Religious Beliefs

What does religion say about reproductive choice?
For years, televangelists and anti-choice extremists have claimed all religions oppose reproductive choice. Radical Right political groups like the Christian Coalition have been so vocal that it sometimes seems they've drowned out moderate and mainstream views such as ours.

The fact is that the vast majority of Americans of all faiths agree with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Three-quarters of Americans agree that abortion is a personal decision, best made by women, in keeping with their beliefs and circumstances. Seventy-eight percent reject government intrusion in decisions about bearing children. Large majorities want comprehensive sexuality education to be available in schools, comprehensive reproductive health services to be available in hospitals, and family planning services to be available to all, regardless of income.

People of faith actively support women's right to choose. We are pro-choice, not pro-abortion. Being pro-choice means we honor all choices. It means we trust women and their families to decide whether and when to have children. We recognize that in a pluralistic society such as ours, government must not impose laws about childbearing based on any one belief about when personhood begins. Government does have an important leadership role in safeguarding the constitutional right to choose, protecting clinics, and ensuring that abortion and family planning services are available to all without regard to income.

IRCRC supporters represent a variety of faith traditions, including Baptist, Catholic, Christian (Disciples of Christ), Church of the Brethren, Episcopalian, Jewish, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Society of Friends, Unitarian Universalist, United Church of Christ, and United Methodist. While we are religiously and theologically diverse, we agree that reproductive choice is consistent with our faith and values.

Why is reproductive choice a moral issue?
Reproductive choice is often considered a legal and medical issue—what the law says and what doctors advise. But for most women and men, decisions about family—including decisions about when and whether to bear children—are mainly personal, involving their beliefs and values. As pro-choice people of faith, we believe that the ability to make moral decisions is the very basis of an individual's dignity and autonomy and an expression of our God-given ability to exercise free will. Many of us believe that, according to Scripture, God knew that Adam and Eve would misuse their power to choose, yet gave them that power.

Religious Coalition members hold in high respect the value of potential human life, while remaining committed to women as responsible, moral decision-makers. We believe that we must move beyond the bitter abortion fight to ensure that every child is wanted; that every pregnant woman has quality health care; that all parents—male and female—understand their responsibilities and have the support they need; that children are educated about sexuality so they can make responsible decisions; and that freedom of choice—basic to our way of life—is preserved.

What does reproductive choice have to do with religious freedom?
Religions have a wide range of beliefs about abortion. Some oppose abortion in all cases because they believe human life begins when the egg and sperm meet. They hold this religious belief even though medical science defines pregnancy as beginning with the implantation of the fertilized egg. Other religions believe abortion must be allowed in cases of rape and incest. Most religions believe the decision must be a woman’s. Some religions believe abortion is required in certain circumstances such as when a woman’s life is in danger.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun, in the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion, had these wise words to say about abortion and religious beliefs:

“… We need not resolve the difficult question of when life begins. When those trained in the respective disciplines of medicine, philosophy, and theology are unable to arrive at any consensus, the judiciary, at this point in the development of man's knowledge, is not in a position to speculate as to the answer.

“It should be sufficient to note briefly the wide divergence of thinking on this most sensitive and difficult question. There has always been strong support for the view that life does not begin until live birth. It appears to be the predominant, though not the unanimous, attitude of the Jewish faith. It may be taken to represent also the position of a large segment of the Protestant community, insofar as that can be ascertained; organized groups that have taken a formal position on the abortion issue have generally regarded abortion as a matter for the conscience of the individual and her family.”

The IRCRC believes that reproductive freedom is an essential element of religious liberty, a founding principle of our nation. Because of the wide range of religious beliefs on this sensitive issue, we believe reproductive decisions must remain with the woman, to be made in keeping with her religious principles and conscience.