Orthodox position on contraception?

Rosa Mystica · Apr 13, 2004

I was wondering: what is the position of the Orthodox Church on artificial contraception w/in marriage? I've heard conflicting viewpoints on this issue. What is the true teaching?

Reader Nilus · Apr 13, 2004

It is frowned upon, but in the end it is up to the family and their confessor what they do at any given time when it comes to birth control.
Jeff the Finn

prodromos · Apr 13, 2004

Christos Anesti! Christ is Risen!

It is forbidden, not just frowned upon. There are however times where a confessor may permit his spiritual child to use contraception (non abortive) as a lesser evil for a short period but only under extreme circumstances.

Generally, any sexual act between husband and wife that is not open to the possibility of conception is considered as sin, however not all are at a point in their spiritual growth where they can accept this and it is up to their confessor to discern how best to guide them into that understanding, otherwise they might leave the church altogether out of pride.

John.

vanshan · Apr 13, 2004

Christ is Risen!

It is forbidden as far as I know also. My wife discontinued using an IUD, the Marina, which works three ways, one including the posibility of keeping fertilized eggs from implanting -- this would be very bad.

Instead we purchased a kit which measures hormones in her system by licking slides each morning and looking for a fern pattern on the slides under a small microscope. It's really cool. This is not a perfect system, so we still feel like we are leaving pregnancy up to God, but it does decrease the odds of pregnancy, so I don't know if it's completely ok. I agree with prodromos that really having sex withouth the intent of procreation may be wrong. We don't really believe in having sex just for recreation in Orthodoxy. I'm sure many would disagree, but I think clearly this has been the guidance of our Church.

Basil

Rosa Mystica · Apr 13, 2004

vanshan said:
Christ is Risen!

It is forbidden as far as I know also. My wife discontinued using an IUD, the Marina, which works three ways, one including the posibility of keeping fertilized eggs from implanting -- this would be very bad.

Instead we purchased a kit which measures hormones in her system by licking slides each morning and looking for a fern pattern on the slides under a small microscope. It's really cool. This is not a perfect system, so we still feel like we are leaving pregnancy up to God, but it does decrease the odds of pregnancy, so I don't know if it's completely ok. I agree with prodromos that really having sex withouth the intent of procreation may be wrong. We don't really believe in having sex just for recreation in Orthodoxy. I'm sure many would disagree, but I think clearly this has been the guidance of our Church.

Basil

You know, the Couple to Couple League promotes natural methods which are more effective than the saliva-testing method.

Does Orthodoxy permit the use of natural methods, or are these viewed as being contraceptive as well?

prodromos · Apr 14, 2004

Any method used to avoid pregnancy during sex is considered sin.

My wife and I, to our shame, have been guilty of this in the past, and now when we would love to have more children it simply does not seem to be happening.

John.

Reader Nilus · Apr 14, 2004

prodromos said:
Christos Anesti! Christ is Risen!

It is forbidden, not just frowned upon. There are however times where a confessor may permit his spiritual child to use contraception (non abortive) as a lesser evil for a short period but only under extreme circumstances.

Generally, any sexual act between husband and wife that is not open to the possibility of conception is considered as sin, however not all are at a point in their spiritual growth where they can accept this and it is up to their confessor to discern how best to guide them into that understanding, otherwise they might leave the church altogether out of pride.

John.

Or one might add the parish will end up with a great many children it will have to take care of. Economics of child birth are considered, there are many couples that a child will put them in a hole they could never get out of, yet alone having more children. Birth control for the sake of convience of the couple so they can play is wrong, but if having children is going to put them in a position of not being able to provide for them then that is another story. Orthodoxy is not legalism.
Jeff the Finn

brewmama · Apr 14, 2004

prodromos said:
Any method used to avoid pregnancy during sex is considered sin.

My wife and I, to our shame, have been guilty of this in the past, and now when we would love to have more children it simply does not seem to be happening.

John.

That is sad. As for me, I became Orthodox too late for wise council, we started our family late, and when my youngest was a year old I became pregnant with a "blighted ovum", (it never progressed into anything and I eventually had to have a D&C) and elected to have a tubal ligation at the time, due to the painful emotions that elicited. So it will be no more children for us, which now saddens us both.

Nikolas222 · Apr 14, 2004

i see contraceptives as not necessarily sinful, though the church see them that way. What if a couple is just married and just wants to have fun but isnt ready for a child? It is not to debate over, I do recognize it as a sin.

prodromos · Apr 15, 2004

jeffthefinn said:
Or one might add the parish will end up with a great many children it will have to take care of. Economics of child birth are considered, there are many couples that a child will put them in a hole they could never get out of, yet alone having more children. Birth control for the sake of convience of the couple so they can play is wrong, but if having children is going to put them in a position of not being able to provide for them then that is another story. Orthodoxy is not legalism.

I can only partly agree with you Jeff. Orthodox couples having children are not isolated but are part of the Church, the Body of Christ, and ALL members of the church are responsible for ALL the other members. All children are a blessing from God and if having children would be a financial strain on some, then others in the church need to step in and support them. If we lived as the Church did in Acts 2:44-45 or as they did in Antioch, Acts 11:29-30, then economic hardship would not be an issue.

Of course we are not give ourselves over to sexual abandon, that is the way of the flesh. We need to approach sexual intercourse with fear and awe as a holy thing because each time we have sex there is the potential for God to create a new person. This is in itself no small miracle and I believe that if Christians understood this properly, they would be far less inclined to roll in the hay at every opportunity. In 1 Corinthians 7:5 Paul says "Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.", however as we grow in holiness I believe we will naturally tend to spend more time in fasting and prayer as well as growing in self control.

Couples who for whatever reason cannot have children should not consider sexual intercourse as a selfish act. God is all powerful and has often made possible the impossible

John.

wonder111 · Apr 15, 2004

what about health reasons? i know for some it's not a good time health wise to have children, and could result in deformity of the baby, and/or death of the mother? especially if they are taking a specific medication and need to be off of it before having children

Suzannah · Apr 15, 2004

wonder111 said:
what about health reasons? i know for some it's not a good time health wise to have children, and could result in deformity of the baby, and/or death of the mother? especially if they are taking a specific medication and need to be off of it before having children

Hi there. Welcome to the Ancient Way forum ! To answer your question: I think you are asking whether or not contraception is "allowed" in Orthodoxy under these conditions....to make it really short and sweet, Orthodoxy as a whole would take into account these types of considerations and leave it up to the couple and their conscience, and their relationship to their priest (confession, etc.). Abortion is NEVER okay under ANY circumstances. But contraception, in the right frame of mind and soul, is left between the priest and the couple in question. I hope that helps to answer your concern....again, Welcome to the Ancient Way. Feel free to ask any more questions you have....

Reader Nilus · Apr 16, 2004

But Suzannah, Abortion is allowed in tubal pregnanacies and so forth. And for all the talk about Abortion it is a sin like any other and is forgiven. A person who kills someone in war is guilty of murder as well. And all of us are guilty in Orthodoxy of one sin or another and so we know that mercy is the only thing we hope for.
Jeff the Finn

Suzannah · Apr 16, 2004

jeffthefinn said:
But Suzannah, Abortion is allowed in tubal pregnanacies and so forth. And for all the talk about Abortion it is a sin like any other and is forgiven. A person who kills someone in war is guilty of murder as well. And all of us are guilty in Orthodoxy of one sin or another and so we know that mercy is the only thing we hope for.
Jeff the Finn

Okay!!! Good one...and good "save"...you're absolutely right.....I was only presenting the initial points .....but you are correct...I know you are becasue i checked this out before I became a catechumen....My priest says exaclty the same, except that he adds "Those who have much, much will be required."

Orthodox position on contraception?

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