The Episcopal Church has endorsed a letter to members of the United States Senate endorsing taxpayer funding of abortions.
On Dec 4, the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice released a letter endorsed by the Episcopal Church, Catholics for Choice and other liberal religious groups expressing their opposition to an amendment to the health care reform bill before Congress that would remove abortion funding from the proposed legislation.
“We believe that it is our social and moral obligation to ensure access to high quality comprehensive health care services at every stage in an individual’s life,” the RCRC letter said, noting that “affordable and accessible care for all” was “necessary for the well-being of all people in our nation.”
At the parish level, this is often a hot-potato issue that TEC rectors wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole, and certainly not from the pulpit. How did it come about that the national church has taken sides on this issue, or worse yet, claim it to be the “long-standing position” of the church?
I believe the decision was made between GC’s by the Standing Committee that makes decisions during the interim, and amendments to remove TEC from membership in RCRC were tabled.
Seeing the national church endorse federal funding for abortions makes me want to vomit.
Yes, a good message for Holy Innocents Day.
What a foul organization ECUSA is.
How evil and what proof of the demise of the Anglican church in America. They should hang their heads in shame….for blessed is the fruit not only of Mary’s womb but all wombs that carry little babies.
Is it enough just to say, “I’m personally opposed to abortion”, but the organization which you financially support lobbies for tax-payer supported abortion funding? How can anyone with a conscience be a member of TEC?
In January of 2006, the Executive Council voted to become an official member of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), a pro-abortion group. Previous to that, ECUSA’s Women’s Ministry had been a member, but not the church as a whole. TEC (ECUSA) is the only Christian church that is a member. While the Methodists, Presbyterians, etc. have groups affiliated with the RCRC, those denominations as a whole are not members – only TEC. How sad.
At GC06, several resolutions were brought up dealing with TEC’s support for abortion and this membership. All were killed in committee, except one which was voted on by the bishops but never made it in the deputies. In GC09, there were no resolutions dealing with abortion or the RCRC presented at convention. There was one proposed in San Diego, but it was never forwarded by the diocesan office to General Convention.
I cannot believe that I ever EVER considered joining the Episcopal Church. I am relieved that my Mom’s Church, one of the Connecticut Six, is no longer part of the ECUSA. Yet, I wonder if what happened to ECUSA was a terrible malady or whether it is part of the DNA of their hermeneutics. Will the children of the faithful that have escaped the clutches of wickedness eventually fall into the same trap?
The evangelicals seem to be the majority of those that escaped, though the High Church sort seemed to have been repulsed by the departure from tradition as well. I don’t know how the numbers shake out, but I think that many of the High Church sort will likely migrate to the RC or Orthodox folds.
Dear Lord, have mercy on the sheep of your pasture and protect them from the wolves that have crept in unawares.
Every woman I know who’s had an abortion is either Southern Baptist or Roman Catholic.
Ember, regardless of your experience, women who have had abortions may be found in *ALL* denominations. Now again, women that would admit to having an abortion…
What does that mean, Ember? I know several Episcopalians who have had abortions. Are you saying that if the denomination advocates for abortion, its members are less likely to have one? What a strange comment.
It is horrifying that ECUSA has signed onto this appalling letter as a whole church. Individuals who still belong to the organization should take care than none of their financial donations filter their way up to the national office.
The only “church” on record as a supporter of the RCRC and pictured here: http://www.rcrc.org/about/members.cfm
Paging Molech! Paging Mr. Molech! A Ms Ragsdale on the Blessing of abortion for you!!
I feel sick. It’s harder and harder to stomach staying in this “church”…
Sad but predictable.
Fatigue setting in all around it appears. There was a time when a thread like this would have run a 100+ posts.
#9, Were they REALLY Roman Catholics, or just “cultural” Catholics? Did they believe all that the Church teaches, or did they find room for “principled disagreement”?
I’m guessing it’s the latter.
I would like to remove the words “abortion” and “choice” from this discussion and call it what it is, “baby killing.” Get real, yo!