Religion- Abortion 🫃👎

Current social issue

A problem or challenge that affects the personal or social lives of individuals and large groups or the wellbeing of communities that is widely discussed and debated

Example- Value of Human Life (from unit). An example of the value of human life as a current social issue is abortion.

Value of human life according to Catholic Church

Every person has inalienable human dignity, this is grounded in the belief that all people are created in the image and likeness of God and possess free will, however this freedom is accompanied by a need to exercise responsibility.

All human beings are worthy of respect- every person has inherent human dignity.

Current social issue

A problem or challenge that affects the personal or social lives of individuals and large groups or the wellbeing of communities that is widely discussed and debated

Example- Value of Human Life (from unit). An example of the value of human life as a current social issue is abortion.

Value of human life according to Catholic Church

Every person has inalienable human dignity, this is grounded in the belief that all people are created in the image and likeness of God and possess free will, however this freedom is accompanied by a need to exercise responsibility.

All human beings are worthy of respect- every person has inherent human dignity.

Catholic Church on abortion

All life must be respected from the moment of conception to natural death- the deliberate killing of an unborn child is one of the greatest challenges to the culture of life. Prohibition of abortion has been a consistent feature of the Catholic Church from the earliest Christian centuries.

Human life begins at conception. The foetus is a person in terms of being a member of the human race even if it is not yet born, and has a right to life.

Danum Vitae- Pope Paul VI

Encyclical on artificial procreation (IVF)- presumes that the foetus is to be treated as a person at all stages of development from the time of conception.

Abortion

When a pregnancy is ended so that it doesn’t result in the birth of a child, it is sometimes called ‘termination of pregnancy’

Medical and surgical

Types of abortion

Medical abortion

Uses medication to induce a miscarriage.

Usually done up to 9-10 weeks of pregnancy (depending on local guidelines).

Can be done at home or in a clinic.

No surgery or anesthesia required.

Types-

Methotrexate & Misoprostol (MTX)- 1st trimester

Mifepristone & Misoprostol- 1st trimester

Surgical abortion

A procedure that removes the pregnancy from the uterus.Done in a clinic or hospital. Usually requires local or general anesthesia.

Types-

Manual Vacuum Aspiration (1st trimester)

Aspiration/dilation and curettage (D&C)- up to 16 weeks

Dilation & Evacuation (D&E)- after 16 weeks

Induction abortion- rarely performed, 2nd and 3rd trimester (3rd= late term)

Dilation and Extraction (D&X)/Partial birth abortion- after 21 weeks/ 3rd trim

Life begins at conception (pro life secular)

Abortion is akin to murder as it is the act of taking a human life. Abortion is in direct defiance of the commonly accepted idea of the sanctity of human life.

Fetus cannot exist independent of its mother (pro choice)

Nearly all abortions take place in the first trimester. As it is attached by the placenta and umbilical cord, its heart is dependent on her health, and cannot be regarded as a separate entity as it cannot exist outside her womb.

Adoption is a viable alternative to abortion (pro life secular)

Accomplishes the same result, many families want to a adopt a child so there is no such thing as an unwanted child.

Pro choice argues that adoption is not an alternative to abortion because it remains the woman’s choice whether or not to give her child up for adoption.

Abortion resulting in medical complications

Pro life secular argument that the risk of ectopic pregnancies doubles and the chance of a miscarriage and pelvic inflammatory disease also increases.

Abortion is a safe medical procedure

Pro choice argument that the vast majority of women who have an abortion, 88%, do so n their first trimester where medical abortions have less than 0.5% risk of serious complications and do not affect a woman’s health or future ability to become pregnant or give birth.

Abortion frequently causes intense psychological pain and stress

Pro life secular argument- Post-Abortion Syndrome is well documented but politically suppressed by abortion advocates

Pro choice argument- like any other difficult situation, abortion creates stress, but American Psychological Association found that stress was greatest prior to an abortion, and that there was no evidence of post-abortion syndrome

Women’s bodily autonomy

Pro life secular- For women who demand complete control of their body, control should include preventing the risk of unwanted pregnancy through the responsible use of contraception, natural family planning or through abstinence.

Pro Choice- The ability of a woman to have control of her body is critical to civil rights. If the government can force a woman to continue a pregnancy, what about forcing a woman to use contraception or undergo sterilisation?

Pope John Paul II

“Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception. Abortion… (is) an unspeakable crime because they ‘violate the integrity of the human person’”. -Evangelium Vitae- belief that life begins at conception by the Catholic church

Abortion as a moral/ethical issue

It involves debates about human rights, definition of life, personal autonomy. Pro choice perspective argues that women’s rights such as bodily autonomy, career opportunities and mental wellbeing should take priority and that life doesn’t begin until later stages of development. Some believe abortion should only be allowed in cases like rape.

Pro life stance is that life begins at conception, unborn children have equal right to life, no personal right including bodily autonomy justifies ending human life.

The debate is whether rights of the mother or foetus should take precedence.

Abortion as a social issue

Abortion is a social issue as some view it as necessary while others view it as only harmful.

Pro life- women could be pressured to have an abortion against her will, the father may not get a chance to save his child from being aborted as abortion is views as women’s issue, takes away right to life of unborn human, botched abortions can lead to the child being born alive but left to die, people have survived abortions but been disabled due to effects such as Gianna Jessen

Pro choice- Necessary if woman will be in danger such as her husband beating her, pregnant teenage girls are too immature to raise the child or her parents could be angered, the father could refuse to support the woman in raising the child, the child could be born with serious deformity or Down syndrome

Abortion as a medical issue

Pro life- complications resulting from abortion eg infections, severe bleeding, cervical injury, severe blood clots, uterine perforation, cramping, fever, sepsis, complications from anaesthesia, baby potentially being born alive with no assistance given to it

Pro choice- if the life of the mother is in serious danger eg. pulmonary hypertension, ectopic pregnancy, severe preeclampasia etc

Additionally medicine is constantly researching and providing up to date medical advice about the appropriate methods of providing abortion.

Abortion as a legal issue

Abortion is legal across Australia but with different regulations in each state and territory. Victoria, Tasmania and NT set gestational limits requiring extra approvals. Queensland, NSW and South Australia allow abortion if a woman’s health is at risk. WA recently reformed its laws, reducing restriction and expanding access. Protests near abortion services are banned in Victoria, NT and Tasmania. Laws are regularly reformed and updated.

Abortion as a religious issue

Buddhism- There is no official position on abortion among Buddhists, although many Buddhists believe that life begins at conception and that killing is morally wrong. In Japan, where there is a large Buddhist population, abortions are commonly practiced

Christianity- The Catholic Church opposes abortion in all circumstances but other Christian denominations consider exceptions such as rape, incest, or danger to the mother’s life

Hinduism- Unless a mother’s health is at risk, traditional Hindu teachings condemn abortion because it is thought to violate the religion’s teachings of nonviolence. The general value system of Hinduism teaches that the correct course of action in any given situation is the one that causes the least harm to those involved.

Islam- most Islamic scholars agree that the termination of a pregnancy after four months – the point at which, in Islam, a fetus is thought to become a living soul – is not permissible. Many Islamic thinkers contend that in cases prior to four months of gestation, abortion should be permissible only in instances in which a mother’s life is in danger or in cases of rape.

Judaism- Traditional Jewish teachings sanction abortion as a means of safeguarding the life and well-being of a mother.

Evangelium Vitae 1995

Pope John Paul II declared that the church’s teaching on abortion is that “direct abortion…always constitutes a grave moral disorder, since it is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being.”

(Example of written church response)

Bible teaches that human beings are made in the image of God- different from other types of life

Genesis 1:27

We are not just a bunch of cells thrown together, we reflect an eternal God who knew us from before we were made and purposefully called us into being

Catholics believe every human life is sacred- humans should not determine who has the right to live or die. Society should promote a ‘culture of life’

You shall not kill (5th commandment)

Scripture condemns the killing of innocent and human life

Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you

Jeremiah 1:5

Catholics believe life begins at conception and therefore recognise the unborn child in the womb as having the same right to life as all other human beings

You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the new-born to perish.

The Didache records the earliest Christian teaching of the Apostles on abortion

200,000 per day, 73 million per year

Estimated abortions that occur each year

Why the Value of Human Life is considered a current social issue in our society

it influences debates on various ethical, legal, and political matters. It is at the heart of discussions about human rights, healthcare, justice, and economic policies.

Disputes over when life begins and whose rights take precedence (mother vs. unborn child) keep the issue of abortion highly contentious.

Pregnancy Assistance organisation

Objective- to create an environment in which every woman has free access to information, practical and compassionate support when impacted by pregnancy or pregnancy loss and to support women who are experiencing abortion concerns.

It is an independent Catholic organisation formed by Archbishop Emeritus Barry Hickey in 1996, and are run by volunteers as well as staff

Their services include professional counselling including decisional counselling and post abortion grief counselling, information on pregnancy and abortion, providing material support such as clothes, nappies etc

March for the Babies

An annual event in Melbourne, Australia, advocating for the rights of unborn children and opposing abortion laws. It aims to raise awareness about the value of life from conception and influence policies supporting pro-life initiatives.

Founded in response to the 2008 abortion law reforms in Victoria, which legalized abortion up to birth.

Speakers such as Dr. Joanna Howe, a Catholic advocate, campaign against abortion and promote alternatives like pregnancy support services. The march emphasises compassion and respect while advocating for better support systems for women facing unplanned pregnancies.

This movement aligns with the Catholic Church’s pro-life stance, reinforcing the sanctity of life and promoting policies that uphold the dignity of both mother and child through peaceful advocacy.

Rachel’s vineyard

Rachel's Vineyard is a ministry that offers healing retreats for individuals affected by abortion, providing a supportive environment to address emotional and spiritual pain.

Primary goal- to offer a safe space for individuals to heal from the emotional and spiritual pain associated with abortion. Their weekend retreats aim to provide a supportive, confidential, and non-judgmental environment where participants can express, release, and reconcile painful post-abortive emotions to begin the process of restoration, renewal, and healing.

Formation: In 1996, Theresa Karminski Burke started one of the first therapeutic support groups for women who had abortions. She, along with her husband Kevin Burke, founded Rachel's Vineyard. Theresa Burke's book, "Rachel's Vineyard: A Psychological and Spiritual Journey for Post Abortion Healing," published in 1994, served as a model for counsellors assisting women with post-abortion grief.

Leadership: Rachel's Vineyard operates as a ministry of Priests for Life, with Frank Pavone serving as the Pastoral Director.

Activities: The organization conducts weekend retreats designed to provide a supportive, confidential, and non-judgmental environment for participants to address and heal from post-abortive emotions. These retreats are held in over 375 locations worldwide, offering participants opportunities for restoration, renewal, and healing.

Interaction: They also engage in clinical training and education, offering conferences and workshops to train leaders and professionals in post-abortion counseling and healing.