Abortion

            The Assembly also had before it a number of overtures dealing with the matter of late-term abortions. Those who are “assembly watchers” will recall that the 214^th GA (2002) drafted a position statement on late-term abortions that expressed “grave moral concern” about the practice, but did not express opposition to such abortions in cases where there was great risk to the health and life of either mother, where there was high risk of “fetal suffering as a result of untreatable life threatening medical anomalies,” or in cases of rape or incest. The 215^th GA (2003) adjusted, but did not materially alter, the stance of the 2002 paper. This year, the Committee on Health Issues recommended that the Assembly significantly amend the statement, removing both rape and incest from the list of justifying circumstances under which such abortions might be morally countenanced. The committee recommendation would also have removed the “medical anomalies” clause from the statement.

            Once again, there was a minority report in opposition to the committee’s position. This proposal left intact the 2003 position paper on late-term abortion, and responded to the various overtures with the following recommendation: 

         That the Moderator and the Stated Clerk of the 216th General Assembly (2004) shall write a pastoral letter to the congregations on the issue of problem pregnancy. In order to provide pastoral and tangible support to women and families confronting problem pregnancies, their letter shall include a copy of the pamphlets published by the Women’s Ministries program area, National Ministries Division, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) entitled:

• When No Choice Is Easy: For the Pregnant Woman,

• When You Need the Wisdom of Solomon: Helping Others Face Problem Pregnancies,

• There Is Always a Father: Does the Father Have a Problem Too?, and

• When Pregnancy Involves Loss: Helping Others Face Problem Pregnancies.

 

To be included with these excellent resources shall be the publication Statement on Post-Viability and Late-Term Abortion, approved by the 215th General Assembly (2003). The letter shall also affirm adoption as a provision for women who deliver children they are not able to care for, and ask our congregations to assist in seeking adoptive families within the household of faith.  

          The assembly substituted the above minority recommendation for the majority report by another very narrow vote (4 votes), and then went on to approve the minority report for action by a slightly larger margin.  

            Debate around the issue was once again respectful, but passionate. It is clear that the issue of abortion stirs the same strong feeling within the church as in society as a whole. The assembly’s action is probably best seen as an attempt to steer a middle course between restrictive and permissive alternatives. The final disposition of the matter preserves the “grave moral concern” expressed in the 2003 statement, and urges adoption and live delivery wherever possible, while at the same time recognizing the legitimacy of abortion in certain cases, not all of which are medical emergencies. The closeness of the votes on the questions is an indicator that this issue will be before subsequent assemblies. 

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