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. What does the Bible say about abortion? Thats the only place its going to be. The previous excerpts and the areas of substantial agreement on the issue of abortion have been the cornerstone for the atmosphere of open debate and mutual respect for a variety of opinions during the past 30 years. We must never forget that as people of God we are called to speak for justice and stand with the oppressed. 284 0 obj
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We stand with the words of our General Assembly and our fundamental belief in Gods sovereignty. Responding to Overture 44, on unscriptural views of marriage, divorce, and infanticide, the commissioners wrote, This Assembly regards the destruction by parents of their own offspring, before birth, with abhorrence, as a crime against God and against nature., A century later the 1962 UPCUSA General Assembly adopted the report of itsCommittee on Responsible Marriage and Parenthoodholding that abortion could not bean individual decision on the part of the physician and couple. Life does not belong to us. The great purpose toward which each human life is drawn is to glorify . The considered decision of a woman to terminate a pregnancy can be a morally acceptable, though certainly not the only or required, decision. Additionally, a brief admonition against homosexuality in the context of a worship service can be extremely discouraging to someone who is struggling with same-sex attraction. I trust you and my mother. I didn't want anybody, my parents, or anybody to suffer for anything I did. In one pamphlet, the Rev. Meanwhile, the pro-abortion mainline Protestant churches are experiencing disastrous slumps in membership. Its the Presbyterian Advocacy and Public Policy Office: Mark Taylor summed it up perfectly with this post: Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Trust women, support abortion rights! But beyond that kind of dissembling, Secret Code Fundy Talk, nary a mention will they find of the true and actual reason ECO exists. Not all Southern Baptists supported abortion rights, however. This is no less true for those making decisions about whether and when to have children. These statements, and others, place . We are disturbed by abortions that seem to be elected only as a convenience or ease embarrassment. The committee [on problem pregnancies and abortion] agreed that there are no biblical texts that speak expressly to the topic of abortion, but that taken in their totality the Holy Scriptures are filled with messages that advocate respect for the woman and child before and after birth. Everyone knows that's why ECO formed. , On Affirming Reproductive Justice, a commissioners resolution. Church pastors are our leaders, said Contina Lundy, co-moderator of the Family Leave Policy Task Force, who spoke to the committee by telephone. Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians (ECO) Essential Tenets 1. 2023 Presbyterian Women in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Inc. Birthday or Thank Offering Grant Criteria. Many others believe that while abortion is a regrettable reality, it can be a morally acceptable action . endstream
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A A Abortion runs counter to most Christian beliefs. _____ Problem pregnancies are the result of, and influenced by, so many complicated and insolvable circumstances that we have neither the wisdom nor the authority to address or decide each situation. "
^RIKFZ>?8iL^ ..1o%-C/p>V_0hNf4 #>EO, Microsoft Word - EPCECOPCUSA comparisonchart 6 20 2014.docx. There were many aspects of the discernment process that made me proud of our church as well as of the governing body of our denomination. We anticipate that people are going to become even poorer. (UPDATE: A commenter to this post wrote: "As a PCUSA pastor I can tell you a big reason why ECO was formed was because the pastors in the anti-gay lobby receives very generous pension and medical benefits from the PCUSA that they are afraid to leave behind should they follow their conscience to disaffiliate from the denomination. I just recently received yet another "warning" about The One Project. In the 1990s, amid asystematic campaign of anti-abortion terrorthat would ultimately include the murders of 11 abortion workers, thebombing of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and more than 7,000 acts of violence including arson, bomb threats, bioweapon threats and assault, Presbyterians modified the expansive support of reproductive justice enacted by prior assemblies. 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. Daily Delivery, Presbyterians Pro-Life newsletter, June 8, 1988. Read the full call to action from the PC(USA)s Office of Public Witness. If you need to flag this entry as abusive. Unitarian Universalist Association. But contrary to what some might think, we don't see this aspect of ECO as freeing us up to take a more aggressive public stance on this issue, but rather just the opposite. Even so, in the months that followed, I had a number of somewhat strained conversations with acquaintances in the community who had painted me and our church with a fairly broad brush of homophobia. When late-term pregnancies must be terminated, we urge decisions intended to deliver the baby alive. The connectionalism of the Presbyterian NATIONAL POLL: Should Fauci Be Prosecuted For LYING To Congress? The possibility of such a usage here . Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians. . In the 1990s, amid a systematic campaign of anti-abortion terror that would ultimately include the murders of 11 abortion workers, the bombing of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and more than 7,000 acts of violence including arson, bomb threats, bioweapon threats and assault, Presbyterians modified the expansive support of reproductive justice The dialogue called for a major presentation on each of four views on abortion, and a . ECO was formed by pastors and laypeople in response to PCUSA's decision to join the 21st century. As you may know, this past summer the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) decided to allow the ordination of gay clergy. gations (11,333 total). The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is the largest Presbyterian denomination. (3) Minutes of the 217th General Assembly (2006), Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), p. 905 For any choice, we are accountable to God; however, even when we err, God offers to forgive us.(2). In cases where problems of life or health of the mother arise in a pregnancy, the church supports efforts to protect the life and health of both the mother and the baby. When an individual woman faces the decision whether to terminate a pregnancy, the issue is intensely personal, and may manifest itself in ways that do not reflect public rhetoric, or do not fit neatly into medical, legal or policy guidelines. What is certainly most notable, however, is ECO's refusal to anywhere, in any way whatsoever, just come out and say that they formed in response to PCUSA's sanctioning the ordination of gay people. Six out of 10 of all unintended pregnancies end in an induced abortion. Around 45% of all abortions are unsafe, of which 97% take place in developing countries. No one knows how many chemical abortions add to that number, thanks to drugs such as RU-486 and the "morning-after pill"now available over the counter even to 11- and 12-year-old girls. This is an opportunity to do so for all who are once again most marginalized in our community and our country. 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. If the PCA learns the lessons . (8) Minutes of the 204th General Assembly (1992), Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), pp. Abortion is a morally unacceptable alternative for birth control, population control, sex selection, and elimination of the physically and mentally handicapped. Wake up to the day's most important news. Over the course of a year, we had to make numerous announcements explaining what we were doing and why we were doing it. And that's fair enough. Covenant Order of Presbyterians (ECO) and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC). The committee has two items of business scheduled for its final day on Saturday. Yesterday, a new Presbyterian denomination was born: the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians -- or, for short, ECO. Its not by accidental timing the Supreme Court decision happened today.. The Presbyterian Church celebrates the diversity of all genders and recognizes that access to full reproductive healthcare is a right deserved by anyone who bears children. Presbyterianism has its roots in the teachings of John Calvin, a leader of the Protestant Reformation. HWYo8~u,$<8'XN&~ %pECGXW_Oj|.xVOONlR,^zj+8:>bx6Q)pYk1=.&_Gq-EF(Ay/q2S-?JIK4b2JLIAN 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. Presbyterian Women is committed to building inclusive community for all women, respecting the wide range of beliefs surrounding these issues. It's hardly a mystery or secret. The 204th General Assembly (1992) adopted the most comprehensive policy statement on pregnancy and abortion. 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. Many tribal societies knew how to induce abortions. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Relying on foundations of Christian belief, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) provides clear guidance regarding personal agency and choice. We are deeply outraged, saddened, and mortified by this decision! 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. If your convictions are so great they've compelled you to found a "breakaway movement," why aren't they great enough for you to be explicit about what it is you're breaking away from? application/pdf Abortion is not morally acceptable for gender selection only or solely to obtain fetal parts for transplantation. . And in many of these announcements I had to mention the issue of homosexuality. I fear the tent has collapsed without a center.". While the Reform, Reconstructionist and Conservative movements openly advocate for the right to safe and accessible abortions, the Orthodox movement is less unified on the issue. Part of the reason we joined ECO was its clear stance on homosexuality. We are all carrying some heavy weight today, said Madison McKinney, the ACWCs co-chair. Abortion ought to be an option of last resort. Wow. 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. The United Methodist Church affirms the sanctity of life in these two statements in the Social Principles: Our belief in the sanctity of unborn human life makes us reluctant to approve abortion. For decades, the anti-abortion movement has been fueled by Christian leaders, who say life starts at conception. That said, though, I'm heartened by the leaders of ECO being so afraid of proclaiming their true nature and purpose. If they want to take their ball and go play with themselves in the corner, that's certainly their right. Here's what they say. This is no less true for those making decisions about whether and when to have children. Crosby the go-to metaphor on this matter is tent poles. A Northern Ireland Presbyterian minister is creating waves after she began advocating for abortion against the church's teachings. 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