The two most divisive moral issues of our day are homosexuality and abortion. Homosexuality I dealt with prior to General Conference and the official position of the United Methodist Church, despite some lively and heartfelt debate on both sides, did not change. However, there are still many in the Church who publicly and privately disagree with that position.
On the other issue, abortion, General Conference added language that expanded and somewhat strengthened the Church’s official position. The added language will appear in the 2012 version of the Discipline. However, the general content and context of the position remained the same, therefore; I am quoting the 2008 language below.
“...Our belief in the sanctity of unborn human life makes us reluctant to approve abortion.
But we are equally bound to respect the sacredness of the life and well-being of the mother and the unborn child.
We recognize tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion, and in such cases we support the legal option of abortion under proper medical procedures...
...We cannot affirm abortion as an acceptable means of birth control, and we unconditionally reject it as a means of gender selection...
...We call all Christians to a searching and prayerful inquiry into the sorts of conditions that may cause them to consider abortion.
The Church shall offer ministries to reduce unintended pregnancies. We commit our Church to continue to provide nurturing ministries to those who terminate a pregnancy, to those in the midst of a crisis pregnancy, and to those who give birth...
...Governmental laws and regulations do not provide all the guidance required by the informed Christian conscience. Therefore, a decision concerning abortion should be made only after thoughtful and prayerful consideration by the parties involved, with medical, family, pastoral, and other appropriate counsel.” (From: The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church 2008 Paragraph 161J)
The thing that distresses me most about the abortion debate in our culture is the fact that both sides take such extreme positions. The Pro-Life side says that abortion is murder and that abortion should be illegal in all, or most, circumstances. (Some do not even make exceptions for rape, incest, or the health of the mother.) Meanwhile, the Pro-Choice side often seems to cast abortion as merely in the realm of personal choice that a woman has over her body. (This often sounds like abortion is the moral equivalent of a haircut or a tattoo.) Many reasonable churches, which I believe the UMC is, and many reasonable people, which I think I am, and all of you are, would reject both of these extremes.
The UMC states, “We recognize tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion, and in such cases we support the legal option of abortion under proper medical procedures.” At the same time, the UMC does not affirm abortion as an acceptable means of birth control. There are varied and tragic circumstances that may justify abortion, but abortion is never simply a “choice” or a “solution” to the “problem” of an unwanted pregnancy.
In closing, I would commend to all of us, as a local church, and as individuals, the recommendations of this Social Principle. First, to be in ministry to reduce unintended pregnancies and to provide nurturing ministries to those who have had abortions, to those in the midst of crisis pregnancies, and to those who give birth. And, second, to engage in a searching and prayerful inquiry into the sorts of conditions that may lead people to consider abortion and under what circumstances abortion would be justified, remembering that, “Governmental laws and regulations do not provide all the guidance required by the informed Christian conscience.”
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