child frequently becomes an abused and battered child who often becomes society's outcast and criminal. For the unmarried woman who has her child and keeps it there is the problem of social ostracism. While there is greater acceptance of illegitimacy in our society than in earlier times an illegitimate child still encounters a host of legal problems. In addition, the young mother will encounter the difficulty of obtaining financial support either by welfare or by working. With her child she will cer tainly be a less attractive "catch" to any prospective husband. Finally, the child may well grow up without benefit of a father. For the unmarried woman who has her child and places it for adoption there will be trauma at several levels. First she will lose a portion of her life, frequently in a "home" away from home in order to keep the pregnancy a secret. Second she will feel the pain of the secrecy and the shame of her family's reproaches. If she is young she will be unable to do other than share this secret with her family. While most families react supportively, nevertheless they frequently also reproach the wayward daughter in unconscious ways, even when they do not intend. She will also encounter the pains of childbirth and its attendant discomforts. More traumatic, however, will be giving up a child she has carried for nine months with the proviso that she may never see that child again and that the child will never know its mother. The sealing of court records concerning adoptions is a practice now being challenged in the courts. Some would like to discover their biological parents. All the secrecy attending adoptions of unwanted children attests to our society's lack of understanding. Finally there is the woman who, having been denied an abortion, seeks out her own abortion methods. While some of the illegal abortions were performed by qualified medical personnel in antiseptic conditions, all too many were performed by laymen (or women) using crude and unsterile methods. Even with the availability of legal abortions I have known a few misguided souls who sought out a lay abortionist only to return from their experience with a severe infection. Infection is only a mild outcome. Many have been rendered sterile and others have died. The number who die each year due to abortions is not really known. Depending on the source and the outlook of the statistician the figure varies. The number who obtain illegal abortions each year is even more nebulous. By all counts both figures are too high. Regardless of the law abortion has always been seen by a substantial portion of the population as a suitable, even if undesirable, method of birth control. FETAL EXPERIMENTS The disposal of deceased fetal material has also become an issue in our society. Some, regarding fetal material no longer in utero, as just so much flesh, have endeavored to use this material for study and experimentation. This touches upon the potentially explosive issue of medical experimentation on human beings. Certainly we should never produce fetal matter for this purpose; however, it would seem that, with the consent of the mother, fetal matter could be used for autopsy and other experiments, providing death had occurred. This would be no different than an autopsy or examination of any organ that had been removed. Creating foeti in vitro is, of course, quite another matter. It may one day be possible to create human life completely in vitro. This would not be fundamentally wrong in any way: however, the entire thought brings us so close to Brave New World as to be frightening. It does little good to frighten ourselves on the basis of what has not happened. If men are eventually able to create and mature life in vitro those men will have to face the consequences. We should not muse about what we cannot yet and do not in fact do. A THEOLOGICAL POSITION The Church has almost always opposed abortion. When it has permitted it this permission has been granted only within severely narrowed confines, predicated on choosing the lesser of two or more evils. Pillored by criticism, the early Church. among other things, was attacked as a religion requiring child sacrifice, a charge also occasionally leveled against the Jews. In the 21st century which we rapidly approach we will need to retain contact with our historical roots. But the 20th century has overturned civilization. Ethical considerations which were unthinkable in 1900 are now, and will be a necessity in the near future. Population control, birth control and abortion are with us now and we cannot avoid them. There are still those among us who resent speaking of Biblical elements as myth. At best these people mistake the trees for the woods. Myth gives us the vision to look at the world. The myth of Genesis is especially poignant at this juncture. As man repeatedly acquires new knowledge he repeatedly steps out of the Garden of Eden. Discussions about abortion and euthanasia used to be relatively academic, but today we have the capacity and the need to consider them seriously. Since we have the knowledge, we cannot unknow it. We cannot bury our heads in the sand like the proverbial ostrich. With today's medical capabilities we have gained considerable mastery over the aspects of our existence which involve birth and death. As we come out of our Garden of Eden into the world of knowing and mastery we suffer from the toil of decision and the pain of living with our decisions. Too many people would have us ignore our knowledge. They argue that there are some things about which man should not know, forgetting: And God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Man's dominion over all the earth is ever increasing. We cannot deny that dominion once we have acquired it. There are those who believe that the living God is the god of fate, the god of failing to act. They ascertain that when we fail to take action God shows us the way. But that is God with a small "g" for it is the god of the gaps. Fate is not divine. Leaving matters of life, birth, death, hunger, and overpopulation to fate is nothing short of superstition. We have the capacity to make decisions. Not to decide is in itself a decision. Not to decide and say that it is left to God's will is not a leap of faith, but a leap of superstition. Once we have discovered the knowledge that gives us mastery, once we taste of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, we cannot ignore our power nor can we return to the Garden of Eden of unknowing. Yet each time we must make a choice we must work. Our brow must sweat in the agony, an agony increased by not always being sure that we are right. This kind of decision takes infinitely more faith in a living God than assuming blandly that we are right and therefore automatically vindicated. We cannot blame God for what we ourselves can decide. To do so is a refusal to face life. Frequently today our world forces us to decide between life and existence. It is living death. God has given man dominion over the world, a dominion which increases with every scientific advance. With each new bit of knowledge we take another step away from the Garden of Eden. We cannot return, as the angel symbolizes. To leave matters to fate is to hollow and blame God for what we refuse to do and so to allow innocent persons to suffer the consequences. By the sweat of our brow we must work through such difficult decisions and we must do this in a pastoral way, reflecting the love of God that is in us through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. BIBLIOGRAPHY "Acts of 1970 General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church," Church and Society, Sept-Oct. 70, Vol. 61, No. 1, pp. 8-11. American Friends Service Committee, Who Shall Live?, New York, Hill and Wang 1970. A good compendium but slightly dated. Anderson. Kenneth E., "A Matter of Life," Living Church, March 12, 1972. Bennett, John C., “Avoid Oppressive Laws," Christianity & Crisis, Vol. 32, No. 23, Jan. 8, 1973. The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, Nashville, United Methodist Press, 1972. Callahan, Daniel, “Abortion. Thinking and Experiencing.” Christianity & Crisis, Vol. 32, No. 23, Jan. 8, 1973. Carmen, Arlene and Howard Moody. Abortion Counseling and Social Change, Valley Forge, Judson Press, 1973. The story of the Clergy Consultation Service which was initially sponsored by Judson Church, N.Y. and which first began at a gathering in Washington Square Methodist Church, N.Y. in the spring of 1967. Also tells of Dr. Hale Harvey and the Women's Services Clinic to which so many young women were referred when N.Y. was the prime abortion center. The Church Assembly Board for Social Responsibility, Abortion, An Ethical Discussion, Westminster, Church House, 1965. 43-245 O - 75-47 Clements, Leslie C., "Abortion: The Right to Life or to End Life," Study Encounter, Vol. 8, No. 2, Sept. 23, 1972, pp. 1-8. WCC study but not very definitive or helpful. Donceel, Joseph F., S.J. "Immediate Animation and Delayed Hominization." Theological Studies, Vol. 31, No. 1, March 1970, p. 76. Drinan, Robert F., S.J. "The Jurisprudential Options on Abortion," Theological Studies, Vol. 31, No. 1, March 1970, p. 149. Ebon, Martin, Ed., Every Woman's Guide to Abortion, New York, Universe Books, 1971. Nearly useless except as a layman's guide to how abortions are done. Fletcher, John, "The Brink: The Parent-Child Bond in the Genetic Revolution," Theological Studies, Vol. 33, Sept. 1972, pp. 457–485. Fletcher, Joseph, Moral Responsibility, Philadelphia, The Westminster Press, 1967. Franklin, John, "A Doctor Views Abortion," Church and Society, March-April 1970, pp. 40-49. Gardner, R. F. R., Abortion, The Personal Dilemma, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972. A very complete study. Gebhard, Paul H., Wardell B. Pomeroy, Clyde E. Martin, Cornelia V. Christenson, Pregnancy, Birth and Abortion, New York, Harper and Brothers, 1958. Study by the Institute for Sex Research begun by A. C. Kinsey. Covers a country by country situation. Dated but helpful. General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America 1970. Seabury Press. "Joint Commission on the Church in Human Affairs," pp. 464–468. Approved by House of Deputies, p. 314. Approved by House of Bishops, p. 84. Hellegers, Andre E.. "Fetal Development," Theological Studies, Vol. 31, No. 1, March 1970, p. 3. Geyirstam, G. Official editor, Annotated Bibliography of Induced Abortion, Ann Arbor Michigan, University of Michigan Center for Population Planning. 1969, 48104. March 1971, p. 22. "I Had an Abortion," Social Action, Vol. XXXVII, No. 7, Kidd, James L., "Facing an Agonizing Dilemma," Social Action, Vol. XXXVII. No. 7, March 1971, p. 15. Kummer, Jerome M., Ed., Abortion: Legal and Illegal, 1971. Private Publication. Author, Box 769, Santa Monica, Cal. Kummer, Jerome M.. "Counseling Women Who are Considering Abortion." Journal of Pastoral Care, Vol. 25, Dec. 1971, pp. 233–240. The Lambeth Conference 1968: Resolutions and Reports, SPCK and Seabury Press, 1958. Resolutions: "The Family in Contemporary Society." pp. 1.561.59. Committee Report "The Family in Contemporary Society" Section on "Family Planning" 2.146-2.151. The Lambeth Conference 1968: Resolutions and Reports, SPCK and Seabury Press, 1968. Resolutions on "Responsible Parenthood," pp. 36–37. Lee, N. H., The Search for an Abortionist, Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1969. Lester, Andrew D., "The Abortion Dilemma," Review and Expositor, Spring 1971, Vol. 68, pp. 227-244. "Let's Look at Abortion," Social Action, Vol. XXXVII, No. 7. March 1971, p. 3. Mace, David C., Abortion, The Agonizing Decision, Nashville, Abingdon Press. 1972. Fair exposition of the situation. Aimed at the woman about to make a decision. She is allegedly typical which means it doesn't fit anyone well. Mangan, Joseph T., S.J., "The Wonder of Myself: Ethical-Theological Aspects of Direct Abortion," Theological Studies, Vol. 31, No. 1, March 1970, p. 125. Methodist Church, Manifold Witness, The Report of the Christian Citizenship Department. 1966. Milhaven. John G., S.J.? "The Abortion Debate: An Epistemological Interpretation," Theological Studies, Vol. 31, No. 1, March 1970, p. 106. Moody, Howard, “Abortion: Woman's Right and Legal Problem,” Christianity & Crisis, Vol. 31, March 8, 1972, pp. 27–32. Moody, Howard, “Church, State and the Rights of Conscience," Christianity & Crisis, Vol. 32, No. 23, Jan. 8, 1973. Mottet. N. Karle, "On the Biological Basis of the Abortion Issue," Social Action, Vol. XXXVII, No. 7, March 1971, p. 5. Mead, Margaret, "Rights to Life," Christianity & Crisis, Vol. 32, No. 23, Jan. 8, 1973. Mothersil, M. H. MD, Birth Control and Conscience, Privately Published, 1966. A review of 20th Century Pharisaism concerning birth control and includes some on abortion. The main thrust is population control. Newton, James H., "Abortion; A Protestant Position," Paat. Psych., Vol. 22, No. 210, January 1971, pp. 56–60. Noonan, John T. Jr., Ed., The Morality of Abortion, Harvard University Press, 1970. I heartily recommend this especially the historical introduction by Noonan, "An Almost Absolute Value in History," The chapter by Paul Ramsey and the appendix “Constitutional Balance.” Parvey, Constance F., "Abortion," Dialog, Autumn 1972, Vol. 11, pp. 304–307. Quay, Eugene, Justifiable Abortion, reprint from The Georgetown Law Journal, Vol. 49, No. 2, Winter 1960. National Catholic Welfare Conference, Washington, D.C. Reiterman, Carl, Abortion and the Unwanted Child, New York, Springer Pub. Co., 1971. What happens to unwanted children when abortion is denied. Much data is gathered from the Swedish experience. Schulder, Daine & Florynce Kennedy, Abortion Rap, New York, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1971. A frankly pro-abortion stand, taken mainly from the court records in New York. Clearly outlines the risks of illegal abortions, and the trauma of being forced to deliver an unwanted pregnancy. Suggests that at least some of the homes for unwed mothers were bad trips, bound to leave deep emotional scars. Makes a strong case for legalizing of abortions, especially on the basis that abortions have always been available for the rich . . . while the poor suffered. St. John-Stevas, "The English Experience," America, Vol. 117, No. 24, Dec. 1967, pp. 706–719. Sharp, Kenneth J., "Abortion's Psychological Price," Christianity Today, Vol. 15. June 1971, pp. 4-6. Simmons, David W., "The Church and Abortion," Living Church, March 1972. Sloane, R. Bruce, Abortion; Changing Views and Practices, New York, Green and Stratton, 1971. Smellie, Nancy, "Please Handle With Care," Living Church, March 12, 1972. Springer, Robert H. S.J.. "Notes on Moral Theolog-Abortion," Theological Studies, Vol. 32, Sept. 1971, pp. 483–7. "Toward a Position on Abortion," Social Action, Vol. XXXVII, No. 7, March 1971, p. 36. Veatch, Robert M., "What About Abortion on Demand?," Social Action, Vol. XXXVII, No. 7, March 1971, p. 26. Waddams, Herbert, A New Introduction to Moral Theology, New York, Seabury Press, 1964. White, Gilbert F., Chairman. Who Shall Live? "A Report Prepared for the American Friends Service Committee," New York, Hill and Wang, 1970. "Whole Earth. Whole People-Actions of the 8th General Synod of the United Church of Christ." Social Action, Vol. 38, No. 1, June 25-29, 1971, pp. 9-12. Williams, George Huntston, "Religious Residues and Presuppositions in the American Debate on Abortion," Theological Studies, Vol. 31, No. 1, March 1970, p. 10. Wygant. Willis Edward Jr., "A Protestant Minister's View of Abortions," Journal of Religion and Health, Vol. 11, July 1972, pp. 269–277. THE ECUMENICAL FOUNDATION, To: All U.S. Senators and Congressmen. From: Eldon Bockmeyer, The Ecumenical Foundation. Gentlemen: To bring a child into the world when the parents know it will be abused (emotionally and physically abused) because it is not loved or wanted, is a clear transgression of God's Moral Law (The First and Second Commandments) and a sin against mankind and God, according to Scripture. God's Word and love for mankind requires birth control, and birth control requires a knowledge of birth control methods and the right to safely abort an unwanted conception as soon as possible. A vote against birth control and the right to safely abort an un-wanted conception is an obvious vote against God's Moral Law, a vote for the abuse of unwanted children, and a vote against normal sexual relations between lovers. when children are not wanted by either the husband or wife. A vote for the Helms Amendment (sincere in its stand against abortion and birth control) is obviously a vote against the poor who are lacking in dependable birth control methods and cannot afford safe abortions. According to Scripture, people need to become responsible to God and to each other in this world. There is no other way to an abundant and everlasting life. according to Scripture. See the latest edition of Scripture Truths enclosed. SCRIPTURE TRUTHS Courtesy of the Ecumenical Foundation, Philadlephia, Pa., a Nonprofit, Nonsectarian, Christian Organization) IRREFUTABLE TRUTHS (Re: Abortion, Sex and Life) The Ecumenical Foundation 1972. This copy was prepared from Scriptural Truths and is designed for republishing. All parts may be used for Christian witness in the home, church and community, providing no part is taken out of conte.rt. ABORTION God speaks to moral questions. “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17) and “whatsoever is not of faith is sin." (Rom. 14:28) The question of abortion and birth control involves the creation of mankind and human conduct. This, clearly, is a sacred and personal matter between the individual and God. According to Scripture, it is an awesome responsibility to create another authority or for the individual to ignore the Word of God. Jesus said: "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” God's Word and love for mankind requires birth control. Every child has a Godgiven right to be loved and wanted (The First and Second Commandments) and faithful prayer (Matt. 18:18-20) and abortion are acts of last resort in the faithful practice of birth control. To bring a child into the world when the parents know it will be abused, not loved or wanted, is a clear transgression of God's law and a tragic sin against mankind and God. Man is not called to question the wisdom or righteousness of God's Word, but to obey His commands. Jesus said: "Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with thy mind. and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like. namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these, and on these two commandments hang all of the law and the prophets." Since all of the law and the prophets hang on the first two commandments, this commandment is God's Moral Law and a Divine Imperative for all mankind, according to Scripture. SEX According to Scripture, fornication and adultery is sin and the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. To be married and able to bring God's children into the world in response to God's urging and commands is one of man's great gifts, and to be able to love and nurture them in accordance with God's Holy Word is one of mankind's richest blessings. However, to bring a child into the world when the parents know that conception and birth will injure another, or when the parents know that they will not be able to love or nurture the new born child to fullness of life, is a clear transgression of God's Moral Law and a sexual sin against mankind and God. Sexual sin is now creating unprecedented misery and death throughout the world. Sexual sin is forgiven by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ and avoided by individual and medically approved methods of birth control. According to Scrip |