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Definitions | Issues | Case Studies | Ethical Responses | Christian Responses | Resources | Books | Links | Multimedia | In the News | Quizzes | Exam questions
Definitions | Issues | Case Studies | Ethical Responses | Christian Responses | Resources | Books | Links | Multimedia | In the News | Quizzes | Exam questions
Definitions | Issues | Case Studies | Ethical Responses | Christian Responses | Resources | Books | Links | Multimedia | In the News | Quizzes | Exam questions
Definitions | Issues | Case Studies | Ethical Responses | Christian Responses | Resources | Books | Links | Multimedia | In the News | Quizzes | Exam questions
Definitions | Issues | Case Studies | Ethical Responses | Christian Responses | Resources | Books | Links | Multimedia | In the News | Quizzes | Exam questions
Definitions | Issues | Case Studies | Ethical Responses | Christian Responses | Resources | Books | Links | Multimedia | In the News | Quizzes | Exam questions
Definitions | Issues | Case Studies | Ethical Responses | Christian Responses | Resources | Books | Links | Multimedia | In the News | Quizzes | Exam questions

Christian responses to abortion

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If you are asked to give a Christian response to any issue, you will always be able to give two ethical positions:

You should also include:

A summary of Biblical and church teaching can be found in the following excerpts from the GCSE Revision Guide

    Abortion: Bible and church responses word pdf

What the Bible says

You won't find the word 'abortion' in the Bible. However, there is a general assumption among Christians that principles of the sanctity of life found in the Bible forbid abortion. To summarise this view, humans are made in the womb by God, in His image, and their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.

However, the real question is when sacred human life begins. A careful reading of the Bible seems to suggest that when the Bible was written, life was seen to begin at birth. If this is a fair summary of the many different passages that relate to this issue, abortion is not murder. However, even if the foetus does not have the status of a human being, it is clearly something worthy of great respect - this doesn't justify abortion

The Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance have a long list of relevant Bible quotes:

What the churches say

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that abortion is always wrong:

"Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception; abortion and infanticide are the most abominable of crimes."  Second Vatican Council, Encyclical Gaudium et Spes

“Human life is sacred”.  “Humanae Vitae”, 1968:

"From the time that the ovum is fertilised a new life is begun which is neither that of the father or the mother. It is the life of a new human being with its own growth. It would never become human if it were not human already"   Declaration on Procured Abortion (1974)

“The unborn human being’s right to live is one of the inalienable human rights” Pope John Paul II, 1985: 

The Church of England says abortion may be the lesser of two evils:

Although the foetus is to be specially respected and protected, nonetheless the life of the foetus is not absolutely sacrosanct if it endangers the life of the mother.       Church of England - Board of Social Responsibility Report 1984

Abortion may be acceptable if:

  • There is a risk to the mother’s life or her mental and physical health.
  • The baby is likely to have a serious disability and the mother feels she can not cope.
  • The pregnancy arose as a result of rape.

The Church of England says:

“To regard the life of the mother as less valuable than that of the unborn child does not consider her 'right to life' in terms of her wider roles of wife or mother (actual or potential) of other children, as well in terms of her own person.”   Abortion, an Ethical Discussion, Church information office 1965

“We affirm that every human life, created in the divine image, is unique…  We therefore believe that abortion is an evil… and that abortion on demand would be a very great evil.  But we also believe that to withdraw compassion is evil, and in circumstances of extreme distress or need, a very great evil…  In an imperfect world the ‘right’ choice is sometimes the lesser of two evils.”   Church of England 1988

The Church issued a briefing paper in 2005 which summarises its views on abortion.

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