supports reproductive justice through shareholder activism, and the churchs Social Justice and Peacemaking Unit works with the interdenominational Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. It also deeply wounds the women and men involved." Southern Baptist Convention For more about what Presbyterians believe, visit . In 1994, SJPU issued grants to RCRC in response to the murder ofDr. John Britton and James Barrett. 2014-12-31T21:30:50-05:00 Watch a response from PC(USA) Stated Clerk J. Herbert Nelson II. Crosby and his fellow ECO leaders do. A report from the Disparities Experienced by Black Women and Girls Task Force also addresses reproductive justice. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Lord, so many of us anticipate incredible suffering. Hours after news of the high courts decision made its way into committee members smartphones, the committee, by wide margins, approved, , A Resolution on Reproductive Justice from the. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. While this decision does not make abortion illegal, it removes constitutional protection giving states the ability to issue bans. We recognized that [todays Supreme Court] decision was likely to come, he said. 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