subject: Abortion Case Study - A Theological Perspective [print this page] Abortion Case Study - A Theological Perspective
In consideration of the young girl's circumstances and the probably adverse consequences that pregnancy will have upon her, abortion may temporarily pose as the most effective and realistic of the options available. There is little, if any, doubt that the young girl is unprepared for motherhood, that her family's economic circumstances may conspire against her ability to afford her child a decent livelihood and that communal attitudes towards the young girl, tending towards the critical because of her age, her unmarried status and pregnancy, implying sexual promiscuity and irresponsibility, may compound her miseries. Indeed, within the context of the stated considerations and circumstances, abortion assumes the form of a temptingly practical course. Be that as it may, however, there is simply no circumventing the fact that abortion is both murder and an outright defiance of God's will. It must, thus, be completely disregarded as a possible option.
The starting point for any consideration of abortion as a solution to a problematic and unwanted pregnancy must be the acknowledgement of God as both the giver and the taker of life. None can, and none should attempt to usurp this role. Indeed, as Bonhoeffer wrote,
Destruction of the embryo in the mother's womb is a violation of the right to live which God has bestowed upon this nascent life. To raise the question whether we are here concerned already with a human being or not is merely to confuse the issue. The simple fact is that God certainly intended to create a human being and that this nascent human being has been deliberately deprived of his life. And that is nothing but murder.
As a pastor, however, and as briefly touched upon in the preceding, it need be acknowledge that the young girl must be going through a period of guilt, compounded with despair. These two are probably at the heart of her evident, although unexpressed, partiality towards abortion as a solution. Her poverty, her apparent helplessness and her definite unpreparedness for motherhood must all touch upon a pastor and add to his concerns. Indeed, considering, as had Bonhoeffer, that the transgressions of the poor are often more easily exposed than those of the rich although they may be temporary lapses in judgement, rather than an attitude towards life and faith,there seems to be something inherently unfair in the young girl's circumstances. Had she or her family been in a position to afford the pregnancy and the child, her situation may not be as problematic as it currently is. This is a fact that I cannot ignore and which I should express sympathetic understanding of.
Sympathies and personal sentiments aside, however, theological doctrine cannot be altered or tailored to suit our immediate purposes but need be consistently applied and adhered to, irrespective of circumstances.
Theological doctrine asserts the right to life. As Bonhoeffer affirms, "God gives before He demands."The implication is clear: the right to life predominates over, and precedes the responsibilities of life. The foetus has a right to life and the responsibilities associate with that life are, although of critically important concern, secondary to the affirmed right. Accordingly, rather than be influenced by the economic and social considerations and concerns that the foetus, as a life, will bring with him/her, the primary influence, and the determinant of any decision made with respect to this case, should be the right to life.
The right to life, the value of life, is an integral part of Christian theological doctrine and is affirmed through Soteriology, Christ's Physical Resurrection, and Ecclesiastology. The salvic purpose of Christ's death is an affirmation of life and the right to life; the Christ's Physical Resurrection is a testament to the eternal nature of life, on the one hand, and to the value which Christianity places on bodily life; the teachings of the Church, those being the teaching of Jesus Christ and, the Church's mission, that being the affirmation of Christ's teachings and the purposes of his life, death and resurrection, all lead towards one undeniable conclusion: life is to be respected. The implication here is that even though a pastor may sympathise with the circumstances of individual parishioners and recognise the difficulties which a pregnancy may entail, the pastor must, as did Bonhoeffer, consider all of the stated doctrines when formulating his advice and expressing guidance.
While the right to life precedes all considerations, the responsibilities of life need also be considered. The young girl effectively ignored the stated responsibilities and, thus, acted irresponsibly with her body, with her own life and with the life that she carries. There is a natural order of events and this order maintains that marriage, which constitutes a divine mandate, should precede the bearing of children.Nevertheless, even in cases where the natural order is violated and pregnancy both precedes marriage and is unprepared for, the responsibilities of life must be respected and upheld. Indeed, even in situations where the mother's life may be threatened by both the pregnancy and the childbirth, the responsibilities of life are such that they dictate submission to the will of God, on the one hand, and an acknowledgement of life as a gift, on the other.The implication here is that the responsibilities of life dictate that, even in the direst of circumstances, acceptance of God's will is mandatory; the care for the life He gives is an unquestioned duty; and the preservation of life is an incontrovertible responsibility.
Proceeding from the above stated, abortion is simply not an option. It is, as a matter of fact, an arbitrary taking of life which, as far as Bonhoeffer was concerns, comprises an ultimate sin. It is the random taking away of life and, Christian theology maintains that all life is worth living and that no human has the right to decide otherwise.This line of reasoning, strictly guided by Christian doctrine, dismisses abortion as a viable or valid option but identifies adoption as a legitimate alternative. This, in essence, is the advice I would give; advice which was arrived at and guided by the teachings of Christ.
Bibliography
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Ethics. New York: Macmillan, 1965.
Dumas, Andre. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Theologian of Reality. New York: Macmillan, 1971.
Peck, William J. New Studies in Bonhoeffer's Ethics. NY: Edwin Mellen, 1987.
