Christians' Response to Abortion

Christians' Response to Abortion

Contraception: A means of stopping conception (pregnancy) taking place

by chemical or mechanical means.

Abortion: Stopping the development of a foetus by chemical or

mechanical means.

There are many viewpoints on contraception from the different

Christian churches. Most couples in today’s times feel they have the

need to control the amount of children they have. The Roman Church

teaches that sexual intercourse should only been done if it’s in the

means of conception. There is much controversy over these views

especially in places where there is overpopulation.

"It is right and proper for parents to regulate the number of children

that they have and the spaces between the children, but not be means

that which artificially make it impossible for sexual intercourse to

result in conception (pregnancy)." [Catholic Truth Society]

In recent years, there has been many debates concerning the fact of

abortions - whether they should be illegal or not. A Christian point

of view is that they believe that the world is created by God.

Therefore all beings in the world come from God in one form or

another. Human beings have a responsibility to care for all life, for

everything in the world. The Church of England and most of the

Protestant churches agree with the Roman Catholic and Orthodox

churches in principle but they agree that each case is special.

Therefore while abortion is generally not accepted, it may be

permitted in certain cases:

Ÿ If there is a serious risk to the mother's life.

Ÿ If conception takes place as a result of rape.

Ÿ If there is a grave risk that the baby will be born handicapped

The Methodist church regards abortion as basically wrong but there are

certain circumstances where an abortion should be considered, these

are:

1. Where the life or health of the mother are threatened.

2. If the baby is to be severely abnormal.

3. The environment where the baby is to be raised is very poor - to

take