Orthodox stance on birth control?

[MrPolo]

Anyone know of an Orthodox clergy explaining the morality/unmorality of various birth control methods.

 

[musicluvr83]

Anyone know of an Orthodox clergy explaining the morality/unmorality of various birth control methods.

I assume you to mean within marriage since that's the only place a man and woman should come together as one. period.

Here's something from:

The Synod of Bishops of the OCA: OCA - On Marriage, Family, Sexuality, and the Sanctity of Life

Fr. Thomas Hopko, Dean Emeritus of St. Vladimir's Seminary: OCA - The Orthodox Faith

Protodeacon Basil Andruchow: OCA - Resource Handbook for Lay Ministries

 

[MrPolo]

Thanks for those. I also want to throw in for reference this article by Fr. Alexey Young of the Russian Orthodox Church of America.

 

[Coralie]

^ afaik contraception is often seen as a pastoral issue that varies from couple to couple.

My priest told me contraception can be used to build your family (in a marriage, obvy) in a sensible way (e.g. spacing births, recovery for Mom, avoiding destitution, couple is in personal turmoil and is trying to mend their relationship, couple is in throes of an addiction situation and a baby would be in danger, etc.), but it should never be used to make promiscuity or unbridled sexuality "consequence-free".

Thing is, as the Vatican has recently said, often there are heinous things happening that make contraception the least of the problem.

It's a tricky one. Many lay Orthodox feel the well-outlined, JPII's-Theology-of-the-Body, Catholic approach is the right one. Others say it's something that should be looked at individually. Warning: this thread may turn nasty. Understandably, people are passionate about this issue.

 

[MrPolo]

^ afaik contraception is often seen as a pastoral issue that varies from couple to couple.

My priest told me contraception can be used to build your family (in a marriage, obvy) in a sensible way (e.g. spacing births, recovery for Mom, avoiding destitution, couple is in personal turmoil and is trying to mend their relationship, couple is in throes of an addiction situation and a baby would be in danger, etc.), but it should never be used to make promiscuity or unbridled sexuality "consequence-free".

Thing is, as the Vatican has recently said, often there are heinous things happening that make contraception the least of the problem.

It's a tricky one. Many lay Orthodox feel the well-outlined, JPII's-Theology-of-the-Body, Catholic approach is the right one. Others say it's something that should be looked at individually. Warning: this thread may turn nasty. Understandably, people are passionate about this issue.

It's not going to turn nasty on my part! As near as I can tell you are correct. In the articles I've read through herein, some Orthodox leave only the natural means of birth control as ok. Although the other article (from musiclvr's 3rd link) leaves very little room for artificial contraception like if the spouse's health is in jeopardy.

I brought this up because in another thread an Orthodox told us he had a vasectomy because he'd had 7 kids already. I was taken aback by that.

By the way, thanks for actually understanding what the Pope recently said correctly----there's a good handful of people who just turn stone blind to what he actually said and are running with that. In the CF forum no less!

 

[Coralie]

It's not going to turn nasty on my part! As near as I can tell you are correct. In the articles I've read through herein, some Orthodox leave only the natural means of birth control as ok. Although the other article (from musiclvr's 3rd link) leaves very little room for artificial contraception like if the spouse's health is in jeopardy.

I brought this up because in another thread an Orthodox told us he had a vasectomy because he'd had 7 kids already. I was taken aback by that.

By the way, thanks for actually understanding what the Pope recently said correctly----there's a good handful of people who just turn stone blind to what he actually said and are running with that. In the CF forum no less!

Oh no my dear, I didn't mean YOU turning nasty! I don't think I've ever seen you turn nasty I just mean there are people who get extremely upset over this issue (understandably).

As a general rule of thumb, I think where the couple grieves that they really want kids but just can't do it in good conscience due to dire circumstances, that's where contraception is usually permissible (IMO, & certainly in the opinion of my priest).

My situation is also an example; my husband isn't Orthodox and doesn't want children yet, and that's just the way it is. I long for a baby but I can't defy my husband, I must respect what he wants. In that situation, I can't see how I can be condemned for using contraception. I think a lot of people are in a similar situation to me.

Re: Pope Benedict. O my goodness, isn't it a complete farce the way it's being reported/talked about!... I keep seeing the news reports on it and I nearly have a spasm in my eyes I'm rolling them so much.

 

[musicluvr83]

It's not going to turn nasty on my part! As near as I can tell you are correct. In the articles I've read through herein, some Orthodox leave only the natural means of birth control as ok. Although the other article (from musiclvr's 3rd link) leaves very little room for artificial contraception like if the spouse's health is in jeopardy.

I brought this up because in another thread an Orthodox told us he had a vasectomy because he'd had 7 kids already. I was taken aback by that.

By the way, thanks for actually understanding what the Pope recently said correctly----there's a good handful of people who just turn stone blind to what he actually said and are running with that. In the CF forum no less!

As Coralie said, it varies from couple to couple and it's definitely a pastoral issue. That's actually why I posted the 3 links ...all from the OCA... to show that it varies. Ultimately it's something the married couple, if there's an issue, should talk about with their priest.

Fr Alexey covers the differences of the views Orthodoxy holds compared to other faiths in the article you posted (The Orthodox Christian Marriage) rather well, imo.

 

[cobweb]

There are times (out of mercy) that non-abortive birth control is permited on a case-by-case basis. I have been given a blessing for NFP, barrier methods, or sterilization, because I have a special needs child and a likelyhood of having others with special needs. For the moment we are using NFP.

This is not the best way. I know however, that at this point I could not handle multiple children with disabilities.

 

[Michael G]

Abortifacient birth controll can never be tolerated. The Didache, a very ancient 1st century apostolic writing, makes this very clear. The pill has 2 functions: to prevent fertilization and secondly to prevent the fertilized egg (read human being) from implanting in it's mothers uterus. Thus the pill can never be tolerated because it often kills a newly formed human life.

 

[musicluvr83]

Abortifacient birth controll can never be tolerated. The Didache, a very ancient 1st century apostolic writing, makes this very clear. The pill has 2 functions: to prevent fertilization and secondly to prevent the fertilized egg (read human being) from implanting in it's mothers uterus. Thus the pill can never be tolerated because it often kills a newly formed human life.

Yeah, I actually once heard that a Holy Father said this was just as bad as abortion (murder) because it's considered an attempted murder. I unfortunately can't give a reference though so I dunno how true it is (i.e. whether a Holy Father really said this). Either way, it makes sense.

 

[cobweb]

Abortifacient birth controll can never be tolerated. The Didache, a very ancient 1st century apostolic writing, makes this very clear. The pill has 2 functions: to prevent fertilization and secondly to prevent the fertilized egg (read human being) from implanting in it's mothers uterus. Thus the pill can never be tolerated because it often kills a newly formed human life.

I agree.

 

[Michael G]

Didache. The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles (translation Roberts-Donaldson).

The Didache

Chapter 2. The Second Commandment: Grave Sin Forbidden. And the second commandment of the Teaching; You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you shall not steal, you shall not practice magic, you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is born. You shall not covet the things of your neighbor, you shall not swear, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not speak evil, you shall bear no grudge. You shall not be double-minded nor double-tongued, for to be double-tongued is a snare of death. Your speech shall not be false, nor empty, but fulfilled by deed. You shall not be covetous, nor rapacious, nor a hypocrite, nor evil disposed, nor haughty. You shall not take evil counsel against your neighbor. You shall not hate any man; but some you shall reprove, and concerning some you shall pray, and some you shall love more than your own life.

 

[Damaris]

I should mention that some Orthodox women do take the "birth control pill" because they need it for a medical condition. The primary function of the pill is to prevent ovulation by tricking the body into thinking the woman is already pregnant. These pills can help things like acne and bleeding disorders. There can be breakthrough ovulation, however, and if the woman is sexually active, this can lead to a baby being conceived. One of the pill's side effects is thinning the endometrial lining that sheds every month in a woman's period. With a thinner endometrial lining, the baby has a harder time implanting and may be miscarried. The woman will probably never be aware of it, though.

So, the pill should not be used by Orthodox women who are able to get pregnant (engaging in sexual activity with a man who is not sterile). Other Orthodox women are free to use the pill. Using the pill while sexually active is not the moral equivalent of having an elective abortion, but it is reckless, and would be a sin if one is aware of what the Church teaches about when human lives begin and what the pill can do to their children when they are very young.

 

[musicluvr83]

Anyone know of an Orthodox clergy explaining the morality/unmorality of various birth control methods.

I stumbled across this a short while ago & thought you might appreciate it 'cause it's simple and to the point. Tis written by Archpriest John Matusiak:


Traditionally the Church has taken a negative view of contraception, in part because in early times the primary form of contraception involved abortion or the aborting of a yet-to-be-born child. Some of the Fathers condemn the "drinking of potions" that end pregnancy, for example.

So it is clear that any and all forms of birth control that result in an abortion -- these would be called "abortificient methods" -- are never permitted. This would include many of the so-called "contemporary" forms of birth control, including but certainly not limited to the "morning after pill," IUDs, etc.

With regard to non-abortificient methods used strictly by a husband and a wife who for good reason should not conceive -- for example, the wife has had a number of children, developed post-partum cardiomyopathy after her second birth, and was strictly warned by the doctor that she simply would not survive a third pregnancy even through birth -- this is a pastoral matter that the couple would be best to discuss with their father confessor/parish priest. There is certainly no objection to abstinence during the time of ovulation as a means of birth control.

This is clear in the OCA Holy Synod's affirmation, "On Marriage, Family, Sexuality, and the Sanctity of Life," which clearly states, "Married couples may express their love in sexual union without always intending the conception of a child, but only those means of controlling conception within marriage are acceptable which do not harm a fetus already conceived."

 

[ArmyMatt]

yeah, the best answer, and seems very often quoted as an answer for an Orthodox position is that it depends on the heart of the people involved, aside from the no killing babies part, which should be obvious.

 

[katherine2001]

From what I understand, a couple is not supposed to us birth control permanently because they don't want children (after all, one of the purposes of marriage is to produce children). It is only supposed to be used temporarily in certain circumstances, as outlined above. I don't believe the Church condones vasectomies and that sort of thing (though I could be wrong).

 

[katherine2001]

I would have trouble if I was a priest allowing birth control pills to be used in cases of acne. Blood disorders I could understand, but a person can live with acne.

 

[-Kyriaki-]

What about debilitating monthly cramps? I know people who are violently ill, have to take time off work, become anaemic etc etc every month and the pill helps with that dramatically. It's often prescribed for teenagers who aren't sexually active because of that reason alone.

 

[katherine2001]

Are there other drugs that could be used to treat it?

 

[musicluvr83]

What about debilitating monthly cramps? I know people who are violently ill, have to take time off work, become anaemic etc etc every month and the pill helps with that dramatically. It's often prescribed for teenagers who aren't sexually active because of that reason alone.

I've heard of that about the pill but there are other things one can do. Motrin (like 800mg) prescribed by the doctor helps tremendously so one doesn't have to take the pill. And iron supplements (along with red meat when not a fast, dark green veggies, etc) help with iron deficiency.