By Kathleen Sweeney
An important ecumenical gathering of pastors, theologians, and pro-life leaders at Truro Episcopal Church in Fairfax, Virginia, offered important insights into the theological and practical task of building a pastoral ministry that honors and encourages respect for human life. The October 21-23 conference, Building a Ministry for Life, was sponsored by the National Pro-Life Religious Council (NPRC), a coalition of Protestant and Catholic pro-life groups. It was the first pastors' conference on life issues sponsored by NPRC.
An ebullient Rev. Ben Sheldon, NPRC's executive director, told NRL News that he was deeply gratified "both the quality and depth of the presenters, as well as the broad representation we had from the several denominations. We believe this is the beginning of a re-awakening among many denominational clergy regarding the vital importance of re-thinking the whole issue of abortion as well as euthanasia." Rev. Sheldon added, "The National Pro-Life Religious Council stands ready to help both clergy and denominations rediscover and reaffirm the historic Biblical stand regarding the sacred value of all human life."
One crucial underlying problem the conference considered was the continued hesitance of some Christian pastors to preach on abortion and euthanasia, and to provide active ministering to women and families in need of spiritual direction in these areas. Another critical question was how to counter the scientific community's pressure to carry on destructive research using human embryos. Countering this pressure requires articulating a theologically informed understanding of the ethical considerations based on respect for the right to life of every human individual.
Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, president of the Institute on Religion and Public Life, pointed out that if Christians do not actively challenge the direction in which scientific/technological advances are going, many such efforts will proceed with a "why not?" attitude. The culture of life needs to be at the forefront of any critique, he said, bearing witness persuasively to our moral obligation to protect each individual human life from conception to natural death.
"Ideas do have consequences," Fr. Neuhaus stressed. "We have to get our ideas straight." He also noted that how people stand on abortion and euthanasia are leading indications of where they are on a host of other questions facing our society. If you cannot say it is the desire of God to oppose the killing of innocent human life, you cannot move onto other questions.
"Evangelium Vitae ("The Gospel of Life," Pope John Paul's encyclical) - - this is the gospel. Life is God's creation," Fr. Neuhaus said.
Dr. Elizabeth Achtemeier, Presbyterian theologian and seminary professor for many years, identified an underlying issue in the abortion debate as the need to recognize "we are not our own," but belong to our loving Creator.
Pastor Leonard Klein, senior pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in York, Pennsylvania, recalled that the mainline Protestant churches had clear statements that abortion is wrong prior to the mid-1960s. He discussed why and how many mainline Protestant churches fell into pro-abortion positions.
Pastor Klein urged pastors to make children important, in order to oppose the notion that they are a burden and teach that they are God's great gift.
Dr. Richard Land, president/CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, offered practical advice on how to effectively preach the gospel of life. Dr. Land also addressed a frequently raised question: Can we "legislate morality"? The biblical answer to this question, he said, is in Romans 13, which describes the governing authority's role in punishing those who do evil and rewarding those who do good.
"If we take away the role of government to make moral decisions," Dr. Land pointed out, "we take away the reason God created government to start with." Clearly, the United States legislated that slavery is wrong and that racial discrimination is wrong. Law does change things.
The South was the most segregated area in the past. The law changed, and now it is the most integrated. These changes give us great hope, Dr. Land said.
Dr. John Kilner, director of the Center of Bioethics and Human Dignity, exposed the fallacies in the utilitarian philosophy and the "reproductive freedom" rationales.
Dr. Kilner stressed how important it was that ethics get out in front of commercial interests and not wait until after a decision is made, as happened with Roe v. Wade.
The great need to minister to women who have had abortions was explored by Dr. David Reardon, director of the Elliot Institute and a specialist in post-abortion syndrome. There are at least 25 million women in our country who have had abortions, Dr. Reardon stated. Since there are fathers involved as well, the immediate circle of secondary victims totals 50 million men and women - - and this does not even include the family members who are also affected by the death of an unborn child.
He said surveys show that up to 70% of women going into abortion clinics believe what they are about to do is wrong; they are making a choice that goes against their conscience. Not surprisingly, denial, submerged guilt, shame, self-blame, fear, defensiveness, resentment, anger, and rage are the emotional and spiritual realities in the lives of many post-abortive women.
Churches need to open the floodgates, to invite women to seek help. Reardon pointed out that abortion has a dramatic effect on women's spirituality. Pastors need to tell the whole congregation how important it is to love the women who also have been maimed by abortion.
Olivia Gans, director of American Victims of Abortion, offered a moving testimony about the healing process after her abortion. She said there is a long-term spiritual journey needed.
The topic of spiritual direction for this healing process was elaborated on by Fr. Marcus Pollard, associate pastor at St. Louis Catholic Church in Alexandria, Virginia, who first heard Miss Gans speak on this topic at his seminary several years ago. He described the different stages of counseling involved and the spiritual depth that can be part of helping to make people whole again.
The cosmic aspects of the spiritual struggle between the culture of life and the culture of death was the subject of the concluding reflections presented by Dr. Carl Braaten, executive director of the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology and co-editor of the journal ProEcclesia.
We are contending not just against flesh and blood but against the spirit of darkness, he told his audience. Spiritual discernment is needed.
Asked about the conference, National Right to Life Committee's Director of Religious Outreach, Ernest Ohlhoff, remarked, "The diverse religious traditions represented at the conference indicate the critical importance of the life issues facing the churches today and their willingness to join together to protect life."
Editor's note: For those interested in the full text of these talks, a set of tapes is being made available through: Make It Happen, 9923 Natick Rd., Burke, VA 22015. Phone:(703) 978-2948