While a small group of Christian denominations have gone on record in support of abortion, an overwhelming majority continue to denounce the practice in all or nearly all circumstances.
Below are six denominations that have faith statements in opposition of abortion, which was passed into law in 1973 after the United States Supreme Court ruling came down in the Roe v. Wade case.
1. Baptists
While views vary slightly within the Baptist denomination, a number of sects continue to hold a hard-line approach toward abortion. The Southern Baptist Convention, in particular, has been vocal about its opposition,
as evidenced by this 1979 resolution.
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In 1996, as the legalities surrounding partial-birth abortions were at the forefront of the U.S. Legislature, the SBC issued a resolution that read, in part: “All human life is a sacred gift from our sovereign God, and therefore … all abortions, except in those very rare cases where the life of the mother is clearly in danger, are wrong.”
2. Catholics
Leaders within the Catholic denomination have made no secret of their opposition toward abortion.
In this essay on Catholic News Agency, Fr. William Saunders succinctly lays out the reasons the church opposes abortion: “In principle, Catholic Christians believe that all life is sacred from conception until natural death, and the taking of innocent human life, whether born or unborn, is morally wrong.”
3. Evangelicals
As outlined in this report from the Pew Research Center, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has made an official position on abortion by stating a procedure should only be performed in such extreme circumstances as a mother’s life being in jeopardy due to complications and/or the discovery of fetal abnormalities.
4. Lutherans
Similar to the Baptist denomination, views on abortion within the Lutheran faith vary.
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In its mission statement,
the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod said, “The church needs to speak boldly against abortion, but more boldly still about the love of Christ for sinners considering and perhaps even participating in abortion.”
5. Methodists
Over the years,
the United Methodist Church has made a number of statements on abortion.
The church has stated it is “equally bound to respect the sacredness of the life and well-being of the mother and the unborn child.”
Leaders of the Methodist denomination also have gone on record opposing abortion for the purposes of gender selection and birth control.
6. Mormons
When the Roe v. Wade ruling was made, the president of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wasted no time weighing in on the decision in a statement that denounced abortion, with the exception of very extreme circumstances.
The statement further read, “Even then it should be done only after counseling with the local presiding priesthood authority and after receiving divine confirmation through prayer.”
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