Abortion

[Emad]

Hello all, I pray all is well. I am doing some research on Catholicism and Abortion. I would like to ask, how does the church decide on abortion? What methods are taken to make the decision? Does the pope just decide or does he refer to scripture, or both? If someone can help answer these questions it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[iamscifimike]

Emad, your prayers are answered, for all is well. Thank you

At some level I think that the issue of abortion, whether it is right or wrong, is more plain than from just a Catholic perspective or any perspective. It is a matter of basic human rights. The definition of life consists of 8 basic functions and what distinguishes human life from other life is a specific sequence of DNA. From conception these qualifications are met so even prevention of embryonic implantation should be considered abortative. The Catholic Church would adhere to these Natural Laws, as they are part of Gods Law.

From a Catholic perspective however, we are obedient to the pope and the magisterium. The descisions that the Church comes to may not conflict with previous teachings of the Church nor scripture. In scripture, God claims to know us before we are in our mothers womb, therefore to extinguish life in the womb is to extinguish a child of God.

I hope this well represents Catholicism and answers your questions.

 

[inthecloud]

Scripture, the Early Church Fathers and a long, long tradition.
The Pope did not make things up.

 

[chrisg93]

If I may add also some specific teachings of the Cathiloc Church. Abortion is …

a violation of the Fifth Commandment “Thou Shall Not Kill”
an “unspeakable crime”
an “abominal crime”
a crime"that cries out to God for vengence"

…and much, much more…

 

[rpp]

One must recall that, despite what pro-“choice” people may say, abortion is not a new idea. The killing of a child while still in the womb dates back many thousands of years, and probably predates recorded history.

The Church’s teaching on abortion has been unchanged since the very beginning. Even early Church fathers and some great Doctors of the Church have commented on it. St. Augustine (5th century) condemned abortion calling it murder.

While the Church did spend time trying to learn when “life begins”, it abhors the murder of an innocent person at all times. Abortion has always been wrong.

This is an unchangeable teaching of the Church.

 

[dnsmith]

Why do we Catholic follow the teachings as presented by the Pope as proper? In simple language as I understand it, when the Pope makes a judgement withing the rule of infallability it is not just he the man who is speaking, it is God’s messenger as inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Holy spirit being the third part of God.

 

[Texas_Roofer]

Hello all, I pray all is well. I am doing some research on Catholicism and Abortion. I would like to ask, how does the church decide on abortion? What methods are taken to make the decision? Does the pope just decide or does he refer to scripture, or both? If someone can help answer these questions it would be greatly appreciated.

Well, abortion would be in the class of subjects in which the Church has a long and consistent history so it would not go through a theological debate. Something as Stem Cell Research would have a committee funded to study the theological aspects in great depth, that committee would be made up of a diverse group, and may or may not make a recommendation to the Magisterium. Eventually the Magisterium would consult with the Pontiff and issue a public ruling on the theological aspects of the subject. The Magisterium would always be in agreement with the Pope before going public. The rulings by this method are binding to Catholics

Why do we Catholic follow the teachings as presented by the Pope as proper? In simple language as I understand it, when the Pope makes a judgement withing the rule of infallability it is not just he the man who is speaking, it is God’s messenger as inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Holy spirit being the third part of God.

It is rare to speak under the frame of infallability. The Pope and Magisterium define the ‘binds’ on Catholics. The scripture states the Church leaders have this “bind and loose” authority. What is infallable is highly debated. The Assumption of Mary, and the Ever Virgin are delivered in the chasim of infallablity, and yes they are guided by the Holy Spirit and free of human error

 

[Janet_S]

Hello all, I pray all is well. I am doing some research on Catholicism and Abortion. I would like to ask, how does the church decide on abortion? What methods are taken to make the decision? Does the pope just decide or does he refer to scripture, or both? If someone can help answer these questions it would be greatly appreciated.

The Church argues from natural law, Scripture, and Christian Tradition.

vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25031995_evangelium-vitae_en.html
Read Evangelium Vitae, starting with section 58:

“Your eyes beheld my unformed substance” (Ps 139:16): the unspeakable crime of abortion

1. Among all the crimes which can be committed against life, procured abortion has characteristics making it particularly serious and deplorable. The Second Vatican Council defines abortion, together with infanticide, as an “unspeakable crime”.54

But today, in many people’s consciences, the perception of its gravity has become progressively obscured. The acceptance of abortion in the popular mind, in behaviour and even in law itself, is a telling sign of an extremely dangerous crisis of the moral sense, which is becoming more and more incapable of distinguishing between good and evil, even when the fundamental right to life is at stake. Given such a grave situation, we need now more than ever to have the courage to look the truth in the eye and to call things by their proper name, without yielding to convenient compromises or to the temptation of self-deception. . .

First Pope JPII starts by explaining, from a natural law position, that abortion is the killing of innocent human life. Abortion is murder.

Next he appeals to Scripture and Tradition (section 61) and the constant teaching of the Church Magisterium (section 62).

Further on in section 62, JPII declares this as an infallible teaching based on the ordinary magisterium:

Given such unanimity in the doctrinal and disciplinary tradition of the Church, Paul VI was able to declare that this tradition is unchanged and unchangeable. 72 Therefore, by the authority which Christ conferred upon Peter and his Successors, in communion with the Bishops-who on various occasions have condemned abortion and who in the aforementioned consultation, albeit dispersed throughout the world, have shown unanimous agreement concerning this doctrine-I declare that direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, always constitutes a grave moral disorder, since it is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being.** This doctrine is based upon the natural law and upon the written Word of God, is transmitted by the Church’s Tradition and taught by the ordinary and universal Magisterium. 73**
No circumstance, no purpose, no law whatsoever can ever make licit an act which is intrinsically illicit, since it is contrary to the Law of God which is written in every human heart, knowable by reason itself, and proclaimed by the Church.

 

[bill210]

Hello all, I pray all is well. I am doing some research on Catholicism and Abortion. I would like to ask, how does the church decide on abortion? What methods are taken to make the decision? Does the pope just decide or does he refer to scripture, or both? If someone can help answer these questions it would be greatly appreciated.

God bless you with the gifts of His Holy Spirit. I would just like to point out that until about fifty years ago Christians were united in condemning abortion. The Catholic Church has never at any time wavered from this truth. The acceptance of contraception the exclusion of God from the marital act] has led to an increase in promiscuity, marital infidelity, divorce, abortion, euthanasia and the denigration of marriage and indeed the family itself. The domino effect in passing laws that are not derived from the natual law will lead ultimately to the collapse of society.
The Holy Father in unity with the Bishops does not make new truths; the truth is immutable. He affirms what the Church has always believed and clarifies the teaching should it come into question.
I hope this helps you in your research.
Bill

 

[Dale_M]

Emad, thank you for asking. Your honesty and curiosity have a welcome place here.

To answer your question, I would refer you to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This document defines, authoritatively, what we Catholics believe.

The position on abortion flows from our belief that human life is sacred. To not kill is the Fifth Commandment given to Moses on Mount Sinai.

The Catechism explains further:

2258 "Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being."56

Sections 2259 - 2262 of the Catechism list some of the Biblical verses which reveal that “the covenant between God and mankind is interwoven with reminders of God’s gift of human life and man’s murderous violence.” To kill another person is an offense against God.

Sections 2270 - 2275 of the Catechism deal directly with abortion.

Section 2270 cites verses of the Bible which indicate that human life has dignity from the moment of conception.

Section 2271 reminds us that the prohibition against abortion has existed from the very beginning of the Church.

Section 2272 states how very sinful is abortion.

Section 2373 explains that the right to life is fundamental to society.

Sections 2374 and 2375 restates that from the moment of conception human life is to be protected and relates that to medical procedures.

Here is a link to the Catechism so you may read more.
vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm

 

[Emad]

Thanks to everyone, my research paper is about abortion in Islam and Catholocism, and how they both reach their conclusions on whether it is forbidden or allowed. Islam has pretty much the same stance on abortion as Catholicism does, however it allows it in the case where the mothers life is in danger if the baby is not aborted. My paper is to focus more on *how *they reach to their decisions, instead of the decision itself. I really appreciate everyone’s help, if you do feel you can share more of your knowledge on the subject, please do so. Thanks for your kindness and welcoming me.

Your friend,

Emad

 

[catharina]

Orthodox Jews as well, holding to oldest law, forbid abortion as a “human right” for any reason. Even ancient medical practitioners (who lived without any vastly specific notion of God) outlawed the use of abortifacients, under a rubric of property rights perhaps, but still with some sense that human life is not ours to destroy since we cannot replicate (restore) it.

 

[vern_humphrey]

Have you read the Didache?
earlychristianwritings.com/didache.html

Chapter 2. The Second Commandment: Grave Sin Forbidden. And the second commandment of the Teaching; You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you shall not steal, you shall not practice magic, you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is born. You shall not covet the things of your neighbor, you shall not swear, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not speak evil, you shall bear no grudge. You shall not be double-minded nor double-tongued, for to be double-tongued is a snare of death. Your speech shall not be false, nor empty, but fulfilled by deed. You shall not be covetous, nor rapacious, nor a hypocrite, nor evil disposed, nor haughty. You shall not take evil counsel against your neighbor. You shall not hate any man; but some you shall reprove, and concerning some you shall pray, and some you shall love more than your own life.

 

[manualman]

Since you are doing research, you should also understand little bit about catholic moral theology. Catholic moral teaching is based on BOTH revelation from God AND human reasoning. In catholic theology, God is rational and since we are created in His image and likeness, we are capable of comprehending at least some of his reasoning. This is why catholic theology always looks for how revelation is consistent with reason (actually this was the REAL point our pope was trying to make in his controversial address at Regensburg).

This is relevant to the abortion discussion because of the way catholic teaching evolved on the matter. Catholics have ALWAYS considered abortion to be sinful, based on revelation. But abortion of extremely young embryos wasn’t always consistantly known to be murder per se. Prior to modern biology, people thought that the man planted a “seed” in the womans “field” and that it grew into a baby inside her. This posed the vexing question of just when that seed became a human person. If you research the matter, you will find lots of debate among earlier catholics about when “ensoulment” took place. The reason for this debate was the scientific ignorance about the sperm and egg. Don’t be fooled. Some will try to imply that the catholic church didn’t condemn abortion before “ensoulment.” That is a deception. The church has alwasy condemned abortion as sinful based on divine revelation from our earliest days. We haven’t always decisively considered early abortion murder, but do now since modern science has done away with the previous uncertainty about when the man’s ‘seed’ becomes more than just a seed. This was a development based on reason, but founded on revelation.

 

[snowfly]

Why do we Catholic follow the teachings as presented by the Pope as proper? In simple language as I understand it, when the Pope makes a judgement withing the rule of infallability it is not just he the man who is speaking, it is God’s messenger as inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Holy spirit being the third part of God.

For me it’s in the power of the keys, the keys the keys the keys, thats his power. (you and I weren’t given the keys)

Someone has to lead and someone has to follow, we all know what happens when everyone wants to lead, yes, more branches of Christianity than a Christmas tree.

 

[manualman]

For me it’s in the power of the keys, the keys the keys the keys, thats his power. (you and I weren’t given the keys)

Someone has to lead and someone has to follow, we all know what happens when everyone wants to lead, yes, more branches of Christianity than a Christmas tree.

Well, you CAN take this approach and be orthodox, but it isn’t exactly the path to sainthood. The better way is to understand WHY the pope teaches what he teaches and internalize thos principles. Principles always lead to better results than rules do.

 

[snowfly]

Well, you CAN take this approach and be orthodox, but it isn’t exactly the path to sainthood. ** The better way is to understand WHY the pope teaches what he teaches and internalize thos principles. ** Principles always lead to better results than rules do.

Maybe, anyway some principles here.