More restriction’s on women’s health coming

Pending decisions by Congress on women’s reproduction I fear may be driven from vague interpretations of scripture and religious philosophy tangential to the issues as well as poor understanding of human development and pregnancy. To the contrary, Episcopal Church resolutions about women’s reproductive rights are consistent with known science, Christian tradition, and Scripture.

Before the United States Congress is legislation legalizing the concept that under federal law life begins at conception. The likely consequences of this will be include a total ban on any abortion even if the mother’s life is in danger or she risks disability such as infertility from complications of continuing a pregnancy. Additionally, the most common types of birth control used today involve preventing a human egg in the early state of fertilization from implanting in the uterus. Should this law pass it would mandate this type of birth control be outlawed.

The Episcopal Church in February 2024 restated a summary of the General Convention resolutions on women’s reproductive rights. These statements reflect the sanctity of human life, the responsibilities of conception, the right to obtain appropriate medical care including termination of pregnancy if medically indicated, contraception, and in vitro fertilization.

In 1985 Wilson-Kastner and Blair published Biblical Views on Abortion: An Episcopal Perspective in Conscience. These authors noted that the Bible does not mention abortion specifically. However in  Exodus 21:22-25 where a discussion is held about the damages to be paid for injury to a pregnant woman they note if the woman dies then rex talinosis applies in other words a life for a life. If the fetus dies then a fine would be paid. The Greek Hittites applying the Greek translation of Hebrew in the Septuagint followed this practice according to how developed was the pregnancy determined the punishment.

The Bible and Abortion: Exodus 21:22-23 in the Septuagint and Other Opinions in the International Journal of Philosophy by Adriano Da Silva Carvalho noted this previous research and added the following:

Both Augustine and Aquinas saw human fetuses as developing in stages before their final form. Gregory of Nyssa theorized that conceived humans were conceived with a soul while Aquinas believed there was a progression of maturing souls. The discussions of when an embryo becomes a person are confusing because they most often were discussing the nature of Jesus rather then mortal humans. Additionally the concept of brain development was unknown to the ancients. Many Jewish scholars but not all say an infant is a person at the time of birth, not before. Several times in the Bible there are references that God knows who fetus will development into therefore justifying that life begins at conception for some Christians.

Being a neurosurgeon and neuroscientist I am certainly aware that a person does not reach maturity in terms of our thinking process until early 30s. This is reflected in the way the law treats young offenders differently then adults. Newborns take a month to identify themselves as individuals separate from their surroundings. There is a Biblical and Christian theological consistency in the notion that human beings are not whole at conception. How they develop ultimately as individuals who function in the world is not even determined by the time of birth. I have taken care of many challenged infants to save their lives and believe their creation is intended by God.

In Genesis 1:28 God tells Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply to replenish the earth as well as to be stewards of God’s creation. If a women’s life, health, or fertility is threatened then her ability to be a mother and carry out her sacred duty if she so chooses to propagate humanity is threatened. Similarly if a couple can only safely conceive by IVF then also this would be following God’s intent. God intervened to make infertile women Sarah and Elizabeth to bear sons.

Every month a potential human being is dispensed by an unfertilized egg if there is no fertilization. Even if fertilized the timing or conditions may be wrong for implantation and a fertilized egg is discarded. The ancient Jews did not name their children until they survived the first month after birth when they were presented to the Temple as they did with Jesus.

The scientific advances of medicine intended by God’s gift of making us stewards of the world when used appropriately further facilitate our society living in a Christian way making us better stewards of God’s creation. The Episcopal General Resolutions are well drafted instruments of faith in action.