1996 GA rejected an overture affirming that abortion of a live fetus, except to save the life of the mother, “partial birth falls short of plan for (In 1997, PCUSA did adopt a position expressing "grave moral concern" about God’s humankind.” partial-birth abortions.) 2006 GA statement: an individual woman faces the decision whether to terminate a pregnancy, the issue is “When intensely personal….Humans are make significant moral choices, including the choice to continue or empowered…to end a pregnancy.” 2009 Washington Office fought efforts to remove abortion coverage and funding from the PCUSA’s national health care bill. 4 Over the past 20 years, in each General Assembly a motion has been made to have PCUSA affirm the sanctity of life and oppose abortion. None of these motions have been approved. PCUSA currently advocates for abortion in the following ways: stated position- "the considered decision of a woman to terminate a pregnancy can be a morally acceptable, though certainly not the only or required, decision." sexuality curriculum teaches that, "...it can be an PCUSA’s act of faithfulness before God to intervene in the natural process of pregnancy and terminate it." PCUSA actively supports and endorses the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice financial support- (formerly the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, RCAR) and Presbyterians Affirming Reproductive Options (PARO). Both organizations are featured on the PCUSA website. medical benefits plan- plan pays for abortion without restriction. PCUSA’s The PCUSA is on the matter of abortion, neither condoning nor condemning it. (The 217th officially “neutral” General Assembly did approve a statement that abortions.) But the PCUSA has opposes “partial-birth” financially supported the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), a lobbying organization that opposes all restrictions on abortion. It has gone to court to oppose the federal ban on partial-birth abortions. The PCUSA went so far as to give the RCRC a in By remaining a part of the PCUSA, “partnership mission” award. we too partner with the abortion advocates. 4
1996 GA rejected an overture affirming that “partial birth abortion of a live fetus, except to save the life of the mother, falls short of God’s plan for humankind.” (In 1997, PCUSA did adopt a position expressing "grave moral concern" about partial-birth abortions.) 2006 GA statement: “When an individual woman faces the decision whether to terminate a pregnancy, the issue is intensely personal….Humans are empowered…to make significant moral choices, including the choice to continue or end a pregnancy.” 2009 PCUSA’s Washington Office fought efforts to remove abortion coverage and funding from the national health care bill. 4 Over the past 20 years, in each General Assembly a motion has been made to have PCUSA affirm the sanctity of life and oppose abortion. None of these motions have been approved. PCUSA currently advocates for abortion in the following ways: stated position- "the considered decision of a woman to terminate a pregnancy can be a morally acceptable, though certainly not the only or required, decision." PCUSA’s sexuality curriculum teaches that, "...it can be an act of faithfulness before God to intervene in the natural process of pregnancy and terminate it." financial support- PCUSA actively supports and endorses the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (formerly the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, RCAR) and Presbyterians Affirming Reproductive Options (PARO). Both organizations are featured on the PCUSA website. medical benefits plan- PCUSA’s plan pays for abortion without restriction. The PCUSA is officially “neutral” on the matter of abortion, neither condoning nor condemning it. (The 217th General Assembly did approve a statement that opposes “partial-birth” abortions.) But the PCUSA has financially supported the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), a lobbying organization that opposes all restrictions on abortion. It has gone to court to oppose the federal ban on partial-birth abortions. The PCUSA went so far as to give the RCRC a “partnership in mission” award. By remaining a part of the PCUSA, we too partner with the abortion advocates. 4
Forum-4-Handout-Current-Issues.docx