How Can Abortion Be Biblically Defended?

[Silverback]

I believe that abortion is definitely wrong. However, I have wondered at what should be done in the situation where a child was pregnant and their pregnancy would be extremely likely to put their life at risk. In a perfect world this would never happen, but unfortunately we live in a world where tragic things could happen, so I think we should be prepared for these kinds of scenarios. I would hope that there could be some way medically other than abortion to preserve the child's life, but if not, what should be done?

It is not that I think abortion in ANY scenario - even in a scenario where a young child's life is at risk - is a good thing at all, but would the life of a newborn baby be worth the death of a young child (though I think that the death of the fetus would also be tragic)?

I do not think that an adult mother's life being at risk due to pregnancy justifies abortion, however I think if one were in such a situation it might be much more difficult emotionally and/or to process than if one were just hypothetically imagining the situation. Also, women in this scenario may not necessarily be Christian which could make the issue a bit more difficult. I am not sure but I think nowadays it is rare that pregnancy would definitely result in a mother's death even with medical treatment.

Though I understand that some situations may be much more traumatic and/or difficult than others, I believe abortion can never be justified in any other scenario, such as rape, likelihood of babies being born with serious deformity or life-threatening complications, or limited resources to care for the newborn baby. I think that ideally there should be community support provided for mothers and babies in difficult situations, and I believe that the needs of mothers in traumatic situations (e.g. rape, teenagers or children giving birth) must be attended to and not neglected.

I believe that God can work miracles and preserve the life of the mother and/or baby against all medical odds if He wills.

I will get some pushback on this, but there are very, very few things that will put a woman's life at risk by carrying a child. There are things that may require managment, and perhaps a C-Section at time of delivery. In all honesty, the mental health side of the argument seems to have the most validity (if there is any) than a physical reasons.

I have seen a lot of deliveries, however "we have to do an abortion right now, or, your wife/daughter will die" very, rare.

I will not judge anyone, but, I cannot be pro choice.

 

[SPF]

I don't care so much about being "biblical" (whatever that means)

It means choosing to let your beliefs be guided by and determined by Scripture as opposed to your opinions.

And when it comes to Scripture and abortion, I have yet to find anything that would lead me to believe that the 98.5% of abortions which are committed for convenience reasons are morally permissible.

 

[FireDragon76]

It means choosing to let your beliefs be guided by and determined by Scripture as opposed to your opinions.

What sort of beliefs? Beliefs about salvation and how we are justified by God? That is determined by the Bible. But when it comes to understanding the world, I prefer to let science and human reason be my guide, and that is thoroughly compatible with what my religion teaches. The Bible is not an exhaustive guide to human conduct, no Lutheran has ever believed that. That is why Luther did not oppose the teaching of ethics based on Aristotle in universities, he merely objected to its use to understand the things of God pertaining to salvation.

And when it comes to Scripture and abortion, I have yet to find anything that would lead me to believe that the 98.5% of abortions which are committed for convenience reasons are morally permissible.

If that is what you believe, don't get an abortion then, as that is what your conscience dictates. But I do not see how you have any authority to bind the conscience of others. People of goodwill obviously disagree on this issue. And this is where the principle of the bound conscience comes in to play.

 

[SPF]

What sort of beliefs?

As a Christian, I’m going to assume that you spend time in the Word, reading and meditating on it and striving to become more like Christ in your daily life, loving others as Christ loved you. And that’s really the heart of it, isn’t it? Being biblically based in your beliefs is a comprehensive statement.

It means that what you believe about the world, about morality, about the future direction of life is all based upon the objective words of Scripture.

If that is what you believe, don't get an abortion then, as that is what your conscience dictates. But I do not see how you have any authority to bind the conscience of others. People of goodwill obviously disagree on this issue. And this is where the principle of the bound conscience comes in to play.

Scripture is authoritative, I am not. There is objective right and wrong because God is the source of morality. If man was the measure of what is right or wrong, then morality would be subjective as no man has more inherent authority over another.

So again, as Christians we look at Scripture. We look at Jesus Himself who outlined in Matthew how we are to deal with other Believers in sin. We look at Paul’s teaching in Corinthians where he literally kicked someone out of the church.

As Christians, we should love each other enough to admonish and encourage each other to be morally upright people.

If abortion is immoral, then it’s immoral for all people and nobody should have a problem standing up for what is morally right.

 

[FireDragon76]

As a Christian, I’m going to assume that you spend time in the Word, reading and meditating on it and striving to become more like Christ in your daily life, loving others as Christ loved you. And that’s really the heart of it, isn’t it? Being biblically based in your beliefs is a comprehensive statement.

It means that what you believe about the world, about morality, about the future direction of life is all based upon the objective words of Scripture.

Scripture is authoritative, I am not. There is objective right and wrong because God is the source of morality. If man was the measure of what is right or wrong, then morality would be subjective as no man has more inherent authority over another.

So again, as Christians we look at Scripture. We look at Jesus Himself who outlined in Matthew how we are to deal with other Believers in sin. We look at Paul’s teaching in Corinthians where he literally kicked someone out of the church.

As Christians, we should love each other enough to admonish and encourage each other to be morally upright people.

If abortion is immoral, then it’s immoral for all people and nobody should have a problem standing up for what is morally right.

That is an American Evangelical understanding of the Christian faith and the Bible, but it is not necessarily the only one.

We do not believe the Christian faith is defined by morality, but by God's grace in Jesus Christ. We are a grace-shaped religion, not a religion about moralism. Morality is important in how it leads us to live lives of service but it does not determine who is, and is not, a Christian.

I do not spend alot of time reading or studying the Bible now days, as it is not necessary for my life vocation. Nevertheless, I am well versed in the Bible, probably having read it more often than most Christians on this forum, in the past, before I became a Lutheran.

I am a person of prayer, as are all Christians. I may not spend as much time in prayer but again, nobody is justified by their prayers, they are justified by faith alone.

 

[SPF]

We do not believe the Christian faith is defined by morality, but by God's grace in Jesus Christ.

Of course, nobody has said otherwise. But the fact remains that morality is objective. As Christians, we can say with confidence that cold blooded murder is always immoral. And as people who have the benefit of Scripture, we should encourage others to live morally upright lives.

Morality is important in how it leads us to live lives of service but it does not determine who is, and is not, a Christian.

Of course not. But if my neighbor really hates his wife and is talking to me about killing her, I’m going to encourage him not to.

Morality is not subjective.

And honestly, based upon how you engage people on this forum, I’m not surprised to hear you admit to not spending much time in the Word. It matters, it really does. God has created us as relational beings, and you do have an actual relationship with Christ. You should read I Corinthians 13.

 

[FireDragon76]

Of course, nobody has said otherwise. But the fact remains that morality is objective. As Christians, we can say with confidence that cold blooded murder is always immoral. And as people who have the benefit of Scripture, we should encourage others to live morally upright lives.

I am less concerned about morality, which is really whatever your culture tells you it is, and more concerned about ethics. Ethics is intersubjective, because it involves persons and relationships, not abstractions.

Of course not. But if my neighbor really hates his wife and is talking to me about killing her, I’m going to encourage him not to.

Good for you. But killing your wife is illegal. Terminating a pregnancy is not, necessarily.

And honestly, based upon how you engage people on this forum, I’m not surprised to hear you admit to not spending much time in the Word. It matters, it really does. God has created us as relational beings, and you do have an actual relationship with Christ. You should read I Corinthians 13.

You are not my pastor and I will not be lectured on spiritual matters by you. My relationship to Christ was secured 2,000 years ago on Calvary, and 41 years ago, when I was baptized into his death and resurrection. I have spent my whole life in the Word.

 

[SPF]

The morality of abortion has nothing to do with what culture says. Just like the morality of killing your neighbor in cold blood has nothing to do with what culture says.

I’m not interested in what the law says regarding abortion as the law has zero impact upon whether God views abortion as moral or not.

So again, per the topic of this thread, I’ve yet to find anything in Scripture that would lend itself towards thinking that the 98.5% of abortions which are committed for convenience reasons is anything less than immoral.

 

[FenderTL5]

First, I am unequivocally pro-life, not only including abortion and euthanasia but also capital punishment, war, immigration and social issues. I try to view every issue through the lens of life being sacred.

That said, the one passage that I hear bandied about the most that would answer the question in the OP is Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

The point being, it's at first breath that one becomes a living soul.

 

[SPF]

The point being, it's at first breath that one becomes a living soul.

Actually what that passage teaches us is nothing more than that God gave Adam life. Adam had a fully developed body, and God brought him to life.

It doesn’t say that Adam became alive when HE breathed, it says that God breathed life into him. Or put another way, God brought Adam to life.

This is hardly analogous to how the rest of humanity is formed and created.

 

[SPF]

The point being, it's at first breath that one becomes a living soul.

Actually what that passage teaches us is nothing more than that God gave Adam life. Adam had a fully developed body, and God brought him to life.

It doesn’t say that Adam became alive when HE breathed, it says that God breathed life into him. Or put another way, God brought Adam to life.

This is hardly analogous to how the rest of humanity is formed and created.

 

[FenderTL5]

Actually what that passage teaches us is nothing more than that God gave Adam life. Adam had a fully developed body, and God brought him to life.

It doesn’t say that Adam became alive when HE breathed, it says that God breathed life into him. Or put another way, God brought Adam to life.

This is hardly analogous to how the rest of humanity is formed and created.

It's not my position, just one that I've heard often.

 

[SPF]

It's not my position, just one that I've heard often.

Why parrot a position that you don’t endorse, haven’t studied, or apparently know anything about?

There’s nothing analogous about God Himself breathing life into a fully developed human being that He Himself created and a new human coming into existence VIA fertilization.

 

[(° ͡ ͜ ͡ʖ ͡ °) (ᵔᴥᵔʋ)]

There is no biblical justification for abortion.

That seems to be the case. So why are there so many Christians, to include your fellow Lutherans, support abortion when there is so much scripture that says life in the womb is precious?

 

[(° ͡ ͜ ͡ʖ ͡ °) (ᵔᴥᵔʋ)]

Why parrot a position that you don’t endorse, haven’t studied, or apparently know anything about?

There’s nothing analogous about God Himself breathing life into a fully developed human being that He Himself created and a new human coming into existence VIA fertilization.

I think he was just trying to provide an answer for the OP. There have been several times when I had to put on my "secular hat" or even a "catholic hat" to answer questions from their point of view. Although I probably would have prefaced my statement with some clarification that my answer is not my personal opinion. Like if someone were to ask what Mormons believed, I could answer basic questions about what they believe and why the believe it without having to agree or believe in it myself.

 

[FenderTL5]

I think he was just trying to provide an answer for the OP. There have been several times when I had to put on my "secular hat" or even a "catholic hat" to answer questions from their point of view. Although I probably would have prefaced my statement with some clarification that my answer is not my personal opinion. Like if someone were to as what Mormons believed, I could answer basic questions about what they believe and why without having to agree or believe in it myself.

Thank you.
FWIW, I put an entire paragraph in the post to clarify that it was NOT my position.

 

[(° ͡ ͜ ͡ʖ ͡ °) (ᵔᴥᵔʋ)]

Thank you.
FWIW, I put an entire paragraph in the post to clarify that it was NOT my position.

Just curious, what does FWIW mean? I have seen it multiple times and have not been able to figure it out.

 

[FenderTL5]

Just curious, what does FWIW mean? I have seen it multiple times and have not been able to figure it out.

For what it's worth

 

[Silverback]

That seems to be the case. So why are there so many Christians, to include your fellow Lutherans, support abortion when there is so much scripture that says life in the womb is precious?

I can only speak for myself, and this is the position held by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) at the national level anyway, pastors could hold other views, and express them to there congregations.

 

[Silverback]

Actually what that passage teaches us is nothing more than that God gave Adam life. Adam had a fully developed body, and God brought him to life.

It doesn’t say that Adam became alive when HE breathed, it says that God breathed life into him. Or put another way, God brought Adam to life.

This is hardly analogous to how the rest of humanity is formed and created.

Do you think Adam had a belly button?