Many religious traditions include views on abortion, and these views span a broad spectrum from acceptance to rejection.^[1] Major world religions have been distinguished from minor religions using a variety of methods, though any such division naturally reflects a particular bias, since many adherent of a religion are likely to consider their own faith major. Two methods are mentioned in this article, number of adherents and the definitions...

Although individual adherents of various faiths may have varying views on abortion, there is nonetheless a rough correlation between "official" and personal views on the question, and this is more true in some groups than in others.^[2] Positive linear correlations between 1000 pairs of numbers. ...

According to one ABC News Poll, "Religious beliefs" are reported as the main opinion forming influence for 50% of those who oppose abortion in the U.S.; "non-religious beliefs" are reported as the main influence for the plurality of those who support it.^[3] For the use of the term in political theory, see Pluralism (political theory). ...

Buddhism

Main article: Buddhist ethics

Traditional Buddhism generally disfavours abortion. ^[4] The first of the Pancasila, or the five ethical precepts laid down by Buddha Gautama, is, "I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living beings." Traditional Buddhists consider abortion the destruction of a living being, and consider it as a violation of the First Precept. ^[4] // Buddhisms ethical foundation for laypeople is the Pancasila: no killing, stealing, lying, sexual misconduct, or intoxicants. ... A statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Tawang Gompa, India. ... The five precepts (Pali: PañcasÄ«la, Sanskrit: Pañcaśīla Ch: 五戒 wÇ” jiè, Sinhala: පන්සිල්) constitute the basic Buddhist code of ethics, undertaken by lay followers of the Buddha Gautama. ... Ethics is a general term for what is often described as the science (study) of morality. In philosophy, ethical behavior is that which is good or right. ... A Precept (from the Latin præcipere, to teach) is a commandment, instruction, or order intended as an authoritative rule of action. ... ..this page is only a temporary one redirecting to another as Gautama BUddha refers to the Budhda, Siddharta Gautama, so if you look at theses words just see : Buddha, Buddhism. ...

Buddhist teaching commonly holds that sentience is attained at the moment of fertilization ('conception'), and that, with consciousness, comes the capacity for a being to achieve enlightenment. ^[5] Ahimsa is a Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain concept which advocates nonviolence and respect toward all sentient life within and without the human species. The current Dalai Lama of Tibetan Buddhism, Tenzin Gyatso, has referred to abortion as a sin against "non-violence to all sentient beings". ^[6] However, he has also stated that abortion might be permissible in specific, limited circumstances: Not to be confused with sapience. ... Categories: Biology stubs ... Bodhi (बोधि) is the Pāli and Sanskrit word for the awakened or knowing consciousness of a fully liberated yogi, generally translated into English as enlightenment. It is an abstract noun formed from the verbal root budh (to awake, become aware, notice, know or understand), corresponding to the verbs bujjhati (P... Ahimsa (Devanagari: ; IAST ) is a Sanskrit term meaning non-violence (literally: the avoidance of violence - himsa). ... Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages)[1] is a religious tradition[2] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Jain and Jaina redirect here. ... Nonviolence (or non-violence), whether held as a moral philosophy or only employed as an action strategy, rejects the use of physical violence in efforts to attain social, economic or political change. ... For other uses, see Life (disambiguation). ... This article is about modern humans. ... This article is about the Dalai Lama lineage. ... Tibetan Buddhism is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet, the Himalayan region (including northern Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and Ladakh), Mongolia, Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia (Russia), and northeastern China (Manchuria: Heilongjiang, Jilin). ... Tenzin Gyatso is the fourteenth and current Dalai Lama. ...

"Of course, abortion, from a Buddhist viewpoint, is an act of killing and is negative, generally speaking. But it depends on the circumstances. If the unborn child will be retarded or if the birth will create serious problems for the parent, these are cases where there can be an exception. I think abortion should be approved or disapproved according to each circumstance."^[7]

Nonetheless, Buddhists today remain divided on the subject of induced abortion.^[4] Those practicing in Japan and the United States are said to be more tolerant of it, at least under certain conditions, than those who live elsewhere. ^[8]

The main argument for a tolerant view on abortion might lie in the understanding that by the prohibition of abortion a vicious circle is started which leads to even more suffering due an increase in illegal abortions.

Mizuko kuyo

Jizo statues at Zojo-ji temple in Tokyo

Mizuko kuyo (水子供養 — lit. "water-child memorial service") is a Japanese memorial service held by or for those who have had a miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion. This practice has become particularly visible since the 1970s, particularly with the creation of shrines devoted solely to this ritual. Reasons for the performance of these rites can include parental grief, desire to comfort the soul of the fetus, or even fear of retribution from the vengeful spirit. Originally, mizuko kuyo was used to make offerings to Jizo, a Bodhisattva who is believed to protect children. In the Edo period, when famine sometimes lead the poverty-stricken to infanticide and abortion, the practice was adapted to cover these situations as well. Today, the practice of mizuko kuyo continues in Japan, although it is unclear whether it is an historically authentic Buddhist practice. Specifics of the ceremony vary from temple to temple, school to school, and individual to individual. It is common for temples to offer Jizo statues for a fee, which are then dressed in red bibs and caps, and displayed in the temple yard. Some modern services have come under criticism for allegedly abusing the Japanese belief that the spirits of the dead retaliate for their mistreatment. ^{[9] [10]} Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 1019 KB) Description: Zojoji-Temple in Minato, Tokyo. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 1019 KB) Description: Zojoji-Temple in Minato, Tokyo. ... Sangedatsu Gate at Zojoji little Jizo statues at the cemetery Sanen-zan Zojoji (三縁山増上寺: Zōjō-ji) is a Buddhist temple in the Shiba neighborhood of Minato-ku in Tokyo, Japan. ... For other uses, see Tokyo (disambiguation). ... Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the natural or spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or the fetus is incapable of surviving, generally defined in humans at a gestation of prior to 20 weeks. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... For other uses, see Fetus (disambiguation). ... Sacrifice (from a Middle English verb meaning to make sacred, from Old French, from Latin sacrificium : sacer, sacred; sacred + facere, to make) is commonly known as the practice of offering food, or the lives of animals or people to the gods, as an act of propitiation or worship. ... Bodhisattva (地藏菩薩), often known by the Japanese name Jizō (地蔵) or the Chinese name Dizang (地藏 Dìzàng), is a popular Mahayana Buddhist Bodhisattva, usually depicted as a monk. ... Lands Bhutan â€¢ China â€¢ Korea Japan â€¢ Tibet â€¢ Vietnam Taiwan â€¢ Mongolia Doctrine Bodhisattva â€¢ Bodhicitta Karuna â€¢ Prajna Sunyata â€¢ Buddha Nature Trikaya â€¢ Eternal Buddha Scriptures Prajnaparamita Sutra Avatamsaka Sutra Lotus Sutra Nirvana Sutra VimalakÄ«rti Sutra Lankavatara Sutra History 4th Buddhist Council Silk Road â€¢ Nagarjuna Asanga â€¢ Vasubandhu Bodhidharma      A statue of a Bodhisattva, Akasagarbha. ... The Edo period ), also called Tokugawa period, is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868. ... <nowiki>Insert non-formatted text hereBold text</nowiki>A famine is a social and economic crisis that is commonly accompanied by widespread malnutrition, starvation, epidemic and increased mortality. ... In sociology and biology, infanticide is the practice of intentionally causing the death of an infant of a given species, by members of the same species - often by the mother. ... The Buddha in Kamakura (1252). ... There are many divisions and subdivisions of the schools of Buddhism. ... Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya Buddhist temples, monasteries, stupas, and pagodas sorted by location. ...

Christianity

Christian anti-abortion activists plant sign that reads, "God is pro-life".

Many early Christian writers condemned abortion. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1280 × 960 pixel, file size: 556 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1280 × 960 pixel, file size: 556 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ...

The Didache, which most scholars consider to be written in the latter 1st century A.D., comments on the commandment, "you shall do nothing to any man that you would not wish to be done to yourself," by saying: The Didache (, Koine Greek for Teaching[1]) is the common name of a brief early Christian treatise ( 70–160), containing instructions for Christian communities. ... The 1st century was that century that lasted from 1 to 100 according the Gregorian calendar. ... AD redirects here. ...

... Commit no murder, adultery, sodomy, fornication, or theft. Practise no magic, sorcery, abortion, or infanticide. ...

In the 2nd century, Athenagoras defended Christianity from accusations of practicing human sacrifice by writing in Legatio 35: The 2nd century is the period from 101 - 200 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era. ... Athenagoras has been the name of several notable Greek individuals: Athenagoras of Ephesus, a tyrant of Ephesus around the 6th century BC Athenagoras of Athens (circa 133-190), early Christian philosopher Patriarch Athenagoras (1886-1972), Patriarch of Constantinople from 1948 to 1972 Athenagoras is also the title of a 1682...

...What reason would we have to commit murder when we say that women who induce abortions are murderers, and will have to give account of it to God? For the same person would not regard the fetus in the womb as a living thing and therefore an object of God’s care [and then kill it]… But we are altogether consistent in our conduct. We obey reason and do not override it...

By the 3rd century, abortion was commonly listed among the crimes of men, and there are no extant or referenced texts attesting to any exceptions that would make abortion permissible. In the fourth century, Gregory of Nyssa wrote that Christians believe that there is one principle of life from embryo to adulthood (as opposed to two, as assumed in Roman law). In the same century, John Chrysostom denounced married men who encouraged their prostitutes to get abortions, saying, // Overview Events 212: Constitutio Antoniniana grants citizenship to all free Roman men 212-216: Baths of Caracalla 230-232: Sassanid dynasty of Persia launches a war to reconquer lost lands in the Roman east 235-284: Crisis of the Third Century shakes Roman Empire 250-538: Kofun era, the first... Gregory of Nyssa ( 335 – after 394) was a Christian bishop and saint. ... John Chrysostom (349– ca. ...

You do not let a harlot remain only a harlot, but make her a murderess as well.

Early Christians lived under a Roman legal code that permitted both abortion and infanticide. Given the generally ineffective or dangerous methods of abortion available at the time, unwanted children were sometimes carried to term by Roman women, and abandoned to die of exposure. Unlike infanticide, to which the early Christians reacted with intervention and contrary doctrine, some believe that it is less certain how the earliest Christians regarded abortion, though all the extant texts imply opposition to abortion. Despite the explicit condemnation of abortion and infanticide (separately mentioned in Didache), some argue that writings against infanticide are sometimes mistaken for anti-abortion teaching. Others believe that these works provide evidence that early Christians saw no difference in principle between abortion and infanticide. The four gospels offer no statements about abortion as such, and offer no new prohibitions. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... In sociology and biology, infanticide is the practice of intentionally causing the death of an infant of a given species, by members of the same species - often by the mother. ...

The Bible does not explicitly condemn abortion in any passage, and consequently passages that relate to pregnancy are often the result of debate among Christians. Exodus 21:22-23 is interpreted under Christian tradition as an unequivocal assertion that the child formed in the womb is a human being, because the Greek version of the Old Testament (Septuagint) translates in such a way as to distinctly state that a life is to be taken in the extreme case of a life lost (whereas the Hebrew only explicitly mentions a monetary compensation, if a premature birth is caused by unintentional violence — thus the Jewish view of the issue). The implication is that the fetus can be recognized for what it is, so that damage to it may be assessed. Speculations arose then, concerning whether the child should only be considered a human being after it has been "formed," which led to a diversity of views on the matter. In Deuteronomy 32:23-26, God describes how he will commit genocide against a specific nation. Persons of all ages and both sexes, from infants to old people, will be destroyed. Presumably, fetuses would also be killed during the genocide. But they are not considered sufficiently important to be mentioned. In 2 Kings 15:16, King Menahem rips open all of the pregnant women of Tipsah because they refuse to open the gates of the city; all of the women and fetuses likely died as a result. In Hosea 13:15-16, God claims he will have no mercy upon the people of Samaria because they changed their religious belief, and promises to rip open all of the pregnant women so as to destroy any fetuses, despite the fact that they would not have been involved in the selection of a new religion. The Septuagint: A column of uncial text from 1 Esdras in the Codex Vaticanus, the basis of Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brentons Greek edition and English translation. ...

Such passages of the Bible are not taken in a proof-text manner by Christian tradition (that is, they are applicable to the question, although they do not mention abortion), but as illustrations of a basic ethical principle of the created order — a unity of instruction, or "world-view." And this provides for a syllogism, which forms the basis of the modern Christian pro-life movement. Scripture condemns the shedding of innocent human blood. The biblical insight into the order of things is that man is distinct from, and above an animal; and man is uniquely subject to God, whereas animals are given to man; and an unborn child is human and known to God. Therefore, even an unborn child is protected by God, as made in the image of God because it is human (an issue distinct from all speculations of when life begins). This article is about the social movement. ...

Further, many Christians hold that God sanctifies every aspect of human life starting from conception. One example of this is Jesus being equally divine and human from conception, therefore showing humanity the very sacredness in each developmental stage of gestation. Jesus, according to Christian teaching, did not become divine or human at some later date but was so from the very moment of conception. Jesus' mother, Mary, is also used to refute some arguments that women may use to have an abortion: Mary was young, poor, Joseph considered leaving her, and they lived in a time of great oppression. Despite this, Mary had the baby. This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ...

For some, the view that life begins at conception is unresolved. In their view, ancient ethical reasoning is not given the same weight in all Christian traditions, with the result that old issues are revisited, as it were, for the first time. Secondly, they hold that modern science has provided a window to an embryo's beginnings at a microscopic level unenvisioned by tradition; so that, the more traditional view, which used life's beginning at quickening (when the embryo first began to move) as the starting point for reasoning, is not always perfectly applicable to a life beginning at conception. For example about 10% of all pregnancies end by natural miscarriage - in most cases earlier than pregnancy is detectable without modern technology. In their view, the ethical interest in these miscarriages, as reflected in laws for example, has never been on the same scale as interest in the unexplained death of a born person; all the more the case, if the expelled fetus cannot be seen without special equipment.

Others counter that the personhood of a fetus is not disproven by the fact that a significant percentage of fetuses die in utero, any more than a child is shown not to be a person by the fact that, absent modern medicine, a significant percentage of already born children die before reaching adulthood. Besides, the traditional view that personhood begins at quickening, rather than at conception, is a contrast between ancient technology and modern technology for recognizing a human child; consequently, the comparison does not indicate that the traditional opposition to abortion would have been different if informed by modern technology, and rather, has tended to solidify the conclusion that life begins at conception.

Roman Catholicism

Christian writers from the first-century author of the Didache, to the late Pope Paul VI in his Humanae Vitae, to Pope John Paul II in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae ("The Gospel of Life") have maintained that Christian scripture and tradition forbids abortion. Although the Roman Catholic Church has always considered abortion a grave offense, it has at times punished the offense differently depending on the stage of pregnancy in which the abortion was performed. For example, under Pope Gregory XIV excommunication was prescribed only for those aborting a "quickened" child. [5] "Quickened" refers to the stage of pregnancy in which the child can first be felt to move. Excommunication is a formal recognition of the reality that a person is no longer in communion with the Roman Catholic Church's teachings, and is no longer eligible to receive the sacraments. The person excommunicated can contritely confess the sin (material cooperation in an abortion) to his or her bishop and be received back into the Roman Catholic Church. This article cites very few or no references or sources. ... Humanae Vitae (Latin Of Human Life) is an encyclical written by Pope Paul VI and promulgated on July 25, 1968. ... Coat of Arms of Pope John Paul II. The Letter M is for Mary, the mother of Jesus, to whom he held strong devotion Pope John Paul II (Latin: , Italian: Giovanni Paolo II, Polish: Jan PaweÅ‚ II) born   []; 18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005) reigned as the 264th Pope of... Evangelium Vitæ (Latin: The Gospel of Life) is the name of the encyclical written by Pope John Paul II which expresses the official position of the Catholic Church regarding the value and inviolability of human life. ... Catholic Church redirects here. ... Pope Gregory XIV (February 11, 1535 â€“ October 16, 1591), born Niccolò Sfondrati, was Pope from December 5, 1590 â€“ October 16, 1591. ... Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community. ... In Christian belief and practice, a sacrament is a rite that mediates divine grace, constituting a sacred mystery. ...

The Roman Catholic Church today firmly holds that "the first right of the human person is his life" and that life is assumed to begin at fertilization. The equality of all human life is fundamental and complete, any discrimination is evil. Therefore, even when a woman's life appears jeopardized, choosing her life over her child's is no less discrimination between two lives - and therefore morally unacceptable. However, the Roman Catholic Church does make a clear distinction between direct abortion and indirect abortion. Direct abortion as a means or an end is always viewed as a moral evil. Indirect abortion occurs when treatment used to save the life of the mother has the secondary side effect of killing the unborn child. An example of indirect abortion is seen in cases of ectopic pregnancy where the fallopian tube would be removed with the unborn intact, saving the life of the woman, but resulting in the indirect death of the unborn. The Roman Catholic Church only recognizes very rare cases where indirect abortion is permissible and views the vast majority abortive procedures to be the result of procuring a direct abortion. [6] [7] The Fallopian tubes, also known as oviducts, uterine tubes, and salpinges (singular salpinx) are two very fine tubes leading from the ovaries of female mammals into the uterus. ...

Catholics who procure or participate in an abortion suffer ipso facto latae sententiae (automatic, literally by that very fact the sentence is incurred) excommunication under Canon law, provided that the person knows of the penalty at the time the abortion occurs. The Roman Catholic Church also considers the destruction of any embryo to be equivalent to abortion. The following practices are considered immoral because they are likely to involve the destruction of an embryo: any birth control method that potentially may prevent implanation (IUDs, Emergency contraception, Hormonal contraception, i.e. "The Pill"); embryonic stem cell research or therapy; and in vitro fertilisation (which almost always involves the discarding of a fertilized embryo and is also considered immoral for other reasons). Canon Law is the ecclesiastical law of the Roman Catholic Church. ... For other uses, see Birth control (disambiguation). ... This article is about non-hormonally-based intrauterine contraceptives. ... Wikinews has related news: FDA to move on approval of over-the-counter sale of Plan B birth control Emergency contraception (EC), or emergency postcoital contraception, refers to contraceptive measures that, if taken after sex, may prevent pregnancy. ... Hormonal contraception refers to birth control methods that act on the hormonal system. ... The Pill redirects here. ... Mouse embryonic stem cells with fluorescent marker. ... For the Inter-Varsity Fellowship, see Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship. ...

In summary, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that direct abortion is always a grave evil. The Second Vatican Council in 1965 referred to abortion as "an unspeakable crime" in the document Gaudium et Spes (Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World): The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, was one of the chief accomplishments of the Second Vatican Council. ...

"[F]rom the moment of its conception life must be guarded with the greatest care while abortion and infanticide are unspeakable crimes."

A conciliar Constitution is the most authoritative expression of Catholic faith that exists because they are only issued with the affirmation of a vast majority of all the bishops in the world in union with the pope. Roman Catholic leaders often explain that modern advancements in scientific and medical knowledge of DNA and pre-natal development have simply affirmed the Roman Catholic Church's understanding of the beginning of human life.

Vatican position on pro-choice politicians

On July 3, 2004 Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, then head of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, sent a six-point memorandum to Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick of Washington (representing the United States Council of Bishops), which laid out the Vatican's position on Catholic politicians who consistently promote legal abortion. Papal Arms of Pope Benedict XVI. The papal tiara was replaced with a bishops mitre, and pallium of the Pope was added beneath the coat of arms. ...

According to the memorandum, Catholic politicians who consistently campaign and vote for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws should be warned by their priest to refrain from taking communion or risk being denied the Eucharist until they change their political views. The memorandum also addresses Catholics who vote for pro-choice politicians. The Vatican's position on such individuals is that they also should be denied the Eucharist if abortion was their main criterion for choosing that candidate, but that voting for such a candidate was permissible, if other factors outweighed the politician's position on this one issue.^[11] This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Pope John Paul II endorsed this memorandum as the official policy of the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal Ratzinger was elected to succeed Pope John Paul II on April 19, 2005, becoming Pope Benedict XVI. On March 13, 2007 Pope Benedict XVI released the long-awaited document on Holy Communion, called Sacramentum Caritatis or the Sacrament of Love. The document reiterated the Pope's earlier positions on abortion and the culture of life. Coat of Arms of Pope John Paul II. The Letter M is for Mary, the mother of Jesus, to whom he held strong devotion Pope John Paul II (Latin: , Italian: Giovanni Paolo II, Polish: Jan PaweÅ‚ II) born   []; 18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005) reigned as the 264th Pope of...

Eastern Orthodox

Orthodox teachings on abortion are generally similar to Roman Catholic ones, stemming from a thousand years of common Church tradition. They agree that life begins at conception, and that abortion (including the use of abortifacient drugs) is the taking of a human life. This view is reflected in their observance of the Feast of the Annunciation, when Jesus was conceived, and also of the feast of the conception of the Virgin Mary and the feast of the conception of John the Forerunner. John the Baptist (also called John the Baptizer or John the Dipper) is regarded as a prophet by at least three religions: Christianity, Islam, and Mandaeanism. ...

The Basis of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church states that while abortion can never be seen as morally neutral, in some cases economy can be used:

In case of a direct threat to the life of a mother if her pregnancy continues, especially if she has other children, it is recommended to be lenient in the pastoral practice. The woman who interrupted pregnancy in this situation shall not be excluded from the Eucharistic communion with the Church provided that she has fulfilled the canon of Penance assigned by the priest who takes her confession. ^[12]

The document also acknowledges that abortions often are a result of poverty and helplessness and that the Church and society should "work out effective measures to protect motherhood."

Protestant

Protestant views on abortion vary considerably. However, the general consensus is that the use of birth control methods is not prohibited, except for "morning after pills" or other forms which are considered abortifacient, where the views are more divergent and are often based on the general view of abortion held by the group or person.^{[citation needed]} Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Wikinews has related news: FDA to move on approval of over-the-counter sale of Plan B birth control Emergency contraception (EC), or emergency postcoital contraception, refers to contraceptive measures that, if taken after sex, may prevent pregnancy. ...

There is no instrument by which a formal definition of doctrine can be declared for all Evangelical and fundamentalist movements and churches. Therefore, the teaching held in general by these groups must be discerned sociologically. Especially in the United States, the view is widely held that abortion is a form of infanticide. The groups are substantially united in the view that "abortion for convenience" (abortion where there is no mortal danger to the woman, or where the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest) is always wrong and should be banned. However, there is no consensus within these camps as to whether exceptions should be allowed when the woman's life is in mortal danger, or when the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest. Some argue that the lives of both woman and child should be given equal consideration, in effect condemning all abortion, including those performed to save the life of the woman. However, others argue for exceptions which favor the life of the woman, perhaps including pregnancies resulting from cases of rape or incest. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The word evangelicalism often refers to... Fundamentalism is a movement to maintain strict adherence to founding principles. ...

Increasingly, in recent elections since the 1970s, many Evangelical and fundamentalist churches have encouraged their congregations to vote based on the pro-life agenda, and preach that it is a religious duty to seek legislation restricting or eliminating access to abortion, and for laws requiring parental consent for minors and more complete disclosure of the risks involved.

The "mainline" Protestant churches continue to be divided over the issue. While generally tending to be reluctantly supportive of legal abortion in limited circumstances, most of the mainline denominations have factions of both the pro-life and the pro-choice movements active within them. As a result, the mainliners are usually not officially, institutionally aligned with either side of the debate. The Southern Baptist Convention is the notable exception, having reversed its prior 1970's position of being reluctantly in favor to its current position in substantial opposition (however, stances issued from the national level are not necessarily reflective of state and local associations or individual Baptist congregations). The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a United States-based Christian denomination that consists of numerous agencies including six seminaries, two mission boards and a variety of other organizations such as: the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, which can act for the SBC ad interim between annual meetings...

Anglicanism

Positions taken by Anglicans across the world are divergent although most would refrain from simplifying the debate into "Pro Choice" or "Pro Life" Camps. The Church of England, for example, shares the general opposition to abortion held by the Catholic Church. As the 1980 statement of the Board for Social Responsibility (BSR) put it: "'In the light of our conviction that the foetus has the right to live and develop as a member of the human family, we see abortion, the termination of that life by the act of man, as a great moral evil. We do not believe that the right to life, as a right pertaining to persons, admits of no exceptions whatever; but the right of the innocent to life admits surely of few exceptions indeed'."

The Episcopal Church in the United States of America has taken a pro-choice stand and has passed legislation at its triannual General Convention that supports woman's right to choose. The ECUSA provides ministry to both men and women suffering from post-abortion stress. The Episcopal Church does "express grave concern about use of partial birth abortion except in extreme situation" (GC '97). The church opposes any government action that limits a woman's right to choose this includes parental notification. This article is about the Episcopal Church in the United States. ... The General Convention of The Episcopal Church takes place every three years, and it the way legislation is passed in the Episcopal Church. ...

The ECUSA does condemn abortions for sex selection and also condemns violence against abortion clinics. Like most mainline Protestant denominations the Episcopalians allow the use of birth control.

Methodism

The United Methodist Church upholds the sanctity of unborn human life and condemns abortion as morally wrong except in cases where the well being of the mother's life is threatened.^[13] In light of grave circumstances, it believes in the right of the mother to choose whether to have an abortion and is thus often regarded as pro-choice.^[14] Nevertheless, many United Methodist clergy and laymen formally align themselves with the pro-life position.^[15] Symbol of Jain philosophy It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Inviolability. ... Issues of discussion Pro-choice describes the political and ethical view that a woman should have complete control over her fertility and pregnancy. ... Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ... In religious organizations , the laity comprises all lay persons, i. ... This article is about the social movement. ...

Mormonism

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints takes a strong position against abortion and hold that abortion is form of killing. Justifications for this stem from Doctrine and Covenants 59:6: "Thou shalt not...kill, nor do anything like unto it." For other uses, see Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (disambiguation). ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: The Doctrine and Covenants The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. ...

Several recent church publications contain the following statements: "Counsel on the matter is clear: Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must not submit to, perform, encourage, pay for, or arrange for an abortion. If you encourage an abortion in any way, you may be subject to Church discipline."

"Some exceptional circumstances may justify an abortion, such as when pregnancy is the result of incest or rape, when the life or health of the mother is judged by competent medical authority to be in serious jeopardy, or when the fetus is known by competent medical authority to have severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth. But even these circumstances do not automatically justify an abortion. Those who face such circumstances should consider abortion only after consulting with their local Church leaders and receiving a confirmation through earnest prayer." ^[16]

Hinduism

Hinduism teaches that abortion is a great crime and one of the worst sins. It is one of the six kinds of murder described in Hindu culture. Moreover, abortion thwarts a soul in its progress towards God, like any other act of violence. It teaches that a fetus is a living, conscious person deserving of protection. Hinduism has traditionally taught that a soul is reincarnated and enters the embryo at the time the embryo is conceived. In fact, one of the seven legendary immortals or Chiranjeevin in Hinduism, Ashwatthama, was cursed by Lord Krishna, avatar of Vishnu to immortality and eternal suffering partly for killing the fetus, later born as Parikshit, grandson of Arjuna when he was in his mother's womb. Parakashit was born stillborn but was raised from the dead by Shri Krishna. Chiranjeevins (Sanskrit nominative sing. ... This article is about the Hindu deity. ... Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari ), (honorific: Sri Vishnu) also known as Narayana is the Supreme Being (i. ... For other uses, please see Arjun. ...

However, some Hindus do have sex-selective abortions. They may be advised that a suitable penance, or atonement for the act, is to adopt and raise another child.^[17][18][19]

Islam

Muslim people generally disapprove of abortion, arguing that the right to terminate life rests with God alone. However, the prohibition against abortion depends from case to case. In the case where the woman's life is threatened by the pregnancy, Muslims jurists agree that abortion is allowed based on the principle that "the greater evil [mother's death] should be warded off by the lesser evil [abortion]." In these cases the physician is considered a better judge than the scholar.^[20] Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...

Respect for life

Respect for life and the significance of preserving life is an integral part of the Islamic faith. Thus, both the life of the mother and that of the fetus play an important role in defining Islam's position on abortion.^[21]

Muslim scholars differ on when life begins. The medieval scholar Al-Ghazali writes that life occurs "when semen is injected into the womb where it merges with the ovum and becomes predisposed to receive life."^[22] 120 days is often seen as the point at which a fetus becomes fully human. This has been described as an angel coming and "breathing life into the fetus." Before this time, the fetus lacks a human soul, and is considered on the same level as plants and animals. ^[23] Thus Hanafi, Shafi and Zaydi schools of thought reluctantly permit abortion, though they hold that it is still makruh (detested by God) without a good reason. Modern scholars now challenge the period of 120 days, suggesting that the fetus moves long before the mother feels the motion. This has led to the suggestion that abortion may be prohibited before 120 days.^[24] Although other scholars prefer to focus on the time of quickening ^{[citation needed]}, and others still consider the life of the woman to take precedence over the fetus throughout the pregnancy (although it is universally accepted that the later the term, the graver the sin and harder the abortion is to jusitfy). Abu Hāmed Mohammad ibn Mohammad al-Ghazzālī (1058-1111) (Persian: ), known as Algazel to the western medieval world, born and died in Tus, in the Khorasan province of Persia (modern day Iran). ... The Hanafi (Arabic حنفي) school is the oldest of the four schools of thought (Madhhabs) or jurisprudence (Fiqh) within Sunni Islam. ... Shafii is one of the four schools of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam. ... Zaiddiyah (also: Zaidi, Zaydi, or in the West Fivers) refers to a sect within Shia Islam. ...

On the issue of the life of the mother, Muslims universally agree that her life takes precedence over the life of the fetus. This is because the mother is considered the "original source of life," while the fetus is only "potential" life.^[25]

Social stability

Muslim jurists justify their positions on abortion with the argument of maintaining social stability. Some Muslim scholars argue that abortion undermines the family, the basic unit of society. Others are concerned that abortion may in the future become a means of forcibly limiting family sizes. The Chinese one-child policy is particularly cited by such ulema.^[26] Propaganda poster of Chinese birth control policy under the slogan Sweet Achievement. ...

Abortion is often seen in the Muslim world as a symptom of morally corrupt sexual behavior. Pregnancy, it is argued, provides a constraint on sexual activity. Maududi, a 20th century scholar argued that abortion, which terminates the fear of pregnancy, could lead to "illegitimate sex relations on a scale unprecedented in the history of our society."^[27]

Some Muslim scholars also argue in favor of abortion in early pregnancy if the newborn might be sick in some way that would make its care exceptionally difficult for the parents (eg. deformities, mental retardation, etc). Some scholars argue that abortion is allowed for important reasons on the first 40 days. Sheikh Nasr Farid Wasil extends this period to 120 days.^[28] Ikrima Sabri, the Grand Mufti of Palestine, gave a ruling that Muslim women raped by Serb men during the Kosovo War could take abortifacient medicine.^[29][30] A 2003 satellite image of the region. ... Serbs (in the Serbian language &#1057;&#1088;&#1073;&#1080;, Srbi) are a south Slavic people living chiefly in Serbia and Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. ... The term Kosovo War or Kosovo Conflict is often used to describe two sequential and at times parallel armed conflicts (a civil war followed by an international war) in the southern Serbian province called Kosovo (officially Kosovo and Metohia), part of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. ...

Judaism

In Judaism, views on abortion draw primarily upon the legal and ethical teachings of the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, the case-by-case decisions of responsa, and other rabbinic literature. In the modern period, moreover, Jewish thinking on abortion has responded both to liberal understandings of personal autonomy as well as Christian opposition to abortion.^[31] Generally speaking, traditionalist Jews firmly oppose abortion, with few health-related exceptions, and liberal Jews tend to allow greater latitude for abortion. 11th century manuscript of the Hebrew Bible with Targum Hebrew Bible is a term that refers to the common portions of the Jewish canon and the Christian canons. ... The Talmud (Hebrew: ) is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history. ... Note: This is based on an entry from the 1906 public domain Jewish Encyclopedia The responsa literature, known in Hebrew as Sheelot U-teshuvot (questions and answers), is the body of written decisions and rulings given by rabbis to questions addressed to them. ... Look up liberal on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Liberal may refer to: Politics: Liberalism American liberalism, a political trend in the USA Political progressivism, a political ideology that is for change, often associated with liberal movements Liberty, the condition of being free from control or restrictions Liberal Party, members of...

Abortion in the Jewish Bible

In Biblical literature, as interpreted in the Jewish tradition, there is no unambiguous position on abortion. On the one hand, the Bible is understood to exalt the preservation of human life as a paramount value. Homicide is denounced and forbidden, except in cases of rescue and self-defense (see rodef). On the other hand, the Biblical texts say little about the status or treatment of the embryo. Indeed, only one crucial Biblical law establishes a rule about the killing of an embryo. Specifically, Exodus 21:22-23 states: This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A rodef (Hebrew רודף, literally pursuer), in traditional Jewish law, is one who is pursuing another to murder him or her. ... This article is about the second book in the Torah. ...

When men fight, and one of them pushes a pregnant woman and a miscarriage results, but no other damage (ason) ensues, the one responsible shall be fined according as the woman's husband may exact from him, the payment to be based on reckoning. But if other damage (ason) ensues, the penalty shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

Under Jewish Biblical exegesis, this law forbids the killing of the embryo, but such killing is not deemed murder. Instead, the feticide is a form of damages subject to monetary compensation. Conversely, the killing of the mother -- the other damage (ason) -- could be a capital offense, murder.^[32] The sole act of deliberate aggression is the aforementioned quarrel. Overtly, then, the Biblical anecdote is not one of murder. (In Hellenistic Judaism, the verse from Exodus may have been interpreted differently. Notably, Philo apparently equates the killing of the embryo with murder, though Philo's position is somewhat ambivalent about the status of the fetus. Furthermore, the Septuagint translates the word ason, in the aforementioned verse, as a form. By reading the verse differently, the Septuagint applies the "life for life" clause to the death of the embryo, and thereby gave birth to the different road taken by early Christian exegetes.^[33]) Exegesis (from the Greek to lead out) involves an extensive and critical interpretation of an authoritative text, especially of a holy scripture, such as of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, the Talmud, the Midrash, the Quran, etc. ... Philo (20 BC - 50 AD), known also as Philo of Alexandria and as Philo Judaeus And as Yedidia, was a Hellenized Jewish philosopher born in Alexandria, Egypt. ... The Septuagint: A column of uncial text from 1 Esdras in the Codex Vaticanus, the basis of Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brentons Greek edition and English translation. ...

Early rabbinic Judaism

In mainstream rabbinic Judaism, the Biblical verse is one of several key texts that substantiate the later rabbinic prohibition on abortion, albeit not as murder. Owing partly to this verse, rabbinic law or halakhah sanctions abortion under some circumstances, namely for medical reason. In principle, Judaism does not regard the fetus as a full human being. While deliberately killing a day old baby is murder, according to the Mishnah, a fetus is not covered by this strict homicide rule.^[34] In reading of Biblical homicide laws, rabbinic sages argue that homicide concerns an animate human being (nefesh adam from Lev. 24:17) alone, not an embryo... because the embryo is not a person (lav nefesh hu).^[35] This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Halakha (&#1492;&#1500;&#1499;&#1492; in Hebrew or Halakhah, Halacha, Halachah) is the collective corpus of Jewish law, custom and tradition regulating all aspects of behavior. ...

A core text in rabbinic law crystallizes the status of the fetus. The Mishna explicitly indicates that one must abort a fetus if the continuation of pregnancy might imperil the life of the woman. The Mishnah (Hebrew &#1502;&#1513;&#1504;&#1492;, Repetition) is a major source of rabbinic Judaisms religious texts. ...

If a woman is in hard travail, one cuts up the offspring in her womb and brings it forth member by member, because her life comes before the life of her foetus. But if the greater part has proceeded forth, one may not set aside one person for the sake of saving another.^[36]

According to the text this can be done until the point of yatza rubo (יָצָא רֻבּוֹ), that "the greater part has proceeded forth"^[37]. Whether this refers to the elapsing of half of the gestation period (4 1/2 months) or literally to the emergence of the majority of the baby during childbirth is disputed by commentators. Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. ...

In Talmudic law, an embryo is not deemed a fully viable person (bar kayyama), but rather a being of "doubtful viability" (Niddah 44b). Hence, for instance, Jewish mourning rites do not apply to an unborn child. The status of the embryo is also indicated by its treatment as "an appendage of its mother" (ubar yerekh 'imo Hullin 58a) for such matters as ownership, maternal conversion and purity law.^[38] In even more evocative language, the Talmud states in a passage on priestly rules that the fetus "is considered to be mere water" until its 40th day.^[39] Margaret of Spain, Empress of Austria, in Mourning, 1666; note the children and servants in mourning dress behind her. ... ...

Later authorities have differed as to how far one might go in defining the peril to the woman in order to justify abortion, and at what stage of gestation a fetus is considered having a soul, at which point one life cannot take precedence over another. Abortion, when necessary, must take place before the first 40 days, when the fetus is referred to as "mere water."^[40]

Medieval and pre-Modern Judaism

After the Talmudic period, Jewish views on abortion become more refined, and diverse, as rabbinic literature expanded and Jewish philosophy developed. Maimonides, notably, justified the prohibition on abortion not because the fetus is less than a nefesh (human being), as the Talmud held, but rather through the principle of the rodef or pursuer. Schiff argues that the Maimonidean view is "unprecedented" and "without doubt, this hitherto unexpressed insight had dramatic potential ramifications for the parameters of permissible abortion." ^[41] Rabbinic literature, in the broadest sense, can mean the entire spectrum of Judaisms rabbinic writing/s throughout history. ... Jewish philosophy refers to the conjunction between serious study of philosophy and Jewish theology. ... Commonly used image indicating one artists conception of Maimonidess appearance Maimonides (March 30, 1135 or 1138–December 13, 1204) was a Jewish rabbi, physician, and philosopher in Spain, Morocco and Egypt during the Middle Ages. ... A rodef (Hebrew רודף, literally pursuer), in traditional Jewish law, is one who is pursuing another to murder him or her. ...

Another reason to prohibit abortion is found in the Talmudic commentaries known as the Tosafot. The Tosafot argued that abortion is forbidden to Jews because it is forbidden to non-Jews under the Noahide laws. "A gentile is culpable for the death of a fetus, while a Jew is forbidden to cause its death but is not culpable." ^[42] Here the Tosafot follow the logic that Jews are not permitted actions that are forbidden to gentiles, though the (theoretical) punishment for violations would apply only to gentiles.^[43] Relying on such reciprocal logic, the Tosafot also hold that, since Jews are permitted therapeutic abortions for the sake of maternal life, then Noahide law likewise allows non-Jews to undergo therapeutic abortion. Given this near parity, rabbinic law prohibits Jews from assisting gentiles with forbidden abortions, for which the gentiles would be culpable of murder.^[44] Viewing Noahide law as a universalizing ethics, Sinclair states: "it is evident that the halakhah in the area of foeticide is shaped by a combination of legal doctrine and moral principle."^[45] However, the Tosafot text that applies Noahide law to forbid abortion does not go unchallenged. As Feldman points out (p.262), another contradictory Tosafot (Niddah 44b) apparently permits foeticide. Tosafists were medieval rabbis who collected commentaries on the Talmud, and appear in virtually every edition since it was first printed. ... The Rainbow is the modern symbol of the Noahide Movement reminiscing the rainbow that appeared after the Great Flood of the Bible. ... Tosafists were medieval rabbis who collected commentaries on the Talmud, and appear in virtually every edition since it was first printed. ...

Scholars of Talmudic and Medieval rabbinic law draw a sharp contrast between the theologies behind Jewish and Catholic opposition to abortion. After favorably reviewing Christian opposition to abortion, Immanuel Jakobovits writes in Jewish Medical Ethics: "In Jewish law, the right to destroy a human fruit before birth is entirely unrelated to theological considerations. Neither the question of the entry of the soul before birth nor the claim to salvation after death have any practical bearing on the subject." Although halakhic regulations works strenuously to protect the unborn child, he says that "none of these regulations necessarily prove that the foetus enjoys human inviolability." In contrast to the neo-Platonic and Christian approach, moreover, Talmudic thought does not "make any legal distinction between formed and unformed foetuses."^[46] Feldman, likewise, is emphatically comparative, saying: "... while Christianity's position on abortion has raised the moral level of western civilization in this regard and has succeeded in sensitizing humanity to a greater reverence for life, it is obviously comprised, at the same time, of theological postulates which the Jewish community can not share." Feldman also points out that Talmudic debate over whether the soul achieves immortality upon conception, or at a far later stage, has little bearing halakhic protections for the fetus because, absent a doctrine of original sin, "abortion would not interfere with the immortal rights or destiny of the foetus."^[47] Immanuel Jakobovits, Baron Jakobovits, KBE (8 February 1921–31 October 1999) was the Orthodox Judaism Chief Rabbi of Great Britain and the Commonwealth from 1967 to 1991. ... “Original Sin” redirects here. ...

In the standard code of Jewish law, the Shulchan Aruch, therapeutic abortion is permitted. A key commentator, R. Joshua Falk, explains that abortion does not trade off one life for another life because the embryo is "not a person" prior to birth.^[48] An ordinary abortion is a violation of civil or monetary law alone, not criminal law, as emphasized by R. Ezekiel Landau among others^[49] The Shulkhan Arukh (Hebrew: Prepared Table), by Rabbi Yosef Karo is considered the most authoritative compilation of Jewish law since the Talmud. ... Rabbi Joshua Falk (ben Alexander HaCohen Katz, 1555 - 1614) was a Halakhist and Talmudist, best known as the author of the Beit Yisrael commentary on the Arbaah Turim as well as Sefer Meirat Enayim on Shulkhan Arukh. ... Rabbi Yechezkel ben Yehuda Landau (8 October 1713-29 April 1793) was an influential 18th century authority in halakha (Jewish law). ...

In a key responsum, R. Yair Bachrach is asked whether to approve an abortion for a mother with an illegitimate embryo. R. Bachrach distinguishes early stage from later stage abortions. His reasoning is based on a Talmudic commentary to the effect that Sabbath laws may be violated for a fetus, but only for a later-stage embryo.^[50] Several authorities say that Jewish law is less strict for terminating embryos before 40 days.^[51] He also concludes that the embryo may be treated as a pursuer rodef, as Maimonides as opined, though simultaneously he upholds Rashi's view of the reduced status of the fetus.^[52] Bachrach then offers a novel rationale for denying the requested abortion. He argues the abortion, like certain forms of contraception, frustrates the mitzvah of reproduction and destroys the "seed" needed to be "fruitful and multiply."^[53] Mamzer (Hebrew: ממזר) in Halakha (Jewish religious law) is a person born of certain illegitimate relationships between two Jews. ... This article is about commandments in Judaism. ...

With the emergence of modern Jewish identity in the late 18th century, Jewish views on abortion have bifurcated along movement lines, especially between Orthodox Judaism and its more liberal counter-parts. By the 20th century, liberal-minded Jews were among those most active in the pro-choice movement. These reproductive rights activists included Betty Friedan, Bernard Nathanson. In the U.S., a few politically-conservative Republican Jews also have been pro-choice, such as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. A few Jewish groups concentrate on abortion issues, both pro-life and pro-choice.^[54] Look up Identity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Separate articles treat Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Orthodox Judaism. ... Issues of discussion Pro-choice describes the political and ethical view that a woman should have complete control over her fertility and pregnancy. ... Reproductive rights (also Procreative liberty) refers to human rights in areas of sexual reproduction, including the rights to reproduce (such as opposition to forced sterilization) as well as rights not to reproduce (such as support for access to birth control and abortion), the right to privacy, medical coverage, right to... Betty Friedan, 1960 Betty Friedan (February 4, 1921 – February 4, 2006) was an American feminist, activist and writer, best known for starting what is commonly known as the Second Wave of feminism through the writing of her book The Feminine Mystique. ... Bernard Nathanson (born 31 July 1926 in New York) is a medical doctor and pro-life activist from New York. ... Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born 14 February 1942) is an American businessman, founder of Bloomberg L.P., and the current Mayor of New York City. ...

Orthodox Judaism

Due to the diversity within Orthodox Judaism, there are a range of halakhic opinions about abortion, though they generally prohibit abortion except in quite limited circumstances. In particular, abortion would be mandatory to save the woman's life. In 2001, Jewish ethicist Daniel Eisenberg summarized the typical exceptions permitted by some authorities: "Judaism recognizes psychiatric as well as physical factors in evaluating the potential threat that the fetus poses to the mother. However, the danger posed by the fetus (whether physical or emotional) must be both probable and substantial to justify abortion. The degree of mental illness which must be present to justify termination of a pregnancy is not well established and therefore criteria for permitting abortion in such instances remain controversial."^[55] Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonised in the Talmudic texts (Oral Torah) and as subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and Acharonim. ... Halakha (&#1492;&#1500;&#1499;&#1492; in Hebrew or Halakhah, Halacha, Halachah) is the collective corpus of Jewish law, custom and tradition regulating all aspects of behavior. ...

Orthodox law decisors (poskim) generally forbid abortion to prevent the birth of a severely defective fetus.^[56] Posek &#1508;&#1493;&#1505;&#1511; (Hebrew; pl. ...

Nonetheless, on scattered occasions, rabbinic authorities have issued more lenient rulings on abortion. Notably, a recent rabbinical authority holds the minority view that a child with known Tay-Sachs disease may be aborted due to its dismal prognosis. As Eisenberg notes, "Rabbi (Eliezer) Waldenberg allows first trimester abortion of a fetus which would be born with a deformity that would cause it to suffer, and termination of a fetus with a lethal fetal defect such as Tay Sachs up to the end of the second trimester of gestation."^[57] Posek (Hebrew פוסק, IPA: , pl. ... Tay-Sachs disease (abbreviated TSD, also known as GM2 gangliosidosis, Hexosaminidase A deficiency or Sphingolipidosis) is a genetic disorder, fatal in its most common variant known as Infantile Tay-Sachs disease. ... Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Waldenberg (b. ...

Among Orthodox Jews, abortion has re-emerged as a controversial topic due to the debate over stem cell research. In general, Orthodox Jewish medical ethics tends to favor medical research. Some interest has been articulated to support stem cell research and, in so doing, demonstrate Jewish law's leniency toward abortion of "pre-embryo" cells. Thus, Eisenberg emphasizes that "Rabbi Yechiel Weinberg (author of the Responsa Seridei Aish), clearly held that there is no prohibition of abortion before forty days according to Rabbi Trani's opinion since there is no 'limb' to injure prior to formation of a recognizable fetus at forty days. Rabbi Weinberg himself at first permitted abortion prior to forty days, but later reconsidered his position."^[58] In writings on stem cell research, Rabbi Moshe Dovid Tendler has supported the use of pre-embryonic cells, whereas Rabbi J. David Bleich has opposed destruction of stem cells.^[59] Mouse embryonic stem cells. ... Rabbi Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg (1878-1966) was a noted European Rabbi, Posek (decisor) and Rosh Yeshiva. ... Joseph Trani or Joseph di Trani (the Elder) was a Talmudist of the latter part of the 16th century who lived in Greece. ... Mouse embryonic stem cells. ... Rabbi Dr. Moshe Tendler Rabbi Dr. Moshe David (Dovid) Tendler is the rabbi of The Community Synagogue of Monsey. ... Rabbi Dr. J. (Judah) David Bleich (pronounced Blikhe) is an authority on Jewish law and ethics and bioethics. ...

Conservative Judaism

The Rabbinical Assembly Committee on Jewish Law and Standards takes the view that an abortion is justifiable if a continuation of pregnancy might cause the woman severe physical or psychological harm, or when the fetus is judged by competent medical opinion as severely defective. The fetus is a life in the process of development, and the decision to abort should never be taken lightly. Thus, the Conservative position is in line with some of the Acharonim who permit an abortion in case of acute potential emotional and psychological harm. Originally set up as the alumni association of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTS), the Rabbinical Assembly (RA) is the official, international body of Conservative rabbis, with some 1400 members. ... This article is about Conservative (Masorti) Judaism in the United States. ...

Before reaching her final decision, Conservative Judaism holds that the woman should consult with the biological father, other members of her family, her physician, her Rabbi and any other person who can help her in assessing the many grave legal and moral issues involved. For the town in Italy, see Rabbi, Italy. ...

Reform Judaism

Reform Judaism permits abortion, not only when the woman's life is at stake, but also when a pregnancy is "a result of rape or incest; when through genetic testing, it is determined that the child to be born will have a disease that will cause death or severe disability, and the parents believe that the impending birth will be an impossible situation for them," and for several other reasons.[8]. More generally, the "Reform perspective on abortion can be described as follows: Abortion is an extremely difficult choice faced by a woman. In all circumstances, it should be her decision whether or not to terminate a pregnancy, backed up by those whom she trusts (physician, therapist, partner, etc.). This decision should not be taken lightly (abortion should never be used for birth control purposes) and can have life-long ramifications. However, any decision should be left up to the woman within whose body the fetus is growing."[9]

Sikhism

Although the Sikh code of conduct does not deal directly with abortion (or indeed many other bioethical issues), it is generally forbidden in Sikhism because it interferes in the creative work of God. In Sikhism, it is accepted that life begins at conception (see page 74 of the Guru Granth Sahib). Conception having taken place, it would be a sin to destroy (abort) life.

Despite this theoretical viewpoint, abortion is not uncommon among the Sikh community in India,^[60] and there is concern that the practice of aborting female embryos because of a cultural preference for sons is growing.

See also

• Abortion
• Abortion debate
• Abortion Law
• Religious views on birth control
• List of religions

Issues of discussion The abortion debate refers to discussion and controversy surrounding the moral and legal status of abortion. ... International status of abortion law  Legal on request  Legal for rape, maternal life, health, mental health, socioecomic factors, and/or fetal defects  Legal for or illegal with exception for rape, maternal life, health, fetal defects, and/or mental health  Illegal with exception for rape, maternal life, health, and/or mental... Religious adherents vary widely in their views on birth control. ... The following is a list of religions. ...

Notes

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Abu Hāmed Mohammad ibn Mohammad al-Ghazzālī (1058-1111) (Persian: ), known as Algazel to the western medieval world, born and died in Tus, in the Khorasan province of Persia (modern day Iran). ... Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi (alternative spelling Syed; often referred to Maulana Maududi) was one of the most influential Muslim theologians of the 20th century and the founder of Jamaat-e-Islami (Islamic Party), an Islamist political party in Pakistan. ... Khurshīd Ahmad (Urdu: خورشید احمد, also known as Professor Khurshid) (March 23, 1932 in Delhi - ) is a scholar, economist, writer, and Islamic activist. ... Oholot (אוהלות, literally Tents) is the second tractate of the Order of Tohorot in the Mishnah. ... The Talmud (Hebrew: ) is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history. ... Nashim (Women or Wives) is the third order of the Mishnah (also of the Tosefta and Talmud), containing the laws related to women and family life. ... Joseph Trani or Joseph di Trani (the Elder) was a Talmudist of the latter part of the 16th century who lived in Greece. ... The Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), founded in 1889, is the principal organization of Reform Jewish rabbis in the United States. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Solomon Bennett Freehof (August 8, 1892 - 1990) was a prominent Reform rabbi, posek, and scholar. ... The Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), founded in 1889, is the principal organization of Reform Jewish rabbis in the United States. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), founded in 1889, is the principal organization of Reform Jewish rabbis in the United States. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) was founded in 1967 as the Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion and then later as the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights (RCAR). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 74th day of the year (75th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Book of Discipline constitutes the law and doctrine of the United Methodist Church[1]. It follows similar works for its predecessor denominations. ...

References

• Brockopp, Jonathan E.; Bowen, Donna Lee; Chaim, Vardit Rispler (2003). Islamic Ethics of Life. Columbia: University of South California Press. ISBN 1-57003-471-0. 

Jewish sources

• Bleich, J. David. "Abortion in halakhic literature" in Contemporary halakhic problems. KTAV, 1977
• Eisenberg, Daniel, M.D. "Stem Cell Research in Jewish Law" 2001. Published at Jlaw.com with note that "This article was reviewed for halachic accuracy by Rabbi Sholom Kaminetsky of the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia."
• David Feldman. 1974. Marital Relations, Birth Control, and Abortion in Jewish Law. New York: Schocken Books.
• Jakobovits, Immanuel. 1959. Jewish Medical Ethics. New York: Bloch Publishing.
• Mackler, Aaron L., ed. 2000. Life & Death Responsibilities in Jewish Biomedical Ethics. JTS.
• Rosner, Fred. 1986. Modern Medicine and Jewish Ethics. New York: Yeshiva University Press.
• Schiff, Daniel. Abortion in Judaism. 2002. Cambridge University Press.
• Sinclair, Daniel. Jewish biomedical law. Oxford

Rabbi Dr. J. (Judah) David Bleich (pronounced Blikhe) is an authority on Jewish law and ethics and bioethics. ... David Feldman is the name of two American writers: David Feldman, the comedy writer David Feldman, the author of the Imponderables series This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ... Immanuel Jakobovits, Baron Jakobovits, KBE (8 February 1921–31 October 1999) was the Orthodox Judaism Chief Rabbi of Great Britain and the Commonwealth from 1967 to 1991. ... Daniel Sinclair is a scholar of Jewish law (Halakhah) who specializes in contemporary Jewish medical ethics. ...

External links

• the BBC's Ethics:Abortion page

Religious organizations which oppose abortion

• Baptists for Life
• CEC For Life: International Communion of Charismatic Epsicopal Church
• Embryo USA (Muslims for Life)
• Evangelicals for Social Action
• Hindu Perspective for Life
• Jews for Life
• Libertarians for Life
• Lutherans for Life
• National Black Catholic Apostolate for Life
• National Organization of Epsicopals for Life
• National Pro-Life Religious Council
• Orthodox Christians for Life
• Pagans for Life
• Presbyterians for Life
• Priests for Life
• The Rosicrucian Fellowship
• The Taskforce of United Methodists on Abortion and Sexuality
• US Catholic Bishops ProLife
• Abort73
• Life Dynamics
• Operation Rescue
• ProLife.com
• Side-Walk Counseling
• Voices Heard
• Option Line

Religious articles opposing abortion

• How We Respect Life is the Over-Riding Moral Issue by Rev. Jessie Jackson (1977)
• Abortion: The Left has Betrayed the Sanctity of Life by Mary Meehan (1980)
• What Does the Bible Say About Abortion? by Jim Rudd of Covenant News
• What Early Christians Believed About Abortion by The Interactive Bible
• Abortion: Does it Really Matter? by James Sterling of Grace-Centered Magazine
• Christian Perspectives on Abortion by the Christian Evidence Society

Religious groups supporting legal abortion

Some religious groups support legal abortion. However, this support is often tempered by conditions, such as that abortion should not be used as a method of birth control, for sex selection, for population control, or to provide fetal tissue for transplantation.^{[61][62][63][64][65]} For other uses, see Birth control (disambiguation). ... Parents frequently prefer their offspring to be of a particular sex for a variety of reasons. ... Population control is the practice of limiting population increase, usually by reducing the birth rate. ... For other uses, see Fetus (disambiguation). ... An organ transplant is the transplantation of an organ (or part of one) from one body to another, for the purpose of replacing the recipients damaged or failing organ with a working one from the donor. ...

Some organizations support legal abortion only in limited situations such as rape, incest, or cases in which continued pregnancy may jeopardize the life or health (physical or mental) of the woman. Furthermore, these religious groups all oppose forced abortion. Incest is defined as sexual intercourse between closely related persons. ...

Here is a partial list of religious groups that support legal abortion.

• American Ethical Union
• American Friends (Quaker) Service Committee
• American Humanist Association
• American Jewish Committee
• Catholics for a Free Choice
• Central Conference of American Rabbis
• Community of Christ
• Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
• Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
• Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
• Moravian Church in America-Northern Province
• Na'Amat USA
• National Council of Jewish Women
• North American Federation of Temple Youth
• Presbyterian Church (USA)
• Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
• Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice of Massachusetts
• Spiritual Youth for Reproductive Freedom
• Summary of Sacred Choices
• The Union for Reform Judaism
• The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
• United Church of Christ
• Unitarian Universalist Association
• Women of Reform Judaism
• Women's American ORT
• United Methodist Church