Abortion

Definitions:

1. abortion--the deliberate taking of human life in utero

2. what is a human:

a. the physical minimum–genetic code; physical maximum–physical viability

b. social dimension–makes and/or receives relationships–seen as a child

c. temporal–the right of the future; without a future, one is dead

d. theological–a) a creature dependent upon a Creator for existence;

b) made in the Image of God–a moral responsibility which

requires physical and social prerequisites to fulfill it

3. hence, the ethical issue–is it right for a parent or one to act as a parent to put to death the child in utero

I. Different Views:

A. Wilson-Kastner, Blair, and Smith, "Abortion: A Pro-Choice Perspective"

1. the Bible does not say the unborn are humans; they don’t have the Spirit and moral decision making abilities;

2. anti-abortion arguments derive from celibate, males of the Medieval period, hence are too insensitive to the modern woman’s situation;

3. most consider the particular contexts, not base the decision on abstract principles;

4. each person is autonomous and must decide the morality of abortion herself;

5. the continuum argument is unconvincing;

6. anti-abortion is sexist against women.

7. evaluation: a) the Bible does recognize the value and humanity of the unborn; b) the Bible does not make autonomy the goal of moral development; rather obedience to God; c) many anti-abortion argument are sexist; if one has a double standard, then one belittles the significance of the women’s destiny somewhat shaped by her reproductive abilities; male form of abortion–denying responsibility for the sex act.

B. Sidney Callahan, "Abortion and the Sexual Agenda"

1. the male model of sex–erotic, visual, abstract, irresponsible

female model of sex–intimate, tactical, relational, responsible

2. the male model has been used to suppress and demean women; now abortion is justified according to the male model; hence, such a justification will lead to more suppression demeaning of women

3. need to advocate the female model of sex and abortion will not be as much an option.

4. evaluation–a) it’s correct to see the correlation between the morality of sex and abortion; b) it’s correct to see sex and procreation involve inherent dimension to being female and male

C. Abortion is wrong because it violates the sacredness of life

1. evaluation: a) human life is not sacred; only God is sacred;

b) if human life is sacred, then any killing is wrong (war, capital punishment, etc.)

D. Stanley Hauerwas, Community of Character

1. it’s wrongheaded to base the decision on whether the unborn is a human; too abstract

2. the unborn is a child; hence the issue–why have children

3. theologically–a) a gift from God; b) hope and pledge to God’s providence

4. evaluation: a) correct to see we exist in community with parents, family, and God

b) if children are welcome as signs of hope in God, then must seek to improve families, communities, and society;

c) abortion is morally permissible if one does it as a good parent–to remain a parent, not

to deny being a parent

II. The Church’s Responsibility:

1. to show the love of children so much that abortion is not considered an option

2. to promise her daughters justice, no matter the Church will be committed to her and the child; to help nurture, raise, educate, and socialize the child.

a. this is the Church’s virtue of loving justice to the women and child

b. love–agape; justice–meritorious distribution of necessary social goods