Part 1: The Religious Coalition on Reproductive Choice
At its January 9-12 meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church USA formally affiliated the Episcopal Church with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), a group that uses religion to justify abortion. Different explanations of the exact nature of the affiliation have been offered by those who support it.
The Diocese of San Diego has asked General Convention for clarification:
On Feb. 11, clergy and lay delegates to convention in the Diocese of San Diego asked General Convention, which meets June 13-21 in Columbus, Ohio, “to confirm or deny” the Executive Council decision to join the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) on behalf of the Episcopal Church.
Jesus said, “I was a stranger and you invited me in… Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:35,40)
RCRC said, “You, and no one else, are ‘called’ to figure out what this unwanted pregnancy is about. And you are to do it without guilt or shame…”1
Jesus said, “I am the Truth.” (John 14:6)
RCRC said, “...place both hands over your heart and imagine or remember a time when you were feeling full of love, relaxed, and happy. Notice how your body responds. Where in your body do you experience sensations of warmth, relaxation, softening, and expansiveness? This is where your Truth resides. Listen to this place as you seek to discover what is right…”2
Jesus said, “I am the Life.” (John 14:6)
Jesus said, "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them." (Matthew 7:12)
RCRC said, "The bottom line is that if someone does not want to have a child they should not be forced into it."4
Jesus said, "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:24)
John said, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8)
RCRC said, "...a woman has made a good and holy decision to have an abortion."5
John said, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
Already, the Diocese of Springfield and the Diocese of Pittsburgh have formally dissociated themselves with RCRC.
Please speak to the deputies of your diocese about this upcoming vote in June.
Dr. Jill Woodliff is an anatomic pathologist. She is married to The Rev. George F. Woodliff, III.
1(Considering Abortion? Clarifying What You Believe, p.3)
2(Abortion: Finding Your Own Truth)
3(Paul Simmons in RCRC's Prayerfully Pro-Choice: Resources for Worship, p. 117)
4(Whoopie Goldberg quoted approvingly in RCRC's Prayerfully Pro-Choice: Resources for Worship, p. 35)
5(Diann L. Neu's "Affirming a Choice" liturgy in RCRC's Prayerfully Pro-Choice Resources for Worship, p. 82)
Below is the resolution that was sponsored by the National Organization of Episcopalians for Life at GC2003. It was voted out of the House of Deputies for further study. The House of Bishops never voted on it and, hence, did not concur.
Resolution Withdrawing From the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
Resolved, the House of _________ concurring, That this 74th General Convention of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America direct the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and its affiliate organizations, the Episcopal Urban Caucus and the Episcopal Women's Caucus, to immediately withdraw membership and financial support for the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC).
Explanation:
After careful study of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice statements and publications, we believe there are fundamental theological and ethical differences that are inconsistent with the Episcopal Church's positions and resolutions, specifically:
1. RCRC believes in the existence of absolute, God-given sexual and reproductive freedom, including abortion rights; "Your sexuality is a blessing, not a curse, and your need to express it is to be honored, not despised... You, and no one else, are 'called' to figure out what this unwanted pregnancy is about. And you are to do it without guilt or shame..." (RCRC's Considering Abortion? Clarifying What You Believe, p.3) but according to Resolution D032, passed at the 72nd General Convention, the Episcopal Church believes "all parishes are urged to teach and support sexual abstinence" and in 1998, the worldwide Anglican Communion passed Lambeth Resolution 1.10 "affirming abstinence for all who are not called to marriage." Further, Resolution A054 passed at the 71st General Convention clearly states "We emphatically oppose abortion as a means of birth control, family planning, sex selection, or any reason of mere convenience."
2. RCRC supports the idea of the woman, whether adult or teen as a sovereign moral agent isolated from others, from Christian community, and from tradition: "...place both hands over your heart and imagine or remember a time when you were feeling full of love, relaxed, and happy. Notice how your body responds. Where in your body do you experience sensations of warmth, relaxation, softening, and expansiveness? This is where your Truth resides. Listen to this place as you seek to discover what is right..." (RCRC's Abortion: Finding Your Own Truth).
But Resolution A054, passed at the 71st General Convention indicates "In those cases where an abortion is being considered, members of this Church are urged to seek the dictates of their conscience in prayer, to seek the advice and counsel of members of the Christian community and where appropriate, the sacramental life of this Church."
3. RCRC accepts the trivialization of the moral status of unborn human life; "The biblical portrait of person, therefore, is that of a complex, many-sided creature with godlike abilities and the moral responsibility to make choices. The fetus hardly meets those characteristics.... The abortion question focuses on the personhood of the women, who in turn considers the potential personhood of the fetus in terms of the multiple dimensions of her own history and future." (Paul Simmons in RCRC's Prayerfully Pro-Choice: Resources for Worship, p. 117).
But Resolution A054 passed at the 71st General Convention states, "All human life is sacred from its inception until death. The Church takes seriously its obligation to help form the consciences of its members concerning this sacredness. Human life, therefore, should be initiated only advisedly and in full accord with this understanding of the power to conceive and give birth which is bestowed by God." And the Book of Common Prayer affirms, "the birth of a child is a joyous and solemn occasion in the life of a family. It is also an occasion for rejoicing in the Christian community" (p. 440).
4. RCRC accepts the legitimacy of abortion as birth control; "The bottom line is that if someone does not want to have a child they should not be forced into it." (Whoopie Goldberg quoted approvingly in RCRC's Prayerfully Pro-Choice: Resources for Worship, p. 35) but the Episcopal Church states in Resolution A054 passed at the 71st General Convention "We emphatically oppose abortion as a means of birth control, family planning, sex selection, or any reason of mere convenience." and it asserts the opposite position further along in the resolution when it states "Whenever members of this Church are consulted with regard to a problem pregnancy, they are to explore, with grave seriousness, with the person or persons seeking advice and counsel, as alternatives to abortion, other positive courses of action, including, but not limited to, the following possibilities: the parents raising the child; another family member raising the child; making the child available for adoption."
5. RCRC claims the holiness of abortion; "...a woman has made a good and holy decision to have an abortion." (Diann L. Neu's "Affirming a Choice" liturgy in RCRC's Prayerfully Pro-Choice Resources for Worship, p. 82) but according to Resolution A054 passed at the 71st General Convention clearly states "We regard all abortion as having a tragic dimension, calling for the concern and compassion of all the Christian community."
6. RCRC acknowledges the sanction of a pro-choice God, attested in Scripture, who blesses all decisions; "You are to claim your godlike, God-given role in creation by saying yes or no, secure in the knowledge that whatever you decide, after having honestly sought what is right, God will bless." (RCRC"s Considering Abortion? Clarifying What You Believe, p.7) but the Episcopal Church doesn't bless all decisions regarding abortion as stated in Resolution A054 passed at the 71st General Convention "We emphatically oppose abortion as a means of birth control, family planning, sex selection, or any reason of mere convenience," and takes the opposite position by acknowledging decisions and actions can be out of the will of God, and recognizes the need for repentance and confession at the beginning of each liturgy.
The RCRC position absolutizes, sanctifies and even deifies choice, but it dehumanizes human life before birth, while the Episcopal Church maintains the sacredness of human life even before birth and relativizes the value of choice by setting parameters for how choice is used. Affiliation with an organization with such clear differences is inconsistent and needs remedy.
3 Comments •
Comments:
I remember the date that I resolved never to write another last check that could end up, directly or indirectly, supporting my Diocese and, thus, our national church aparatus. It was when I saw a national Episocpal official on the front row of a protest against a Congressional act that would ban late term, partial birth abortions. Evil.